Horse Trade Theater Group Opens THERE'S A LIGHT ON YONDER MOUNTAIN, 5/23

Horse Trade Theater Group and Amios will present the World Premiere of There's a Light on Yonder Mountain written by Stacy Davidowitz, Lindsay Joy Murphy, David H. Rosen, and David L. Williams with Literary Director Kate MacCluggage, May 23-June 8 at UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1st Avenue and Avenue A). The production will be directed by Rachel Dart and Jenna Panther and will feature Lauren Berst*, Helen Coxe*, Tiffany Nichole Greene*, Zac Hoogendyk*, Bob Jaffe*, Paul Kite*, and Kristy Powers. The creative team will include Sound Design by Nick Abeel and Lighting Design by R.S. Buck. The production Stage Manger will be Kristine Schlachter.

There's a Light on Yonder Mountain follows the journey of an unlikely group of misfits on a mysterious mission to change the world. This new play, created by four emerging playwrights and a literary director, is inspired by Joseph Campbell's work on the Hero's Journey.

You may be asking yourself: how did five people co-author a play? Literary Director Kate MacCluggage started by giving the writers exploratory assignments based on the tried and true storytelling arc of the Hero's Journey. Then over countless hours (in person, over Skype, text message, telephone, and hundreds of emails), Kate and the writers discovered patterns in the disparate scenes. In the next step of the process, the two directors will unite the voices of the writers, actors and designers into a single vision.

The production will run May 23-June 8 at UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1st Avenue and Avenue A); Thursday through Saturday at 8pm. Tickets ($18, $15 students & seniors) are available online at www.horseTRADE.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.

AMIOS, founded by alumni of The National Theatre Conservatory, is a collective whose mission is to harness and cultivate the creative energies of our artists across multiple disciplines, and to have fun while constantly generating fearless and innovative ensemble-driven work. Since its inception in 2009 Amios has worked with over 300 artists to produce more than 250 original short, one-act and full-length plays in New York City.

HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP is a self-sustaining theater development group; with a focus on new work that has produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. Horse Trade's Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. It is also the home of FRIGID New York - the first and only festival of its kind in New York City. In 2011 Horse Trade received the New York Innovative Theatre Ellen Stewart Stewardship Award for demonstrating a significant contribution to the Off-Off-Broadway community through service, support and leadership.