Theatre Nova to Premiere Daniel Beaty's MR. JOY This October

Theatre Nova, an Ann Arbor company that focuses exclusively on new and recent plays, will premiere "Mr. Joy" by Daniel Beaty this October.

Developed at Lincoln Center and ArtsEmerson in 2012, "Mr. Joy" tells the story of a Harlem community that is shaken when Mr. Joy, a Chinese immigrant whose shoe repair shop has been a neighborhood pillar for decades, is the victim of an attack. Through the lens of Mr. Joy's customers, from the bubbly eleven-year-old Clarissa, to the savvy "gangsta granny" Bessie, all played by one actor in a tour-de-force performance, we learn the profound yet unassuming impact the shop owner has had on each of their lives, and the intricate and inextricable ways that each life affects so many others.

Billicia Charnelle directs Matthew Webb in her Theatre Nova Debut. Billicia is the Director of the Black Theatre Program and Assistant Professor of Theatre at Wayne State University. Previously, she was Director of Theatre at Elizabeth City State University. She attended NC Agricultural & Technical State University in Greensboro, NC (BFA, Professional Theatre) and University of Missouri at Kansas City (MFA, Acting). A few of her directing credits include A Song for Coretta, Before It Hits Home, Ain't Misbehavin', For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, Zooman and the Sign, Funeral Parlor, Knock Me a Kiss, Euripedes' Medea, Poof!, Canker Sores and Other Distractions, and many others.

Matthew Webb returns to Theatre Nova for his third show with the company. Earlier this year he starred in Detroit based playwright Emilio Rodriguez's "Spin" and last year he starred in "I And You". Matthew Webb is entering into his third year at Eastern Michigan University studying Written Communications. Acting professionally for almost 12 years, Matt has trained with companies such as Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit and Stratford Royal Shakespeare Company as well as three years under the direction of Tony Award Winner Marilyn G. McCormick.

Daniel Beaty is an award-winning actor, singer, writer, and composer. A Yale graduate with a BA with Honors in English & Music and a MBA in acting. He is best known for his poetry and plays "Emergency" and "Through the Night." He is currently in residence at ArtsEmerson and teaches at the Graduate School of the Arts at Columbia University

"Mr. Joy" will run September 30th - October 23rd in the Yellow Barn (410 W. Huron, Ann Arbor), a downtown performance space that also hosts musicians and classes. Theatre Nova features free parking for patrons as well as quick access to the city's restaurants, bars, bakeries and coffee shops. New patrons can find it across Huron Street from Ann Arbor's YMCA, through a parking lot entrance on the north side of the street.

Theatre Nova has marked all tickets for all performances as pay-what-you-can, with a suggested donation of $20. Visit www.artful.ly/store/events/8233 to purchase tickets. Members with a donation of $75 or more also receive admission to all seven season productions, every show in the New Play Readings series, and children's shows. Patrons can attain memberships by going to www.artful.ly/theatre-nova/store/donate.

Theatre Nova is Michigan's only theater exclusively producing new plays. Its mission is to raise awareness of the value and excitement of new plays and playwrights, and provide resources for playwrights to develop their craft by importing, exporting, and developing new work. It seeks to create a sustainable theater for generations to come, built on the cornerstones of accessibility, transparency, artist-leadership, and equality. It is a nonprofit 501c(3) organization. Visit theatrenova.org for more information.