After a critically acclaimed, sold-out run earlier this year, LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION(20 years of monogamy in one terrifying hour), written and performed by celebrated monologist James Braly and directed by Hal Brooks (Thom Pain, No Child) is moving Off-Broadway. LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION begins performances on Thursday, June 26 for a limited engagement through Sunday, August 31, opening on Wednesday, July 9. LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION is being produced by The Deep End Productions (Anna Becker, founder) and Little Johnny Koerber.
LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION is a poignant, humorous tale of lust, love, betrayal, and redemption OR the tragicomedy of married life. An international success, LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION has been called "a stylish monologue, reminiscent of those of
Spalding Gray" The London Times and Edinburgh's Hit List calls it "a masterpiece of storytelling full of humour and pungent observation." On this side of the pond, it played to sold-out audiences at 59E59 Street where it was a New York Times "Highly Recommended Show" calling the production "Full of laughs and insight. James Braly is never less than excellent", Flavorpill raved that Braly's LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION "is a fast-paced mix of anger, humor, and plain weirdness" and The New Yorker says "Braly presents it winningly, with a keen sense of the absurdity of everyone's eccentricities…."
This production marks
Hal Brooks, third triumph as a director of solo performances; previous projects include celebrated productions of
Will Eno's Thom Pain and
Nilaja Sun' No Child. Life In A Marital Institution combines the insight and award-winning story telling ability of Mr. Brayl under the highly praised direction of Mr. Brooks.
James Braly (writer/performer) performed his Life in a Marital Institution at The 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe's Assembly Theatre to critical acclaim, then at NYC's 59E59 Street to much acclaim.. It will be published in book form in 2009 by Algonquin Press. Braly has performed other of his autobiographical stories on NPR, and in New York City at The Whitney Museum, Dixon Place, LIAR, Night and Day, and The Moth/Urban Storytelling (where he is the only two-time winner of their GrandSlam storytelling competition).
Hal Brooks (director) directed NO CHILD...by
Nilaja Sun, which ran at the Barrow Street Theatre for over 350 performances, and is touring this year at Lookingglass (Chicago), ART (Cambridge), Woolly Mammoth (DC), Kirk Douglas (LA), and Berkeley Rep. He also directed
Will Eno's Pulitzer Finalist Thom Pain (based on nothing) at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Soho Theatre, London, and DR2 in NYC. Recent projects:
Lee Blessing's Lonesome Hollow (Contemporary American Theater Festival), Athol Fugard's "MASTER HAROLD"…and the boys (Weston Playhouse), Jessica Provenz's Better Than Chocolate (Juilliard). NY Credits include: Rinne Groff's What Then (Clubbed Thumb); Don DeLillo's Valparaiso (NY Times Top Ten) and
Will Eno's The Flu Season (Oppy winner). Regional: Sharr White's Six Years (Actors Theater of Louisville - Humana Festival); Baby with the Bathwater (American Conservatory Theater, MFA program). A Drama League Fall Directing Fellow, Hal is also a proud member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and SSDC and is a recipient of the 2007-09 NEA TCG Career Development Program for Directors.
LIFE IN A MARITAL INSTITUTION plays at The Soho Playhouse is located at 15 Vandam Street (off 6th Ave., 1 block north of Spring). Tickets are $40-55. To purchase tickets, call the Soho Playhouse at 212-691-1555 or visit
www.sohoplayhouse.com. For more information visit
www.LifeInAMaritalInstitution.com.
