Bridge Street Theatre Presents The World Premiere Of THE LETTERS By David Zellnik

Catskill's intimate Bridge Street Theatre inaugurates its 2019 Subscription Season with the world premiere of playwright David Zellnik's magnificent and deeply moving "The Letters". This haunting new play from the author of "Sharon/Herzl", "The F#@%ing Wright Brothers", "
Serendib", and the musical "Yank!", features a magnificently diverse cast of four directed by Bridge Street's Artistic and Managing Director John Sowle.

It's 2002. Henry and Rachel are language nerds - he's gay and studies dead languages, she's straight and studies living languages. And Rajiv is an artist who lives with them both in a squat in Berlin, embroiled in a post-collegiate tangle of friendship, love, and sex. They're all 22, the world is full of possibility, and they want it all. Then suddenly it's NYC 12 years later and it's all coming apart. Henry is gone and Rajiv and Rachel's long engagement is fraying when a fourth character enters their lives. In the course of a single day (with flashbacks to the times they shared in Berlin), these achingly human characters wrestle with the past and try to chart a future for themselves in a language they have yet to create.

Featured in the cast (all making their Bridge Street Theatre debuts) are Shivantha Singer (Rajiv), Sara Parcesepe (Rachel), Christopher Joel Onken (Henry), and Alexis Cofield (Laura). The show is directed and designed by John Sowle, with costumes by Michelle Rogers and sound designed by Carmen Borgia. Production Stage Manager is Joshua Martin.

"Bridge Street has developed something of a reputation for finding and producing exceptional new plays," says director John Sowle, "and we've been dying to present this one for over two years, ever since David sent us a perusal copy of his first draft to take a look at. We are beyond excited to be staging its first ever full production here in Catskill."

"The Letters" is recommended for audiences ages 16+ and plays Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:00pm from April 25 - May 5, 2019 at Bridge Street Theatre, located at 44 West Bridge Street, in Catskill, NY, just a block and a half west of Main Street across the Uncle Sam Bridge, which spans Catskill Creek. Eight performances only. General Admission is $25, Students 21 and under are only $10. Discounted advance tickets are available at letters.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 800-838-3006. Tickets will also be sold at the door one half hour prior to each performance on a space available basis. "Pay What You Will" performances will be held on Thursday April 25 and Sunday April 28 ("Pay What You Will" tickets are available only at the door one half hour prior to those performances). And time is running out to subscribe to Bridge Street Theatre's entire five-play 2019 Season and receive substantial discounts on many other BST events plus special offers from local businesses. To purchase your Season Pass, visitbst2019.brownpapertickets.com or call 800-838-3006, and for more information, visit the theatre online at BridgeSt.org.

The play was developed with the support of New York Stage and Film, March 2018.
The production of this world premiere has been underwritten in part by a generous gift from Nina Matis and Alan Gosule.

Events at Bridge Street Theatre are supported in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and by Public Funds from the Greene County Legislature through the Cultural Fund administered in Greene County by the Greene County Council on the Arts.