Out of the Box Theatrics to Present Building the Box Readings of TRASH by James Caverly and Andrew Merrill

Out of the Box Theatrics will present the first reading of the company’s Building the Box series of new plays. OOTB will present a reading of Trash, a new play written by James Caverly and Andrew Morrill. The readings, which will be directed by Nathaniel P. Claridad, will be presented on Monday, February 5 at 7:00 PM, Tuesday, February 6 at 1:00 PM and Thursday, February 8 at 7:00 PM at 154 Christopher Street (formerly the New Ohio Theatre).

Ticket information is available at Ovation Tix.

In Trash, Tim and Jake may be Deaf roommates sharing an apartment in the city, but they are polar opposites – each with very different worldviews on what it means to be Deaf in a hearing world. When it comes to taking out the trash, they take a comical and insightful dive into their trash and their perceptions of each other’s lives. 

The cast, which utilizes mostly Deaf actors and American Sign Language, will feature James Caverly (TV: “Only Murders in the Building”), Andrew Morrill (Olney Theatre Center: The Music Man), Adelina Mitchell (Signature Theatre: Into the Woods), Vishal Vaidya  (Broadway: Merrily We Roll Along), Chris Ogren (Off-Broadway: Lux), Christopher Tester (Olney Theatre Center: The Music Man), and Joel Oramas (Off-Broadway: New Victory Theatre).

Early versions of Trash were developed by the Brooklyn performance space JACK and IRT Theater.

Amid the surge of Deaf actors being cast in plays, film, and television, there is very little representation of Deaf writers and authentic stories. Trash is a timeless and
 important piece of storytelling that enlightens the audience about the Deaf experience – its joys, sorrows, frustrations, and anger. It is not a traditional theatrical piece but a defiant one that enables the audience to examine their bias and perceptions of the world they created for Deaf people.

James Caverly 

(Author/Actor) is an actor, director, playwright, and Director of Artistic Sign Language. He has performed in Children of a Lesser God at Studio 54. Regional credits include: Olney Theatre Center, Huntington Theatre Co., Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Studio Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company, and SpeakEasy Stage Co. He has directed works for Gallaudet University, Kent State University, New York Deaf Theatre, and Mosaic Theatre Co. His written works, A Better Place, Surprise Guest, and See/Hear/Speak No Beast have been produced at Deaf Austin Theatre, Deaf Spotlight, and Kent State University, respectively. He also appeared in Hulu’s “Only Murders In The Building.”

Andrew Morrill (Author/Actor) has an Acting MFA from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is an actor, filmmaker, and teacher. He spent his time in Washington, DC, New York, and Denver doing various devised pieces and workshops including The Christians (Phamaly Theatre Co.) Quid Pro Quo (Mosaic Theatre Co.), Seven Stages (dog & pony DC), The Music Man (Olney Theatre Center). New York credit: Dancing Girl (sheNYCArts). His selected credits include Titus Andronicus (Illinois Theatre), Hit the Wall (Illinois Theatre) and Cloud Nine (Gallaudet Theatre).
 

Nathaniel P. Claridad 

(Director). Off-Broadway credits include Here Lies Love (Public Theater, dir. Alex Timbers), Awesome 80’s Prom. Regional credits include work at The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., Imagination Stage, Barrington Stage Company, Cape Fear Regional Theater, Two Rivers Theatre Company, Hangar Theatre, Folger Theatre, and The Kennedy Center. He made his NYC producing debut at the Drama League with Caridad Svich’s Upon the Fragile Shore with Executive Director Gabriel Shanks directing. He also performed in the piece alongside Nilan Johnson and Tania Chelnov. He also appeared in New York Shakespeare Exchange’s Titus Andronicus which the New York Times called ‘electric’, as well as workshopping Laser Beak Man, a new piece co-produced by Dead Puppet Society and the New Victory. Nathaniel has worked for the Obie Award-winning Peculiar Works Project and directed July House for the 2015 NYC Fringe Festival.

ASL Coach for the production is Kailyn-Aaron Lozano. Stage Manager is MiriamRochford. 

OOTB will announce two additional titles for the Building the Box Series in coming weeks. 

OOTB’s launch event, announcing the 2024-2025 mainstage productions and additional programming for the company’s new home at 154 Christopher Street (formerly the New Ohio Theatre), will be held on January 29, hosted by Michael Urie. The evening will feature excerpts from all three of OOTB’s mainstage productions and Building the Box staged reading series. In addition to Urie, the evening will include performances and appearances by Marc Kudisch, Marina Kondo, Krysta Rodriguez, Michael John LaChiusa, Brenda Braxton, Lou Liberatore, Nasia Thomas, Nicholas Edwards, Jason Michael Webb, Cynthia Meng, Joey Caverly, Andrew Morrill, Chris Ogren, Ryan Spahn, Beth Malone, Emily Saliers, Shelli Pentimall Bookler, Emilio Ramos, Adam Rothenberg, Nathaniel P. Claridad, Mary Ann Stratton, Sheri Barber, Mallory Portnoy, Dana Scurlock, and Jack DiFalco. Information is available at ootbtheatrics.com.  

Out of the Box Theatrics

was founded in 2016 by Liz Flemming, a legally blind artist, to create space for artists who have been historically underrepresented and undervalued. The company stages innovative and site-specific productions of new and classic plays and musicals while challenging audiences to experience these works outside of their expectations. By casting without regard to gender, race, creed, ethnicity, or disability, OOTB seeks to create a more inclusive and equitable theatre industry. OOTB has earned recent attention for its critically acclaimed streaming co-production of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last 5 Years (New York Times’ Critic’s Pick, 2021 Drama League Nominee for Outstanding Digital Theater, 2022 Antonyo Award winner for Best Digital Theater Production), and its new production of the 1983 Broadway musical Baby (2022 Drama Desk Award nominee, Outstanding Revival of a Musical). 

OOTB’s programming of 154 has been made possible by an arrangement with ChaShaMa. Since 1995, ChaShaMa has partnered with property owners to transform unused real estate for 30,000 artists and over 150 small businesses, hosted 4,000 public art events, provided 1,500 classes in under-served communities, and reached audiences of nearly a million.

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