Valleti and Diana Team Up To Present Look At MTA In 'Tales From the Tunnel'
By: Faetra Petillo
Hop on board for an evening of love, hate, admiration, contempt, patience, impatience, comfort and discomfort, courtesy of the New York City Subway System.
TALES FROM THE TUNNEL, a new theatrical work created by Troy Diana and James Valletti is making its debut as an invite-only Actors' Equity Association Staged Reading at Manhattan Theatre Club Studios, starring Farah Bala, Geri Brown, J. Arthur Cruz, Brandon Jones, Mean Messmer, and TJ O'Connell, and stage managed by Michelle Dunn.Borne of a concept hatched in the 2006 Lincoln Center Directors' Lab and developed over two years by Diana and Valletti, TALES FROM THE TUNNEL is a series of pieces based on extensive research and hundreds of interviews with riders and employees who have something to say about their travels throughout the veins of NYC. This is the first collaboration between Diana, whose writing or performing credits include STORIA (2007 Midtown International Theatre Festival/London's South Hill Park), STRESSED, DEPRESSED, AND REPRESSED (Pulse Theatre), and TAKE THIS JOB (Zipper Theatre), and Valletti, whose Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, LITTLE WOMEN, TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN', ALTAR BOYZ (Assistant Director) and pre-Broadway/readings of RING OF FIRE and the upcoming 9 TO 5. Performance dates are August 11, 12, & 13 at 8pm at Manhattan Theatre Club Studios (311 W. 43rd St., 8th Fl). For a special invitation and to reserve tickets to a performance, email talesfromthetunnel@hotmail.com.