Cherry Lane Theatre to Present a Workshop Presentation of (THE MAKING OF) HOW TO SAVE THE WORLD IN 90 MINUTES

Cherry Lane Theatre (Angelina Fiordellisi, Executive Director; Seri Lawrence, Artistic Director) has announced a workshop presentation of a new work, The Making Of) How to Save the World in 90 Minutes by writer/composer Shawn Randall, directed by Alfredo Narciso and mentored by Diana Oh ({my lingerie play}). Performances will run March 4 - 14, 2020, at the Cherry Lane Studio Theatre (38 Commerce Street). For tickets, schedule and more information, please visit www.cherrylanetheatre.org.

What if all the world's problems stem from the lack of these three things - awareness, knowledge, and empathy? Observe, and participate if you choose, as a group of humans create the frequency of music, words, and movement to achieve an extraordinary goal: To Save The World. Shawn Randall's (The Making Of) How to Save the World in 90 Minutes combines spoken word, music, improvisation, and movement towards collective transformation.

"Shawn is an open channel and a buoying necessary light - he's a reminder to me that compassion can be cultivated. He's a reminder to me that I show up to a live performance to be transformed, not just informed, and it is within the aftermath of the transformation: this melting of guards and walls, can I feel more expanded into a more soulful, connected, and fulfilling existence." Mentor, Diana Oh

Cast includes Steven Boyer (Broadway: Time and the Conways, Hand to God, Tony nomination), Nia Calloway, Shawn Randall and Rocky Vega (NY: {my lingerie play}). Musicians are Jason Cohen (musical director and pianist), Will Brown (drums), and Charlotte Morris (violin). Creative team includes scenic design by Wilson Chin, costume design by Elizabeth M. Kelly, lighting design by Stephen Arnold, sound design by Daniela Hart. casting by Eisenberg/Beans Casting. General Manager is Mott/Fischer Productions. Traci Bargen is Production Stage Manager and Taryn Uhe is Assistant Stage Manager.

In addition to this mentored workshop production, Mentor Project 2020 will also team with JAG Productions to produce the rolling world premiere of Esai's Table by Nathan Yungerberg, directed by Stevie Walker-Webb from March 19 - April 25. Esai's Table was originally developed and presented as a workshop production in Mentor Project 2017 with mentor, Pulitzer Prize, Stephen Adly Guirgis.

The Mentor Project is the recipient of an Obie Award for its dedication to helping early-career playwrights develop new work. Each year it partners an emerging author with a seasoned professional for a year of script work, rewrites, casting, rehearsals and a full production at Cherry Lane. Mentor Project is also the recipient of the James Kirkwood Award for American Playwrights.

Cherry Lane's Mentor Project has developed the works of sixty-four playwrights to date. Mentor Project artist alumni are a continual testament to the value of Cherry Lane and Mentor Project as a safe place of exploration for playwrights in the early phase of their careers, as well as a proving ground for the next big steps. This year Mentor Project celebrates the Off Broadway premieres of four of its past Mentor Project productions. In addition to Mentor Project's own rolling world premiere of Esai's Table on Cherry Lane's mainstage, other premieres include: Jiehae Park's Peerless, produced by Primary Stages (mentored by Kwame Kwei-Armah in 2015), Jocelyn Bioh's Nollywood Dreams, produced by MCC Theater (mentored by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins in 2017), and Ren Dara Santiago's The Siblings Play, produced by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (mentored by Lucy Thurber in 2017).

Mentor Project is supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Mentor Project is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Mentor Project also gratefully acknowledges support from Radio Drama Network, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Howard Gilman Foundation, Axe-Houghton Foundation, The Curtis W. McGraw Foundation, Richenthal Foundation, Lucille Lortel Foundation, John Golden Fund, and Funkadelic Studios.

CHERRY LANE MENTOR PROJECT 2020

Shawn Randall'S

(THE MAKING OF) HOW TO SAVE THE WORLD IN 90 MINUTES

Directed by Alfredo Narciso

Mentored by Diana Oh

March 4 - 14, 2020

Performance Schedule: Monday - Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at 3 pm and 7 pm

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at cherrylanetheatre.org or by calling Ovationtix: 866-811-4111

For more information, tickets and performance schedule, please visit www.cherrylanetheatre.org

Cherry Lane Theatre is located at 38 Commerce Street, NYC