New York Classical Theatre To Stage Three Intertwining Moliere Comedies

New York Classical Theatre returns to the World Financial Center Winter Garden with Playing Moliere, a flight of one-act plays by the French satirist exploring the dark side of love, announced presenter Arts Brookfield.

From February 21 through March 11, the distinguished theatre troupe will present 18 free performances of three one-act intertwining Molière comedies, Employing its signature staging style, Panoramic Theatre, the company will make use of the entire glass-vaulted Winter Garden, marching up the famous Italian marble staircase, trading bons mots amid the grove of 45-foot palm trees, and hurling hijinks with the Hudson River as its backdrop.

About the company: "The 12-year-old New York Classical Theatre has won widespread praise for its roving productions of classical plays in Battery Park, Central Park, and the World Financial Center, where standing-room-only audiences have been treated to Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Aphra Behn’s rarely seen restoration comedy The Rover. This past summer, the company presented an acclaimed production of Shakespeare's Henry V that moved the audience via ferry boat from Battery Park to the Battle of Agincourt on Governors Island."

About the plays: "Hearkening back to Molière's Commedia del’Arte roots, the selection of plays weaves together recurring characters and the playwright’s favorite themes involving social pretensions and misplaced affections. The lineup includes Two Precious Maidens Ridiculed, a devastating satire of snobbishness in which a pair of rejected suitors enact revenge on the objects of their unrequited affections; The Forced Marriage, featuring the protagonist of the previous play as a middle-aged man beset with doubts about his impending marriage to a beguiling young woman; and Sganerelle or The Imaginary Cuckold, the story of a husband who mistakenly questions his wife's fidelity while, at the same time, failing to defend her honor."

The free production will be directed by New York Classical Theatre founder and artistic director Stephen Burdman and will feature Nick Salamone* (Molière), Kristin Dawn Calgaro* (Armande), Maggie D’Ambrose (Madeline), Ian Antal (Joseph), Brendan McMahon* (Du Parc), Anthony Reimer* (Hubert), John Michalski* (Du Croisy) and Max Waznak (Apprentice).

“We're thrilled to continue our relationship with New York Classical Theatre, whose past performances charmed audiences of all ages while redefining the theatre-going experience,” said Debra Simon, Artistic Director for Arts Brookfield. "Each new production invites us to see the World Financial Center Winter Garden through new eyes. It will be exciting to see how the company transforms our 21st-century business hub into the streets and sitting rooms of 17th-century France."

Rehearsals will be open to the public and will take place throughout the venue from February 4-17. For a daily schedule of rehearsal times, please see http://www.worldfinancialcenter.com/arts-events.

About Arts Brookfield at World Financial Center
Since its inception in 1988, over 3.5 million people have attended more than 2,500 free performances and events at the World Financial Center, making Arts Brookfield the largest presenter of free, year-round performing and visual arts on the East Coast. The World Financial Center is the home of flagship annual events like the Bang on a Can Marathon, Canstruction, and Silent Films/Live Music curated by WNYC’s John Schaefer. For more information, visit http://www.worldfinancialcenter.com/arts-events.

About New York Classical Theatre
Described as “a moveable feast” by the New York Times, New York Classical Theatre has won acclaim for its roving productions of classical plays by Shakespeare, Shaw, Moliere, and more in Central Park, Battery Park, Governors Island, and the World Financial Center. Founded by Stephen Burdman in 2000, the company has performed 26 free plays for more than 100,000 spectators and reaches a broad demographic of our urban community spanning all ages, ethnicities, education and income levels. In addition to their accessible productions, New York Classical Theatre presents free family workshops before selected performances of each production that offer children and their families an introduction to the world of a given play. For more information, visit www.newyorkclassical.org.

*Member Actors’ Equity Association

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