Jessi D. Hill News

FRIGID New York presents the New York premiere of It or Her written by Alena Smith. Directed by Jessi D. Hill and featuring Brian McManamon, the show can be described as somewhere between Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and The Tell-Tale Heart. The provocative dark comedy explores the basement of a suburban home where Andrew has devoted himself unconditionally to his incredible collection of figurines. Suffering the loss of The Red One, he seeks to uncover The Ultimate Arrangement before his hideout is invaded, and his dark secret is revealed.

I support the promotion of local playwrights, especially women. However, 'Lucinda's Bed' plays into every stereotyped moment of a woman's life: self-consciousness, violence, guilt, fear. Don't get me wrong. A stereotype is a stereotype because there is some kernel of truth to it. Who hasn't had to reread Camille Paglia on occasion? However, McCullough seems to allow her heroine's life to be defined by one moment and by doing that, the play became as predictable as Lifetime Television. I accept McCullough's choice to have her lead dissolve into an anti-hero. Some of the greatest female roles in theatre history are anti-heroes, but Lucinda becomes an anti-hero by giving up. And when she does give up, I stopped caring.

Seeing is believing - but perception can be manipulated for beauty or deception. Magician Jeff Grow takes you on a journey where elegant sleight of hand and insight into human behavior collide dismantling everyday experience and tempting us to question: Why do we choose to believe the unbelievable?

Seeing is believing - but perception can be manipulated for beauty or deception. Magician Jeff Grow takes you on a journey where elegant sleight of hand and insight into human behavior collide dismantling everyday experience and tempting us to question: Why do we choose to believe the unbelievable?

Seeing is believing - but perception can be manipulated for beauty or deception. Magician Jeff Grow takes you on a journey where elegant sleight of hand and insight into human behavior collide dismantling everyday experience and tempting us to question: Why do we choose to believe the unbelievable?

I support the promotion of local playwrights, especially women. However, 'Lucinda's Bed' plays into every stereotyped moment of a woman's life: self-consciousness, violence, guilt, fear. Don't get me wrong. A stereotype is a stereotype because there is some kernel of truth to it. Who hasn't had to reread Camille Paglia on occasion? However, McCullough seems to allow her heroine's life to be defined by one moment and by doing that, the play became as predictable as Lifetime Television. I accept McCullough's choice to have her lead dissolve into an anti-hero. Some of the greatest female roles in theatre history are anti-heroes, but Lucinda becomes an anti-hero by giving up. And when she does give up, I stopped caring.

Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st Season with the world premiere of Resident Playwright Mia McCullough's twisted comedy, Lucinda's Bed. Lucinda is six years old, and all she wants is to be good. But when the Monster under her bed introduces himself one night, Lucinda finds out that staying good will be harder than she thinks.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

Seeing is believing - but perception can be manipulated for beauty or deception. Magician Jeff Grow takes you on a journey where elegant sleight of hand and insight into human behavior collide dismantling everyday experience and tempting us to question: Why do we choose to believe the unbelievable?

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

Chicago Dramatists is having an extraordinary and memorable 2009. In addition to the success of A Steady Rain opening on Broadway this fall, starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman, Chicago Dramatists enters its 31st season with the honor of the TCG New Generations/Future Leaders grant, the announcement of four new resident playwrights and a new associate artistic director, and its selection as only one of four theatres to be included as part of the inaugural Millennium Park 'In The Works' Theatre Lab Project this spring.

terraNOVA Collective is thrilled to announce the new members of its Groundbreakers Playwrights Group. Groundbreakers is a six month long program in which playwrights work on a specific project with the intent to create a completed draft.

The soloNOVA Arts Festival presents Creating Illusion written and performed by Jeff Grow, directed by Jessi D. Hill

Astoria Perfoming Arts Center presents THE CHILDREN'S HOUR, written by LILLIAN HELLMAN The insidious power of a lie takes center stage at the Wright-Dobie School for Girls in Lillian Hellman's The Children's Hour.

soloNOVA Arts Festival May 6-30 @ DR2 Theatre & D-Lounge, 103 East 15 Street, East of Union Square Tickets, $20 general admission, $15 students/seniors, and Festival Passes ($100 for all shows) may be purchased online at www.terranovacollective.org or at the DR2 Box Office.

Following the success of their acclaimed production of Ragtime this winter, Astoria Performing Arts Center is pleased to announce the production of Lillian Hellman?s THE CHILDREN?S HOUR, directed by Jessi D. Hill, 75 years after its premiere on Broadway.. THE CHILDREN?S HOUR will play a 3-week limited engagement at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church (30-44 Crescent St, Astoria, NY 11102. Entrance on 30th Road.)

POETIC LARCENY is a staged reading series inspired by the themes of Flux Theatre Ensemble's spring production of Adam Szymkowicz's PRETTY THEFT. Playwrights steal three things from the playwright before them, only to have three things stolen from them by the next shifty scribe. Because inspiration is the sincerest form of larceny...

Flux Theatre Ensemble concludes its 2008 Season of Transformation with the world premiere of Johnna Adams' epic Angel Eaters Trilogy. The Trilogy follows three generations of a family cursed with the gift of raising people from the dead. The three plays of the Trilogy, Angel Eaters, Rattlers, and 8 Little Antichrists, will run in rep beginning November 3 at The Wings Theatre, 154 Christopher Street. The production will run through November 22. On Saturdays, intrepid audiences will be able to catch all three shows in chronological order.

The Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Tom Wojtunik as Artistic Director. Wojtunik, who last year directed Proof for APAC, brings a wealth of talent and experience plus an influx of humor, passion for storytelling, generosity and inspiration to the new season line-up.