JESUS RIDE Plays Its Final Performances 9/18-21 At The Soho Playhouse

Catch Jesus Ride in its final performances at the FringeNYC Encore Series. The show plays September 18 - 21 at the Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam Street between Sixth Avenue and Varick). A madcap romp through the first one hundred years of the Savior on the silver screen, Jesus Ride is written and performed by FringeNYC 2006's Outstanding Solo Show winner Mike Schlitt. This production drew favorable notices and audience response in its Fringe Festival run (August 16 - 29 at HERE Arts Center's Dorothy B. Williams Theatre).

Jesus Ride is a multimedia solo performance tracing the origins of the rabbi who became the father of modern Christianity, from his first appearance on the written page to his most recent (and lucrative) cinematic incarnation. Part movie history, part stem-winding personal odyssey, Mike Schlitt's newest work is an epic comedic journey through thirty-three films about Jesus Christ and the confessions of the secular humanist non-practicing Jewish movie zealot who watched them all. Nancy Keystone directs.

Mike Schlitt is a founding member of The Actors' Gang Theater and co-recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critic's circle's Margaret Harford Award for outstanding contribution to LA Theater. Since 1983, he has worked on over forty productions with the Gang, writing and performing two solo pieces Drive, He Said and Mike's Incredible Indian Adventure (winner of the FringeNYC Festival Outstanding Solo Show in 2006); directing the American premiere of George Tabori's Mein Kampf; co-writing and directing Little Man in the Box (included in the LA Times Top Ten Plays of 1997); and developing and directing two separate productions of Klub (Best Revival 2008 - LA Weekly). Mike has made short films for Epic Records' In The Studio with Tenacious D, FXM Network's Joe's Gyro Palace and Sony Pictures' Studio Head. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter, and works in the oxymoronic field of "Creative Marketing."
Nancy Keystone is the founder and Artistic Director of the Critical Mass Performance Group, 2003 recipient of TCG's prestigious Alan Schneider Director Award, and named one of the "Faces to Watch in 2005" by the Los Angeles Times. Her latest multi-disciplinary piece Apollo [Parts 1,2,& 3] received its World Premiere in January at Portland Center Stage. In 2000, with Critical Mass, she created and directed The Akhmatova Project. A movement-based piece inspired by the life and writing of Russian poet Anna Akhmatova, The Akhmatova Project was named one of the "Ten Best Productions" for 2000 by the LA Times and garnered four LA Weekly nominations including Production of the Year. She has also directed and designed award-winning productions at Actor's Express (Atlanta), Portland Center Stage (Oregon), The Theatre @ Boston Court, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, Long Beach Opera, Musica Angelica and is the recipient of fellowships from the Drama League of New York, TCG/Pew Charitable Trusts and the California Community Foundation. She is married to Mr. Schlitt, but is still willing to direct him in the show.

Jesus Ride includes Lighting Design from Lucrecia Brecenio and is produced by Kevin Corstrange.

Jesus Ride plays as follows as part of the 2009 FringeNYC Encore Series:
Friday, September 18 @ 8:00 PM
Saturday, September 19 @ 6:00 PM
Sunday, September 20 @ 3:30 PM
Monday, September 21 @ 8:30 PM

For tickets and information, please visit www.FringeNYC-encoreseries.com.

Soho Playhouse is located at 15 Vandam Street between Sixth Avenue and Varick Street.
For more info, visit: www.mikeschlitt.com.