AMERICAN MU$CLE To Make World Premiere At The New York Theater Festival

Award-winning playwright Fred Gordon's new play AMERICAN MU$CLE will have its World Premiere at The New York Theater Festival in June. Opening night is slated for Monday, June 13 at 9pm at Teatro Latea on The Lower East Side. The production is directed by David F.M. Vaughn who previously directed two plays by Gordon.

Hannah's from Park Avenue, Norman's from the Bronx. After creating a successful business, he needs more but she wants something else. Norman borrows $350,000 from a loan shark. When he can't repay it the loan shark demands the money from Hannah. Infuriated and frightened, she wants Norman out of her life, but he wants reconciliation. Threatened by gangsters, torn by personal conflicts, they are forced to the edge.

The cast features Hadley Boyd (The Cherry Orchard/Strange Sun Theater), Andrei Dolezal (NCIS: Los Angeles/CBS), Michael Ford (Wutang: An American Saga/HULU), Joshua Gutierrez (Miss American Bellyflop/The Chain Theater), and John Palacio (Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time/ARC Stages).

AMERICAN MU$CLE will have three performances on Monday, June 13 at 9pm, Wednesday, June 15 at 9pm, and Saturday, June 18 at 6:45pm at Teatro Latea in The Clement, 107 Suffolk Street (btw Rivington & Delancey), New York, NY 10002. Subway: F/M/J/Z to Delancey Street. Running time: 90 minutes. TICKETS are $25. More info at www.americanmuscleplay.com.

Fred Gordon (Playwright) was born in the Bronx and is a founding member of New York's Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST). His plays have been produced nationwide with notable performances in New York, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Syracuse. Published novels include: Benjamin Grabbed His Glicken and Ran and Blood Never Dries. His one act play Balance of Payments, was awarded a best play award and produced at the Warner International Play Festival in Connecticut. I Am the Wolf, a full-length play, was produced as a staged reading at EST Memberfest in 2019. Gordon is a recipient of a PEN Grant Award; a three-time Edward F. Albee Fellow; graduate of UC Berkeley; and holds a MFA in film from Columbia University. Member of The Dramatists Guild and the National New Play Network. Fred Gordon - New Play Exchange

David F.M. Vaughn (Director) is an award-winning actor, director, and writer. He previously directed Fred Gordon's plays A Glass of Blue and I Am the Wolf. Recent directing credits include Shrek The Musical, Beauty and the Beast, Legally Blonde, 42nd Street, Mamma Mia, and last year's Aladdin for Lythgoe Family Productions. As an actor, David's credits include Broadway, off-Broadway, National tours, and regional theatres. He's tap danced with Tommy Tune, belted with Sutton Foster, warbled with Sheena Easton, and shuffled off to buffalo with Gregory Hines. David has taught professionally at the Broadway Theatre Project (headed by Ann Reinking), Broadway Classroom, Camp Broadway, and master classes at various universities throughout the country. He is currently developing a new TV series. www.davidfmvaughn.com