New Play About Aphasia TALK TO ME Debuts In New York
Broadway Associate Director Nikki DiLoreto (Tony nominated Kiss Me, Kate, David Henry Hwang's Soft Power) leads a talented cast in the New York debut of Talk to Me, a new play about aphasia written by and starring Megan Bussiere. The show runs June 28-30, 2019 at Theaterlab located at 357 W 36th Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY (www.theaterlabnyc.com)
Following staged readings in New York and New Jersey at Kean University, TLab Shares hosts this production, along with investors Tessa Faye of Tessa Faye Talent (Abnormal), ML Josepher, (Beeotch the Series) and Jon Hoche (Voice of Kong- King Kong).
Joining Bussiere in the cast are Joseph Thanner (Watch Out, Blood Feathers), Ashlee Voorsanger (Abnormal), ML Josepher (Sanju), David Lambert (Lost in the Sun), Pat Swearingen (Broadway's Next Hit Musical), Ted Wold (instructor, Matthew Corozine Studio), Paul Whelihan (producing artistic director, Pushcart Players), Aja Downing (Cher Chez Le Femme), David Lamberton (Triggered), Holly Rhoades (Director, Kean University Theatre Conservatory) and John Daggan (Ah, Wilderness).
The Talk to Me creative team includes Stage Manager Joseph McCabe (Schooled, 6 Rounds of Vengeance), Assistant Stage Manager Sydney Hayes (If You Want To See the Devil), Lighting Designer Kyle Lefeber, Costume Designer Tinea Abdallah (Monster Mash), Sound Designer Greg Scalera (The Agony Family), and Aphasia Consultant Avi Golden (Night Sky).
Talk to Me follows a support group for people living with aphasia. When they discover that the clinic is in danger of closing, they all band together in an elaborate plan to raise awareness about aphasia and save their community.
The play mimics real life in that its aim is to raise awareness about aphasia and to donate to specific aphasia facilities. "The work that aphasia organizations do is critical to helping people with aphasia learn to communicate again," said Bussiere, "and giving a voice to those who have lost theirs is really important to me." This subject matter is especially relevant for actor John Daggan, who is a stroke survivor living with aphasia.
As a playwright, Bussiere is currently a writer for the 2018-2020 Propulsion Lab with Mission to (dit)Mars. Also this summer, Bussiere's feminist play A Period Piece (2019 O'Neill National Playwrights Conference finalist & Playwrights Foundation/BAPF semi-finalist) will be produced by the Shrill Collective in New York City.
A portion of the proceeds from the ticket sales of this production are being donated to the National Aphasia Association, as well as the aphasia support groups of Kean University, JFK Medical Center, and Adler Aphasia Center.
The show is set to run 90 minutes with an intermission. Tickets are on sale for $20 by clicking here.
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