DEAD OF NIGHT Evening of One-Act Plays to Debut at Bare Bones Theater, Now thru 2/16

Glen Cove, N.Y. resident Frederick Stroppel, author of nine collections of full-length plays and one-acts, many of which have been performed in New York and internationally, has chosen Long Island's Bare Bones Theater Company for the world premiere of Dead of Night, an evening of two one-act plays of macabre humor and suspense. There will be eight performances, beginning tonight, February 1, and continuing through February 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15 and 16, 2013, at 57 Main Street in Northport, NY.

Mr. Stroppel will appear at the theater on Friday, Saturday and Sunday February 8, 9 and 10 to sign his new book, Lucky Me, which he co-authored with Sachi Parker, daughter of actress Shirley MacLaine. The book, a revealing memoir, is scheduled for release on February 7. Mr. Stroppel is also at work transforming the piece into a one-woman show to star Ms. Parker.

"To be accorded the honor of premiering two plays by Frederick Stroppel immediately catapults Bare Bones into the ranks of the big leagues," said Mr. Bennett. "Not a single showcase at Bare Bones goes by without a Stroppel title on the program. Our actors love these scripts, and our audiences have always received them with generous laughter and applause."

Mr. Stroppel and his work have enjoyed a very special relationship with Bare Bones over the past decade. Nearly eight years ago, the Long Island native became the first (and only) playwright in the history of the 13-year-old company to have an entire program dedicated solely to his material. "We are thrilled to be chosen from the scores of community and repertory theaters in the region," Mr. Bennett added. Fred Stroppel's long list of artistic achievements encompasses the musical stage, TV and film industries. His independent film "Glacier Bay" won ten festival awards, including Best Screenplay, at the 2006 Lake Forest Film Festival.

Directed by Bennett and Lee Meyer, Dead of Night comprises two suspense dramas. The first, "The Family Crypt," takes place in a mausoleum where recently deceased family members display the same petty, mean spirited behavior in death as they did in life. The second, "The Hunter's Moon," brings theatergoers to a neighborhood bar, where a typical assortment of locals gather for a night of fun and games on Halloween eve. Typical, that is, until the night takes a horrific spin into the netherworld upon the appearance of a darkly brooding and suspicious "stranger."

While they are works of suspense, audiences can expect the plays to contain the same wit, comic flair and sensitivity to the human condition found in Mr. Stroppel's other works. Such qualities have made Stroppel's plays appeal to a broad spectrum of theatergoers.

A look at Mr. Stroppel's travel itinerary at the beginning of 2013 quickly reveals how much he loves to tackle varied subject matter with his writing. In addition to the book Lucky Me, projects include the premiere of his play "Small World: A Fantasia" (about Walt Disney's efforts to make the animated classic) at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown, Connecticut.

The Bare Bones Theater Company presents Frederick Stroppel's "Dead of Night" on Fridays and Saturdays, February 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16 at 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays, February 3 and 10 at 3:00 p.m. at the Bare Bones Theater, 57 Main St., Northport, N.Y. All seats $25. Tickets available at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/312244. Phone (800) 838-3006.
www.barebonestheater.com. Note: Performances on February 8, 9, 10, 15, 16 feature post-performance book signings with Frederick Stroppel and/or a Talk Back with the playwright.

Focusing on the power of performance rather than the trappings of the stage, Bare Bones Theater Company was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bennett, of Northport, as an acting school for adults. Eventually, Mr. Bennett drew on his alumni actors and others to stage high-quality, innovative productions in the intimate dance studio of the Posey School, at 57 Main Street in Northport. Bare Bones produces four full-length productions each year. More information is available at www.barebonestheater.com.

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