RENT CONTROL to Play Westport Country Playhouse

Westport Country Playhouse will present 'Rent Control,' the Off-Broadway hit comedy written and performed by playwright and actor Evan Zes, on Monday, September 28, at 7 p.m. Based on Zes's own true story, the play follows a struggling New York City actor who devises a seemingly clever moneymaking scheme—only to watch it spiral wildly, and hilariously, out of control.

'Something crazy happened to me that could only happen in New York,' said Zes. 'It involved my rent-controlled apartment on the Upper East Side. As it was happening, I thought to myself, 'Pay attention, cuz one day this is going to make a great story. It's not a great story now because it's happening to me and I want to die. But someday…' Now, I'm glad that crazy thing happened to me because I wrote a play about it.'

'Rent Control' is about a cash-strapped aspiring actor who lucks into one of the few remaining rent-controlled apartments in New York City. Determined to survive in the city while pursuing his acting dream, he turns his coveted apartment into a lucrative Airbnb operation. But when his clever moneymaking scheme backfires, he finds himself caught up with a colorful cast of internet scammers and low-level gangsters. In this wild-but-true cautionary tale of greed, survival, and redemption, Zes brings 25 characters to life.

'Rent Control' enjoyed back-to-back sold-out runs, beginning with its 2016 debut at the New York International Fringe Festival and continuing with the 2016 Fringe Encore Series at SoHo Playhouse. Zes has since taken the production internationally, performing 'Rent Control' in both Greece and Costa Rica.

Zes has appeared at Westport Country Playhouse in 'Sorry for Laughing,' 'The 39 Steps,' 'Around the World in 80 Days,' and several Script in Hand playreadings; Broadway: 'The Kite Runner'; Off-Broadway: 'Incident at Vichy,' 'Rent Control,' 'Arms and the Man,' 'Days to Come,' 'London Assurance,' 'Freedom of the City,' 'Man and Superman,' 'Around the World in 80 Days,' 'White Woman Street,' 'American Dreams'; International: 'King Stag,' 'Rent Control'; Regional: Paper Mill, Hartford Stage, McCarter, Alley, Goodman, Old Globe, A.R.T., La Jolla, Arena, Shakespeare Theatre DC, Berkeley Rep; Television: 'Only Murders in the Building,' 'The Blacklist,' 'FBI Most Wanted,' 'The Path'; Film: 'The Street.'

Zes has an MFA from A.R.T/ Moscow Art Theatre at Harvard University.

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