Luna Stage's World Premiere of AMERICAN ROOKIE Has Been Extended Through January 27

In response to sold out opening weekend performances, Luna Stage has extended Dipti Bramhandkar's American Rookie through January 27. The production was previously scheduled to close January 20. Part coming-of-age tale, part social commentary, and part comedy, this one-woman show explores what it means to be an immigrant at a time when the country can't stop talking about it.

American Rookie is the second play in Luna's new American Voices Series, which performs in the intimate Luna 2 theatre. The first play in the new space, Susan Hyon's Soo Jin Pretty Nail (and more!) also played to sold-out audiences this past October.

"It's exciting to be able to program in two spaces - our MainStage and Luna 2 - for the first time this season," says Luna's Artistic Director Ari Laura Kreith. "And it's deeply gratifying that audiences are embracing this new series, and joining us in an investigation of what it truly means to be American at this moment in time."

The third play of the American Voices series, Will Nolan's Hooray for Lady Land! Gay History for Straight People! runs March 14-23. Next up on Luna's MainStage will be Antoinette Nwandu's Pass Over, which received the Lucille Lortel Award for Best New Play of 2019, and will run Feb 6-March 1.

Performances of American Rookie will be Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3:00pm, Mondays at 7:00 pm. Luna Stage is located in the Valley Arts District at 555 Valley Road in West Orange, NJ. Tickets are $20 and are available at LunaStage.org or by calling OvationTix at 866-811-4111.

About the Artists

Dipti Bramhandkar is a NYC-based playwright and performer. As a lifelong prose writer, her words moved from the page to the stage after a serendipitous theater retreat in 2014. Later that year, her play, The Accident, won numerous awards at the Frigid Festival, and threw her headlong into the world of theater, writing several short plays, as well as producing numerous readings. In 2019, she was invited to be a Playwright-in-Residence at Guild Hall in East Hampton. She is currently preparing for a reading of her play Islands of Contentment for LAByrinth Theater Company's Barn Series at Cherry Lane Theater in January 2020. Dipti is a graduate of Cornell University (BA) and Cambridge University (MA). Please visit www.diptibramhandkar.com for more information about Ms. Bramhandkar.

Padraic Lillis (Director) is the Founding Artistic Director of The Farm Theater. Last fall he was The Humana Visiting Scholar and Artist in Residence at Centre College where he developed and directed ten student solo shows. He has directed and developed over twenty solo shows that have had Off-Broadway runs, toured internationally, and been presented at The Kennedy Center. His plays are published with Dramatists Play Services and his solo show Hope You Get To Eleven or What are we going to do about Sally? was awarded Outstanding Solo show at the Planet Connections Festivity. Other awards include: New York Innovative Theatre Outstanding Director, NY International Fringe Festival's Overall Excellence in directing, and Best Short film at the Milan International Film Festival for his film Hand Over Hand, which he wrote and directed. Padraic hosts The Farm Theater's Bullpen Sessions podcast. He is the resident dramaturg for Compass Needle, a member of the LAByrinth Theater Company, and a lifelong Yankee fan.

American Rookie Written and Performed by Dipti Bramhandkar

Directed by Padraic Lillis

At Luna Stage, 555 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ | 973 395 5551

Opens: Saturday, January 11 | Closes: Monday, January 27

Performance Schedule: Saturday at 8:00pm, Sunday at 3:00pm, Monday at 7:00pm

Tickets: $20 https://www.lunastage.org

Code: FAMILY5 for $5 student ticket with each adult ticket for Monday Performances.

Suggested for ages 16 and older. Running Time: 60 minutes, no intermission

www.LunaStage.org | www.Facebook.com/LunaStage

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