Richard Pryor Drama UNSPEAKABLE Set for Limited Run at Apollo Theater's Soundstage, 11/1-3

UNSPEAKABLE, a dramatic fantasia inspired by the life of comedic icon Richard Pryor, is set for a limited engagement, Friday, November 1, 2013 - Sunday November 3, 2013, on the Apollo Theater's Soundstage. This critically acclaimed work-in-development will be presented by the Apollo Theater, Creative Mind Entertainment, OBC DreamTheatre and Stefani Nicole Von Huben in association with Seattle Theatre Group.

Unspeakable will be performed at the Apollo Theater Soundstage located at 253 West 125th Street, New York, NY, 10027. Performances are Friday, November 1st at 7:00pm, Saturday and Sunday, November 2nd & 3rd at 2:00pm & 7:00pm. Tickets are $20 and are available at The Apollo Theater Box Office: (212) 531-5305, 253 West 125th Street and Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.

Due to the strong language and adult situations inherent in this story, this production is recommended for theatergoers 16 years of age and older.

UNSPEAKABLE is an unflinching look at the life and times of an iconic comedic genius informed by sex, drugs, comedy and pain. Co-writer & Director, Rod GailesOBC, brings a cinematic vision to the provocative odyssey of Richard Pryor, highlighting the comedian's journey from damaged child to comic legend. Spanning more than sixty years, with a focus on the period between 1967 and 1982, audience members travel through the emotional landscape that is Richard Pryor. Growing up in the Peoria, IL brothel owned and operated by his grandmother, where his mother toiled as a prostitute, Pryor faced situations that forever shaped and scarred his sensitive soul. His imagination offered an escape from reality and ultimately lead him to comedy. From his rise to superstardom (in the shadow of Bill Cosby) to his blazingly self- destructive love affair with cocaine and women, UNSPEAKABLE juxtaposes his success with the internal and emotional demons he battled throughout his life. At the center of UNSPEAKABLE is the humanity that connects us all through our vulnerability, intimacy and truth. The cast of seven -- most taking on multiple roles - features James Murray Jackson Jr. as Richard Pryor, a role he originated at the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival, earning him an award for Outstanding Lead Actor and a New York Times rave for his "magnetic lead performance." Richards will be joined by Benja Kay Thomas, Margot White, Alvin Keith, Nedra McClyde, Adam Couperthwaite and Nyahale A. Allie.

"Richard Pryor broke down barriers, and stereotypes once thought unimaginable, said the unspeakable and did the unthinkable. He taught us by holding a mirror to the conscience of America while self-destructing, and imploding on his own pain and grief. Though flawed in life, he lived uninhibited onstage. He was part preacher, social commentator, political activist, addict and a whole lot of devil. Richard ushered in a groundbreaking style which paved the way for a generation of comedians. He was able to convert his painful personal experiences and searing political observations into mainstream comedy" said Rod Gailes OBC.

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