Troy Foundry Theatre and Collectiveffort to Co-Present World Premiere of HARD CANDY & MISDEMEANORS By Cris Eli Blak

Troy Foundry Theatre and Collectiveffort will co-present the world premiere of Hard Candy & Misdemeanors by Cris Eli Blak this Fall 2023. Performed at Collectiveffort's Kickback Studios (10 Second St. in Troy, NY, 12180), the play unfolds over the span of a single day in the employee break room at Roxanne Brewer's small-town convenience store, The Quickie Shop. Directed by Troy Foundry Theatre company member Angelique Powell and starring Bianca Stinney, Q'ubilah Sales, Michael Lake, Morgan Heyward and Alexander Heck, this new play by Cris Eli Blak (2023 Black Broadway Men Playwriting Initiative winner) tells the story of the complicated lives and relationships of the the shop's employees.

For more information and tickets please visit www.troyfoundrytheatre.com.

Hard Candy & Misdemeanors

A world premiere play by Cris Eli Blak
Co-presented by Troy Foundry Theatre and Collectiveffort

The cast includes Q'ubilah Sales as Lily Brewer, Bianca Stinney as Roxanne Brewer, Michael Lake as Korbin Hart, Morgan Heyward as Brandy Elliot, and Alexander Heck as Nassir Carter.

The production team includes Director Angelique Powell, Production Stage Manager Rose Biggerstaff, and Technical Director Travis Wright, with Sound & Lighting Design by Willie David Short, Scenic Concept by Collectiveffort & Troy Foundry Theatre, Graphic Design by Lake Graphics. The production is produced by Emily Curro. Artistic Director is David Girard

All performances will take place at Collective Effort's Kickback Studios located at 10 2nd St 2nd Floor, Troy, NY 12180 from September 20 through October 7. Preview performances are September 20 and 21, with opening night scheduled for September 22.

About Cris Eli Blak:

CRIS ELI BLAK is an emerging proud Black playwright whose work has been performed and produced around the world, from Off-Broadway; across the country regionally; on university stages; as well as in London, Australia, Ireland, and Canada. He is the winner of the first Black Broadway Men Playwriting Initiative and the first place winner of Atlanta Shakespeare Company's inaugural Muse of Fire BIPOC Playwriting Festival. He is currently an Artist-in-Residence with Off-Broadway's Abingdon Theatre Company, and was recently the Artist-in-Residence at The State University of New York - Oswego, the recipient of the Emerging Playwrights Fellowship with The Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre Company, and a 2023 FORGE Fellow with FORGE-NYC. He has been a resident playwright with Fosters Theatrical Artists Residency, Paterson Performing Arts Development Council, Quick Silver Theatre Company, Yonder Window Theatre Company, and La Lengua Teatro en Español/AlterTheater Ensemble, and was an inaugural-year fellow with the Black Theatre Coalition. He has developed work with Rattlestick Theatre, Company One, The Road Theatre, and American Stage; and is currently developing work with The Negro Ensemble Company, Pipeline Theatre Company, Et Alia Theater, the Napa Valley Shakespeare Festival, and The Pikeville City Comission. His work has been published by Smith & Kraus, Inc., YOUTHPlays, Applause Books, New World Theatre, Breath of Fire Latina Ensemble, and in the Black Theatre Review. https://criseliblak.wixsite.com/my-site
https://www.instagram.com/criseliblak/

About Collectiveffort:

Collectiveffort is a creative agency in Troy, NY that specializes in storytelling & supports the development of local creatives. Their vision is to build and sustain communities through media, marketing & community development by building creative ecosystems designed to produce talent & healthier live/work opportunities. https://www.instagram.com/collectiveffort
https://www.collectiveeffort.co/