Keen Company Opens BEASLEY'S CHRISTMAS PARTY 12/2

Keen Company (Artistic Director Carl Forsman; Executive Director Wayne Kelton) will present its first holiday offering, perfect for all audiences, Beasley’s Christmas Party.  Based on a story by Booth Tarkington and directed by Carl Forsman, this production will feature Joseph Collins, Christa Scott Reed and Tony Ward.  Performances begin on Tuesday, December 2 and run through January 3 at The Clurman Theatre / Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues.  Opening is scheduled for Sunday, December 7 at 3:00pm.

From Booth Tarkington, the American author of “The Magnificent Ambersons,” comes Beasley’s Christmas Party, the story of a curious journalist and his extremely unusual next door neighbors – a turn of the last century Midwestern gubernatorial candidate, his amazing houseguest, and their wide circle of very special friends.  Beasley’s Christmas Party, written with the perfect mix of heart and humor, is the perfect holiday treat this season.

American playwright and author Booth Tarkington (1869-1946) won two Pulitzer Prizes, for his novels The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams.  Tarkington attended Purdue University and, later, Princeton University, where he founded the Princeton Triangle Club. Often collaborating with Harry Wilson and Julian Street, Tarkington’s plays, mostly comedies, included The Man from Home, Cameo Kirby, Mister Antonio, The Country Cousin, Clarence, and Intimate Strangers.  Tarkington’s other work included the “Penrod” series, the novels Monsieur Beaucaire (which he later adapted into a play) and The Gentleman from Indiana, and the short story Beasley’s Christmas Party.

Carl Forsman (Director) is the Artistic Director of Keen Company and Vermont’s Dorset Theatre Festival.  His directions for Keen include the world premieres of The Conscientious Objector, Pyretown, Can’t Let Go and The Journals of Mihail Sebastian, the American premiere of Conor McPherson's The Good Thief, the NY premiere of Theophilus North based on Thornton Wilder’s novel, and revivals of In The Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer, The Breadwinner, The Happy Journey to Trenton and Camden (Drama Desk Nomination, Best Revival), Voice of the Turtle (Drama Desk nomination, Best Director), Good Morning Bill and Museum.  Other directing credits include SIN (A Cardinal Deposed) (OBIE Award, Production, Drama Desk nominations, Best Play & Best Actor) and Everythings Turning Into Beautiful, both for The New Group, Tina Howe’s new translations of Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano & The Lesson for the Atlantic Theater Company, and A Few Good Men (Asolo).  At the Dorset Theatre Festival he oversees The Kaufman Collection, DTF’s commitment to produce all the stage comedies of George S. Kaufman, begun in 2007 with his production of Dulcy.  He teaches at NYU/Atlantic and holds a BA from Middlebury College.

Directed by Carl Forsman, Beasley’s Christmas Party features Joseph Collins, Christa Scott Reed and Tony Ward.  The scenic design is by Beowulf Borritt; costume design is by Theresa Squire; and lighting design is by Josh Bradford.

Keen Company produces sincere plays with the belief that theater is at its most powerful when texts and productions are generous in spirit and provoke identification.  Inspired by the works of early 20th Century American playwrights, Keen Company demonstrates that an earnest intent can still be sophisticated and is unafraid of emotional candor, vulnerability, and optimism.  Keen Company seeks to create a culture of artists, technicians, administrators and audiences who share a desire to invigorate the theater with productions that connect audiences through humor, heart and hope.

Beasley’s Christmas Party, the first holiday offering by Keen Company, plays the following schedule at The Clurman Theatre / Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues): Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday through Saturday at 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm.  Please note: There will be no performances on 12/24, 12/25, 12/31 or 1/1.  There will be additional performances on Sunday, 12/21 @ 7pm; Saturday, 12/27 @ 2pm; Sunday, 12/28 @ 7pm; Saturday 1/3 @ 2pm.  Beasley’s Christmas Party runs through January 3.  Tickets are $41.25 and can be purchased through TicketCentral.com or by phoning (212) 279-4200.  For more information about please visit www.KeenCompany.org.

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