Second Stage's 'Animals Out of Paper' Extends till 8/24

The week before its scheduled opening, Second Stage Theatre Uptown's production of Rajiv Joseph's Animals Out of Paper has extended one week, through Sunday, August 24.  The world premiere play, directed by Giovanna Sardelli, is the second production in this summer's Second Stage Theatre Uptown Series, a program devoted to developing and providing exposure for the voices of a new generation of theatre artists.  Currently in previews, Animals Out of Paper will officially open on Monday, August 4 at 7:00pm at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre on Broadway at 76th Street.

When a world renowned origami artist opens her studio to a teenage prodigy and his school teacher, she finds that life and love can't be neatly arranged in this drama about finding the perfect fold.

Animals Out of Paper was commissioned through the Time Warner Commissioning Program at Second Stage Theatre and is the first play to be produced through the program.

Animals Out of Paper features Utkarsh Ambudkar, Kellie Overbey, and Jeremy Shamos.   The production has scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Amy Clark, lighting design by Josh Bradford, and sound design by Bart Fasbender.

With this production, Rajiv Joseph returns to Second Stage Theatre Uptown, which produced his play, All This Intimacy, during the 2006 summer season.  His play, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, will be produced by the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles at the Kirk Douglas Theatre during the 2008-09 season.  He was recently awarded the Paula Vogel Award by the Vineyard Theatre.  Other productions: New York:  The Leopard and the Fox (adaptation), Alter Ego; Huck & Holden, Cherry Lane Theatre, 2006; All This Intimacy, Second Stage Theatre Uptown, 2006.  Los Angeles: Huck & Holden, The Black Dahlia Theatre, 2006.  Rajiv is a Founding Member of the new New York-based Theatre Company, The Fire Department, and has been a contributing writer on their first two theatrical events, Speakeasy and At War: American Playwrights Respond to the War in Iraq.  He is a former Lark Playwriting Fellow and Dramatist Guild Fellow.

Director Giovanna Sardelli directed Rajiv Joseph's play All This Intimacy as part of the 2006 Second Stage Uptown Series.  She is an Artistic Associate with The Lark Play Development Center, where her credits include their benefit performance of Earth Girls Are Easy starring Kristin Chenoweth, and the BareBones productions of Apple Cove by Lynn Rosen and Bromius Beaujolais by David Rosenthal. Directing credits include Adriana Sevan's one-woman show Taking Flight (Sundance Theater Lab, L.A.'s Kirk Douglas Theatre); Huck & Holden by Rajiv Joseph, Cherry Lane Theatre; Bad Dates by Theresa Rebeck, Theatre Workshop of Nantucket; Apple Cove, Todd Mountain Theater Project; Back From The Front by Lynn Rosen; and The Seagull, The Three Sisters (a collaboration with Mud/Bone and Studio Tisch), among others. She was the Staff Repertory Director for The Acting Company for whom she directed The Tempest and spent two seasons as Director of the Shakespeare Sedona Institute.

Animals Out of Paper is performed at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre (Broadway & 76th Street) through Sunday, August 24 on the following schedule:  Tuesday-Saturday at 8:00pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2:00pm, and Sunday at 3:00pm.  NOTE:  There is no performance on Sunday, August 10.

Tickets can be purchased at the Second Stage Theatre Box Office (307 West 43rd Street), by calling (212) 246-4422, or by visiting www.2ST.com.  Advance tickets are not available at the McGinn/Cazale Theater.  Single tickets are $50; advance youth tickets (age 25 and under) are $20; and student RUSH tickets are $10 (available 30 minutes prior to curtain).

For more information, please visit www.2ST.com

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