2020: A FANTASY Comes To Theatre 54 October 16

Can Love "Trump" All?

Strange Bird Productions presents "2020: A Fantasy", a new dark comedy by Raven Petretti starting October 16th at Theatre 54. Ken Wolf directs Gabrielle Wagner* and Timothy Babcock* in a satirical look at the relationship of a married couple with opposing political views as the contentious upcoming election approaches. *(Member of Actors Equity)

It's July 2020. In what should be a serene upscale town in New Jersey the sound of bombs going off reveal that the fight between red and blue has finally come to blows and it's creating a big purple mess. Taking refuge in a home that's been kitted out with a bomb shelter stocked with food, survival supplies and even a jail cell, a married couple struggles to keep the love-and themselves-alive. When a romantic interlude leaves her accidentally locked in the shelter's jail, the stakes get even higher...And the gloves are off! He's a Republican who wants a traditional marriage. She's a Democrat with enormous political ambition. Will he use his upper hand to exercise his masculine sense of protection or try to tame a Democratic shrew?
Raven Petretti, a playwright, actress and producer, founded Strange Bird Productions nearly a decade ago following her acting studies at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She has produced many love themed plays through SBP, and "2020: A Fantasy", her first full length play, continues that tradition. Her short plays, Fish Tacos, The Crime is Getting Caught, Waleed and Mary and Never Let Go have been presented through various festivals at Manhattan Repertory Theatre, Shetler Studios and Looking Glass Theatre.

Ken Wolf is Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Manhattan Repertory Theatre. His director's credits include Le Cygne, The Bigot, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, The Living Room, Conversations with Dog, Mr. Cupcake and The Eyes of Love. Since 2005 he has produced hundreds of full length productions at Manhattan Repertory Theatre. As an actor he's had such diverse roles as Vershinin in The Three Sisters, Biff in Death of A Salesman, Mozart in Amadeus, Jacques in As You Like It and Kurt in The Eyes of Love; as well as having received critical acclaim for his one man play The People in My Hips.

Gabrielle Wagner's TV credits include Mad Men, Wilfred, Firefly and Stonerville. Some of her favorite theater credits are A Ring in Brooklyn, The Most Happy Fella, Prelude to a Kiss and Cabaret. She was an Ovation Award nominee for her role in the world premiere of DIVORCE!

Timothy Babcock's credits include Love's Labour Lost and To Fool The Eye at Boomerang, I Am My Own Wife, Candide and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf with Counter Productions Theatre Company and The Baltimore Waltz at Provincetown Theater.

"2020: A Fantasy" opens Wednesday October 16th at Theatre 54 inside Shetler Studios (244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor between Broadway and 8th Avenue). The performance schedule is Wednesday Oct. 16 and Thurs. Oct, 17 at 6:30PM, Fri. Oct. 18 at 8:30PM and matinees on Sat, Oct. 19 and Sun. Oct. 20 at 3PM. Tickets are $40. For tickets go to www.StrangeBirdProductions.com.