Theatre Exile Kicks Off 20th Anniversary Season with GUARDS AT THE TAJ by Rajiv Joseph

Following 13 Barrymore nominations and a sold-out run for Tommy and Me, Theatre Exile continues their 20th Anniversary Season with the Philadelphia premiere of Guards at the Taj by playwright Rajiv Joseph. Based on dark myths surrounding the building of the Taj Mahal, this bold and surprising comedy is the story of two hapless guards that ultimately learn the ugly truth about one of the most beautiful wonders of the world. When asked to perform an unthinkable task, the pair struggle between loyalty, friendship and staying true to one's self.

Previews begin on Thursday, October 20, 2016 and press opening night is Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 8:00pm. The show runs for a total of 21 performances at Studio X (1340 S. 13th Street) through Sunday, November 13, 2016. Tickets are on sale now for $10.00 to $40.00 atwww.theatreexile.org or by phone (215) 218-4022. Please note, this production contains potentially disturbing content that might not be suitable for all audiences. Thank you to the 2016-2017 season sponsor Zallie Supermarkets.

Guards at the Taj is set in 1648 in India, where two Imperial Guards watch from their post as the sun rises for the first time on the newly-completed Taj Mahal-an event that shakes their respective worlds. As the morning light breaks, the wheels are in motion for a startlingly funny existential crisis that stirs their faith in God, the empire and each other. When they are ordered to do the unspeakable, the aftermath forces them to question their concepts of friendship, beauty, and duty, and both characters are changed forever.

"The friendship of the two guards is both beautiful and vaudevillian," said Producing Artistic Director Deborah Block. "The storytelling at times is gruesomely hyper-realistic and at other times humorous or filled with magic. Through the richly drawn characters, Guards allows us to understand how fear can lead us down the road to making us complicit in creating the horrors of our time."

Theatre Exile's production of Guards at the Taj is directed by Exile Producing Artistic Director Block, and stars Anthony Mustafa Adair (The Invisible Hand by Theatre Exile, Disgraced by Philadelphia Theatre Company) and Jenson Titus Lavallee (Pig Iron School for Advanced Performance Training, The Seagull by Moscow Art Theatre School).

For Jenson, Guards at the Taj couldn't come for Theatre Exile at a more perfect time with the current state of the world. "There's the sense of duty in Humayun, which I can relate to, but there's also the idea of following a much more organic set of rules that Babur abides by," said Lavallee. "This play really deals with where those two things begin to conflict and how we deal with turmoil in a society that's feeding us one thing, but deep down we know we should be fighting against it. It's often how I've been feeling lately. It seems that every day we wake up to news of another devastating (world) incident, but we're not sure of how to combat the horrors. I feel very much like Babur feels. He seems to have the answers, but they're seen as 'radical' by Humayun. Is radicalism for the sake of peace and beauty even more disruptive than conformity to something we know isn't right?"

The comedy and horror of Guards at the Taj take place at Studio X, where the guards will enjoy their first glimpse at the newly built Taj Mahal. While one of the most glorious wonders of the world will be revealed at first light, the set also has some dark secrets and ghoulish surprises. The production team includes Colin McIlvaine (Set Designer), Alison Roberts (Costume Designer), Brad Pouliot (Sound Designer), Drew Billiau (Lighting Designer), Flora Vassar (Props Designer), Jessica Darling (Production Manager) and Rob Edmondson Jr. (Technical Director). Theatre Exile thanks show Honorary Producers June and Steve Wolfson.

Award-winning playwright Rajiv Joseph is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and The North Pool. He has been called "daring, magnificent, and virtuosic" by the L.A. Times. Joseph received the Steinberg Playwright Award in 2013, the Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Award in 2015 and the 2016 Obie Award for Best Play for Guards at the Taj.

ABOUT GUARDS AT THE TAJ

"...livewire dialogue, spiky character interplay, wicked humor and blunt cynicism," -- Hollywood Reporter

"Absorbing...Guards at the Taj raises potent questions about the human price paid throughout history for the caprices of the mighty, even when they result in architectural wonders that ultimately give pleasure to the masses." -- The New York Times

"Most impressive ... is Joseph's ability to balance the increasingly creepy slapstick with the hand-clasping humanity of two characters who, like it or not, are as bonded as brothers." -- Los Angeles Times

Guards at the Taj runs October 20 through November 13, 2016. Tickets are $10.00 to $40.00 and are available online at theatreexile.org or by calling the Theatre Exile Box Office at (215) 218-4022. Performances for this production take place at Studio X (1340 S. 13th Street).

20TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON CONTINUES

Theatre Exile continues to explore the human struggle to face our fears, do the right thing and make decisions free of fear with two more Philadelphia premieres, Buzzer and Lost Girls:

Lost Girls by John Pollono
Directed by Joe Canuso
With Catharine Slusar, Trevor William Fayle, Sean Bradley, Molly Ward, Amy Frear and SusAnne Collins
February 16 - March 12
Studio X (1340 S. 13th Street)

When Erica, their sixteen-year- old daughter, goes missing during a winter storm, Maggie and Lou-former high school sweethearts, now divorced-are forced to confront the legacy of their past decisions. Filled with poignant passions and dark humor, Lost Girls is a hard-hitting drama about the women of a blue-collar family struggling to rise above their limited prospects, in a world indifferent to their struggles, to prevent history from repeating itself.

Buzzer by Tracey Scott Wilson
Directed by Matt Pfeiffer
With Akeem Davis
May 4 - May 28
Studio X (1340 S. 13th Street)

Jackson, an upwardly-mobile black attorney, has just bought an apartment in a transitioning neighborhood in Brooklyn. He sees the potential of his old neighborhood, as does his white girlfriend Suzy...at first. When Jackson's childhood friend Don leaves rehab to crash with them, the trio quickly becomes trapped between the tensions inside their own home and the dangers that may lurk outside.

Tickets for all 2015-2016 shows, as well as subscriptions, are available at www.theatreexile.org or by phone (215) 218-4022. Thank you to the 2016-2017 season sponsor Zallie Supermarkets.

ABOUT THEATRE EXILE

Founded in 1996 by Joe Canuso and Trish Kelly, Theatre Exile was created by a group of artists who wanted to rattle the gates of the mainstream. In 2013 Deborah Block was named Producing Artistic Director after 7 years of serving as Co-Artistic Director.

Drawn to plays that explore the complexities of the human condition and contain a sense of true Philadelphia grit and passion, Exile has produced 63 full-scale productions, including 16 world premieres and 30 Philadelphia premieres. It was the first Philadelphia organization to produce such powerhouse playwrights as Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner Tracy Letts, Noah Haidle, Rona Munro, David Harrower, Annie Baker, Rajiv Joseph, Mike Bartlett, Sharr White and Lucas Hnath. In accordance with their desire to support the development of engaging and thought-provoking theater, in 2010 Theatre Exile established Studio X-hibition, a forum to showcase plays in process.

For their excellence in producing theatre, they have received 87 Barrymore Award nominations, with 14 awards total. Theatre Exile believes in freedom of expression formulated through innovation, exploration and provocation, all while providing a safe and creative environment, in which local artists can grow, experiment and ultimately, find their own voice.

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