BERNIE AND MIKEY'S TRIP TO THE MOON Receives World Premiere At 59E59 Theaters

59E59 Theaters welcomes the world premiere of BERNIE AND MIKEY'S TRIP TO THE MOON written by Scott Aiello and directed Claire Karpen. Produced by Strangemen Theatre Company (The Woodsman), BERNIE AND MIKEY'S TRIP TO THE MOON begins performances on Thursday, November 8 for a limited engagement through Sunday, December 2. Press Opening is Wednesday, November 14 at 7:15 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Friday at 7:15 PM; Saturday at 2:15 PM & 7:15 PM; Sunday at 2:15 PM. Please note the following Thanksgiving week schedule adjustment: There is an added performance on Tuesday, November 20 at 2 PM and no performance on Thursday, November 22; the performance on Wednesday, November 21 will be a relaxed performance. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison). Single tickets are $25 - $35 ($24.50 for 59E59 Members). Tickets are available by calling Ticket Central at 212-279-4200 or by visiting www.59e59.org. Please note: After October 28, 59E59 Theaters will transition to a new ticketing system. Beginning October 29, patrons should call the 59E59 Box Office direct: 646-892-7999.

Bernie and Mikey are perched on the edge of adulthood -- a sister and brother trapped between the lives they crave and the circumstances they were born into. The children of a working-class Italian family in 1990s Chicago, Mikey is torn between unrealized potential and loyalty to his sister, while Bernie, living with a cognitive disability, longs to find her voice but faces a world unwilling to listen.

The world premiere debut of actor-turned-playwright Scott Aiello, BERNIE AND MIKEY'S TRIP TO THE MOON is a heart-wrenching comedy about one family's coming of age, as they reckon with what they're willing to sacrifice to protect one another -- and what they won't.

BERNIE AND MIKEY'S TRIP TO THE MOON is produced by Strangemen Theatre Company and directed by Claire Karpen, who produced and directed (respectively) the enchanting production of the Obie Award-winning and Drama Desk-nominated The Woodsman, the only show invited back to 59E59 Theaters for an encore run.

The cast features Stephen D'Ambrose (August: Osage County national tour), Stephanie Gould (Netflix's Orange is the New Black), Jordan Lage (founding member of Atlantic Theater Company, TV's Madam Secretary), Forrest Malloy (Troilus and Cressida, dir. Daniel Sullivan, The Public, Delacorte), Ismenia Mendes (The Liar at Classic Stage Company), Benjamin Rosloff (The Tempest with Epic Players), and Margo Singaliese (December with Danny Aiello).

The design team includes Cecilia Durbin (lighting design); James Ortiz (set design); Izzy Fields (costume design); and Sam Kusnetz (sound design).

Scott Aiello (playwright) is an actor and writer living in NYC. His favorite theatrical role was Eddie Carbone in A View From the Bridge at the Gate Theater in Dublin, Ireland. Most recently, Scott played Everett K. Olsen in The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity at Asolo Rep, FL. Off-Broadway: Stalking the Boogeyman (New World Stages), Anna Christie (The Wild Project). Regional: The Liar (Gulfshore Playhouse, FL), Much Ado About Nothing (Barrington Stage Company, MA), Perfect Mendacity (Steppenwolf Theater Co., Chicago). Scott's television credits include Billions (Showtime, recurring), The Good Fight (CBS, recurring), Blue Bloods (CBS, guest), The Deuce (HBO), The Path (Hulu), Search Party (TBS), The Newsroom (HBO), Elementary (CBS), and Person of Interest (CBS). Awards and honors: Joseph Jefferson Award (Best Supporting Actor, 2003, Chicago); Black Excellence Award (Special Recognition, 2005, Chicago). Scott has narrated over one hundred audiobooks and was nominated for a 2013 Audie Award for Best Nonfiction. BERNIE & MIKEY'S TRIP TO THE MOON is his first full-length play. Scott is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Drama (Group 41).

Claire Karpen's (director) directing credits include The Woodsman (New World Stages; 59E59); Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, A Little Night Music, Trewlany of the Wells, Henry IV, Part One, and the Fourth Year Showcase (Juilliard); Voices in My Head (Ars Nova); A Soldier's Tale (Chautauqua Theatre Company); and Into the Woods (Brown University). As an actor, Claire has worked on Broadway and Off at Roundabout, Classic Stage Company, HERE Arts Center, 59E59 Theaters, the Public Shakespeare Lab, and regionally at The Old Globe, McCarter, Goodspeed, Trinity Rep, and Westport Country Playhouse. Training: Juilliard (Michel St. Denis Award for Drama) and Brown University. www.clairekarpen.com

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