Theater For The New City Announces New Play BELSTVILLE/ROCKVILLE, PART 1: RISE OF THE GOATMAN

Theater For The New City is now presenting the initial run of Beltsville/Rockville, Part 1: Rise of the Goatman, an original play by Englewood, NJ resident Matt Okin. In this pseudo-Southern Gothic dark comedy, a vibrant group of teens from two very different suburban neighborhoods clash over class differences, drugs, and sex - and the existence of the legendary 'Goatman' in 1986. Cut to 2013, and the adolescent kids of those very same teens are struggling to make sense of their family histories - and the same "mythological" creature - that could be holding them back in life.

Beltsville/Rockville, Part 1: Rise of the Goatman was recently work-shopped in Teaneck and presented as a staged reading at Black Box PAC , where Okin serves as Artistic Director. In addition to writing, Okin directs - most recently new productions of the rock musical Spring Awakening and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at Black Box PAC (www.blackboxpac.com).

For this production, Okin has assembled a stellar cast of young NJ and NYC professionals: Sam Cancelarich, Tyler Fuentes, Michael Gardiner, Sara Giacomini, Klara Gribetz, Cassandra Guglielmo, Bryan Jahnke, Nachi Lederer, Miranda Luze, Danielle MacMath, Sean Mannix, Bailey Shada, Ben Shanblatt, and Eliana Swartz. The Production Stage Manager is Sally Burgos, Sound Design is by Steve Eiman, and Lighting Design is by TNC's own Alexander Bartentieff.

Beltsville/Rockville, Part 1: Rise of the Goatman plays Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm from now through January 13 at TNC's Community Space Theater (155 First Avenue, NY, NY, 10003). Tickets are $18. For tickets and more information, please visit: theaterforthenewcity.net or call: 212-254-1109

Photo credit: Steve Eiman, featyring Sean Mannix as "Leslie" surrounded by his high school classmates as played by Klara Gribetz, Cassandra Guglielmo, Miranda Luze, and Ben Shanblatt.