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Philadelphia Theatre Workshop finishes its sixth season with the World Premiere of Pew Fellow Katharine Clark Gray's 516 (five sixteen). This biting and smart revenge romance opens May 15 and runs through June 6, 2010. The play will run at Walnut Street Theatre's Studio 5. Tickets cost $18 in advance and $20 at the door. Walnut Street Theatre is located at 825 Walnut Street. They are available online at www.philadelphiatheatreworkshop.org
At the center of this intelligent new work is Annalee, a professional term paper auteur. She meets Sigurd, a cocky grad student who hires her to pen his "chore" assignments while he works on a mysterious thesis. When the two become lovers, they find themselves embroiled in a blood-sport romance that leads to betrayal. When Annalee exposes their arrangement, they must confront Sigurd's professor Martie Hodge. They strike a deal and save their skins, but Martie is exacting in her price. Driven by pride, desire, and intellectual longing, 516 (five sixteen) is a revenge romance for brainiacs, a mash note to the mind.
Emilie Krause, who appeared in Clark Gray's USER 927 and BRAT Production's Haunted Poe, is portraying Annalee. Kevin Meehan, who recently appeared in Inis Nua's Gagarin Way and PTW's Playshop Production of Our Lady of Balenciaga, is portraying Sigurd. Ann Gundersheimer portrays the tough college professor, Martie Hodge. Gundersheimer is a former theatre professor from Temple University.Bill Felty directs his second world premiere this season. Stephen Hungerford is creating the set. Shon Causer is designing the lights and Vandy Scoates is creating the costumes. Carl Cheeseman is crafting original music and designing the sound. "We are excited to produce this work by Pew Fellow Katharine Clark Gray. It's a powerful, thought-provoking piece that will speak to the student or teacher, employee or employer, friend or lover in all of us," said PTW Artistic Director Bill Felty. "516 (five sixteen) is funny, heartbreaking, intelligent, romantic, sexy, and more than a little frightening."
Katharine Clark Gray is a recipient of a Pew Fellowship in the Arts. Her work USER 927 was premiered by BRAT Productions and earned national attention for being the first dramatic work based on a web search log. Other credits include: writer/performer for collaborative work Three Chord Fiction [2007 Barrymore Award winner, also with Brat]; You see me comin' you better run [a Village Voice Choice], The B Side [Governor's Laundress], Riot Standard [NextFest, Edmonton AB], True Dreams of Wichita [People's Improv Theatre], and Francis Bacon [winner, Ithaca Great Playwrights contest, Kitchen Theatre Co.]. She has contributed multiple short works to acclaimed festivals including Raw Impressions, The Drilling Co., manhattantheatresource's Estrogenius, Boomerang Theatre Co., Three Graces, and MTP's Cherry Picking. She is also a multimedia artist and designer, and has created masks for numerous stage productions. She also works as a muralist and educator for the City of Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program, working in both the Community Murals and Education Outreach programs. She co-founded A Chip & A Chair Films, LLC and acted as Art Director and Line Producer for the company's first feature If You Could Say It In Words.
About Philadelphia Theatre Workshop
Philadelphia Theatre Workshop strives to nurture bright and emerging artists at various stages of their careers. We ignite Philadelphia by spotlighting characters and stories often underrepresented in the broader theatrical world. We are dedicated to reflecting diverse audiences through original, evocative programming. Our focus is world premiere plays by Philadelphia-area playwrights. Philadelphia Theatre Workshop: Making better artists and audiences
