TARTUFFE Makes New York Premiere at Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, 10/27

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble announces the opening of Moliere's great comedy Tartuffe in the New York premiere of a sizzling adaptation by David Ball. Tartuffe will begin previews on October 21st and open on Friday, October 27st and will run for 22 performances only through November 12th at The Wild Project in NYC.

PTE Producing Artistic Director Craig Smith directs the Ball adaptation, which was developed originally for Theatre de la Jeune Lune. The production cast will feature Phoenix Theatre Ensemble resident actors, Matt Baguth, Alicia Marie Beaty, Ariel Estrada, Eileen Glenn, Oscar Klausner, John Lenartz, Morgan Rosse, Wes Spencer, Elise Stone, and Josh Tyson as Tartuffe (pictured).

The design team for Tartuffe includes Debbi Hobson for period costumes, Ellen Mandel for original music and sound, Attilio Rigotti for projection and video design, Tsubasa Kamei for Lights. Karen Case Cook is assistant director, Carrigan O'Brien is dramaturg, and Meghan McVann is production stage manager.

The story of Tartuffe concerns a wealthy man, Orgon, who brings home a religious con-man, Tartuffe, who systematically arranges a wedding with Orgon's daughter, seduces Orgon's wife, convinces Orgon to sign over to him Orgon's house and fortune. It is a comedy about religious hypocrisy. Smith states "PTE's Season 2017-18 is 'the year of the charismatic' - we're asking why seemingly smart people often lose their way, their moral center, and blindly follow bad people or dogmas. Orgon thinks he has found a charismatic messiah in Tartuffe and brings him home, an action that disrupts the entire household and chaos ensues. But in our production, we see Tartuffe through the eyes of Orgon, and perhaps, just perhaps Tartuffe might be miraculous."

For more information visit http://www.phoenixtheatreensemble.org/. Tickets are $18.50 for previews and $30 each regular performances; call 212-352-3101 or visit www.PhoenixTheatreEnsemble.org.