New Ohio Theatre Opens World Premiere of Robert Lyons' DEATH OF THE LIBERAL CLASS Tonight

New Ohio Theatre presents the world premiere of DEATH OF THE LIBERAL CLASS, written by Robert Lyons and directed by Jerry Heymann, running now through February 13, 2016. The show opens tonight, January 25, at the New Ohio Theatre, located at 154 Christopher Street between Greenwich and Washington Streets in New York City.

In Robert Lyons' new play a burned-out, left wing journalist retreats to the family farm hoping to find peace of mind. But when his teenage daughter follows, she brings with her all the anger he's left behind -- along with her hacktivist boyfriend. When his frustrated wife shows up to negotiate their split, his newfound vision of happiness proves more elusive than he ever imagined. DEATH OF THE LIBERAL CLASS is a captivating, intimate and thrillingly dark domestic comedy about liberal parenting, capitalist co-option, and losing (or finding) your edge.

DEATH OF THE LIBERAL CLASS is inspired by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges's book of the same name, and the title is used with his blessing.

New Ohio Theatre's Artistic Director Robert Lyons says, "It's great to be back in the playwright's seat with an original play for the first time since we moved from the "old" Ohio Theatre on Wooster Street. The very last show we did there was one of my plays, so for me, personally, this feels like our transition to our new space is complete!"

The cast includes Steven Rattazzi ("The Venture Bros.", Indecent at Vineyard and Yale Rep, Galileo at CSC), Jeanette Dilone (James White, Sundance Best of Next Winner), Olivia Horton (Deliver Us From Evil with Eric Bana, Tiny Dynamite at 59E59), Melissa Murray (Playboy of the West Indies at Lincoln Center Theater), Justin Colón, and Arthur Aulisi (20 year veteran of the downtown NYC theatre scene, including the award-winning adobe theater company).

The production team includes Jason Simms (Set Design), Seth Reiser (Lighting Design), Andrea Hood (Costume Design), M. Florian Staab (Sound Design), Rebecca Phillips (Props Design) and Heather Arnson (Production Stage Manager).

Performances are Wednesdays - Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays - Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 5pm. Special opening night show on Monday, January 25 at 7pm. There is no performance on Wednesday, January 27. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online at www.NewOhioTheatre.org or by calling 1-888-596-1027. The running time is approximately 90 minutes. For info, visit www.NewOhioTheatre.org, like them on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/NewOhioTheatre, follow on Instagram at NewOhioTheatre, and on Twitter at Twitter.com/NewOhioTheatre.

Robert Lyons (Playwright) has more than twenty New York premieres to his credit. Original New York productions include Nostradamus Predicts the Death of Soho, Red-Haired Thomas ("a sweetly fractured fairy tale" - The New York Times) and Doorman's Double Duty ("A gem!" - The New York Times), PR Man (featured in American Theatre Magazine), No Meat No Irony ("Ralph Nader channeling Preston Sturges" - Time Out NY), among others. His work has been developed in residencies at NACL, the Orchard Project, The Playwright's Center of Minneapolis, MASS MoCA, the Bogliasco Foundation, and MacDowell Colony. He is currently a member of HERE Artist Residency Program at HERE Art Center and is also working on an EST/Sloan Project Commission. Robert is the Artistic Director of New Ohio Theatre.

Jerry Heymann's (Director) directing career spans four decades and three continents. In New York he directed Call Me Charlie at La MaMa, starring Danny DeVito; the award-winning production of Demeter's Lost Daughter at St. Clement's; as well as productions at EST, American Stage Company, Manhattan Punch Line, and others. Last year, after an extended hiatus, he returned to the New York theatre scene directing No One Loves Us Here at Urban Stages. Dr. Heymann has an MFA and PhD in Theatre from Carnegie Mellon, and has taught theatre at Lehman College.

New Ohio Theatre is a two-time OBIE Award-winning theatre under the leadership of Robert Lyons, Artistic Director, and Marc Stuart Weitz, Producing Director. The New Ohio serves New York's most adventurous theatre audiences by developing and presenting the boldest, most innovative work of today's vast independent theatre community. They believe the best of this community, the small artist-driven ensembles and the daring producing companies who operate without a permanent theatrical home, are actively expanding the boundaries of where American theatre is right now and where it's going. New Ohio Theatre nurtures, strengthens, and promotes this community; as they reestablish the West Village as a destination for mature, ridiculous, engaged, irreverent, gut-wrenching, frivolous, sophisticated, foolish and profound theatrical endeavors.

Photo Credit: Andrea Reese

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