Abraxas Stage Company Presents NEXT Beginning 2/2

Abraxas Stage Company will present the World Premiere of NEXT, a dark and dirty WWII prostitution drama by Stephen Gracia. Directed by
Michael LoPorto, previews begin February 2 at HERE Arts Center with opening slated for Saturday, February 5th at 7pm. The production will benefit the non-profit organization On Behalf of a Grateful Nation (http://onbehalf.org/about-us).

In NEXT, a mobile whorehouse is brought to an American army encampment in Europe during WWII. As the men wait in line for their turn, issues of racism, sexuality, and the fear of impending death begin to surface.

NEXT stars Kasidy Devlin, Charles Everett, Matthew Ferretti, John Harlacher, Kendra Leigh Landon, Sean Meehan, Sean Mellot, Ridley Parson, Christopher Tocco & John Weisenberger. The production team includes Tom Lenz (sets), Josh Starr (lighting), Tim Fite (sound design & original music), Andrea Varga (costumes), and Kitty Cavalier (burlesque choreography). Next was first workshopped with the Barefoot Theatre Company at the Lit Lounge and then further developed at the ATA of the Sargent Theatre.

Stephen Gracia is a graduate of Brooklyn College. His first play, Complete Control, was produced at the DUMBO Theater Exchange in Brooklyn. Subsequent plays include: Subway Series and Fast Food Strategies, Waving and Drowning, The Hunger Arts, and A Wig Full of Spiders. His poetry has been published in Riverrun, The Brooklyn Review, and SlipstreaM. Stephen also records electronic music under the name Rhythm & Detonation and contributed an original score to a revival of Jeffrey M. Jones's Crazy Plays at BRIC Studio and original songs to the Off-Broadway production of CJ Thom's Eightballs at 45 Bleecker. Stephen is currently Literary Manager of the Barefoot Theatre Company.

Abraxas Stage Company is a New York-based social impact theater company dedicated to the development of dynamic new voices in American theater. The Company endeavors to debut innovative works while building awareness and delivering portions of its proceeds toward under-served community causes. Abraxas' inaugural production, Crazy Head Space at South Street Seaport in 2009, was an experimental rock musical based on the DSM IV, served as a benefit for Creative Alternatives of New York.

This production is being presented through HEREstay, HERE's curated rental program, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as technical and administrative support. Since 1993, the OBIE-winning HERE has been a premier arts organization in NYC and a leader in the field of new, hybrid performance work. Offering a comfortable, eclectic setting for artists and audiences alike, HERE features a cafe and two state-of-the-art performance spaces. Under leadership of Founding Artistic Director Kristin Marting and Producing Director Kim Whitener, HERE has served over 12,000 emerging to mid-career artists developing work that does not fit a conventional programming agenda. Work presented at HERE has garnered
16 OBIE awards, including the 2009 Ross Wetzsteon Award, three Drama Desk nominations, four NY Innovative Theatre awards, an Edwin Booth
Award and a Pulitzer Prize nomination. HERE proudly supports artists at all stages in their careers through full productions, artist residency programs, festivals and subsidized performance and rehearsal space. HERE's Artist Residency Program (HARP) provides development, commissions and full productions for 15-18 artists over one-to-three years.

NEXT runs February 2 -19, Wednesday - Saturday at 7pm with additional shows Saturdays Feb. 9 & 15 at 2pm and Sunday, Feb 13 at 7pm. HERE Arts Center is located at 145 Avenue of Americas at Dominick Street, one block south of Spring Street (accessible from the C,E trains at Spring Street). Running time is 80 minutes. Tickets are $18, available at 212-352-3101 or www.here.org.