OUR LADY OF SOUTH DIVISION STREET And THE WONDER BREAD YEARS Among Penguin Rep's 2009 Season

Miracles, wild women, beautiful music and lots of laughs will entertain and enlighten audiences during the upcoming 2009 season at Penguin Rep Theatre in Stony Point, New York.  The nonprofit professional theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Joe Brancato and Executive Director Andrew M. Horn, today announced the four plays selected for the theatre's 32nd season as well as a freeze on prices.

The season will open with the world premiere of Our Lady of South Division Street, a new comedy by Nyack resident Tom Dudzick, author of the hit comedies Over the Tavern and Greetings! Next up is The Wonder Bread Years, a humorous salute to Baby Boomer culture from former Seinfeld writer Pat Hazell, which speaks to the kid in us all. 2009 also brings Carter W. Lewis's outrageous comedy Women Who Steal about a pair of restless middle-aged women on a riotous joy ride. Closing the season will be the world premiere of award-winning writer/performer Daniel Beaty’s new musical play Beauty and Imagination about Roland Hayes, the first world-renowned African-American vocalist. 

The 2009 subscription season at Penguin’s intimate, 108-seat theatre at 7 Crickettown Road in Stony Point, runs May 15, 2009 through October 25, 2009.  

Building on the mainstage season, Penguin will also present its second annual Children’s Theatre Festival, and the popular Play with Your Food series of new play readings. In addition, the Cultural Arts Center at SUNY Rockland Community College in Suffern will be the venue for the New York premiere of Avi Hoffman’s Still Jewish After All These Years, a follow-up to the actor-singer-comedian’s wildly successful Too Jewish and Too Jewish, Two, as well as a special performance of Jeffrey Solomon’s play De Novo to commemorate the college’s fiftieth anniversary. Another popular event, Penguin Rep’s Annual Auction, will return on October 4.  

Artistic Director Joe Brancato states, “Life shouldn’t be all work and no plays. And with the combination of humorous, uplifting and memorable works we have planned this year, there’s no better place in the lower Hudson Valley to escape to, with prices that you can’t beat.”

Executive Director Andrew M. Horn states, "As a not-for-profit organization, Penguin is committed to making theatre as affordable as possible for all of our audience members to remain a part of the Penguin family. That’s why we’ve imposed a price freeze this year and, if patrons order their tickets by April 15, we’ll waive any handling fees on their orders.”

Penguin Rep Theatre, Rockland County’s first year-round, non-profit professional theatre, was founded in 1977 in a century-old hay barn converted to a theatre, by Rockland residents Joe Brancato, Artistic Director, and Fran Newman-McCarthy, Treasurer of the Board of Trustees. Described by The New York Times as “the gutsiest little theatre” and by The Journal News as a theatre that “continues to astonish,” Penguin Rep celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007 when it spruced up its theatre, which now features heating, air conditioning, wheelchair accessible rest rooms and seating, new upholstered theatre seats, and plenty of free parking.

2009 mainstage season subscriptions start as low as $86 for the four plays ($64 for patrons 30 and younger). Subscribers receive priority seating, reduced price tickets for guests, priority ticketing for special events, and discounts at local restaurants and stores, among other benefits.  

Season subscriptions, special event tickets, and more information can be obtained by going to www.penguinrep.org or calling 845.786.2873.  

Individual tickets to mainstage productions are $32, and $16 for young people (30 and under).  Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.  Special reduced-priced weekday matinee performances for groups are available.

Performance times for the 2009 mainstage season are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. 

Children’s Theatre Festival shows are performed at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  All tickets are $16.  

The annually sold-out Play with Your Food series of readings of new plays, which includes a “brown bag” dinner catered by Pasta Cucina, are scheduled Mondays, June 8, July 13, August 10 and September 14. Food is served at 6:00 pm and the readings begin at 7:00 pm. Admission is $20.00 per reading, or $60.00 for a subscription to all four readings.

Tickets for Avi Hoffman’s Still Jewish After All These Years are $30 ($25 for subscribers). Tickets for De Novo are $20 ($15 for subscribers, students and RCC staff).

Penguin will be holding its fourth Annual Penguin Auction on Sunday, October 4 at the Stony Point Center located at 17 Crickettown Road.  Mark your calendars for this fun and fast-paced fund-raising event.  

To order tickets or get more information, go to Penguin Rep’s website at www.penguinrep.org or call 845.786.2873.  

2009 Mainstage productions include:

Our Lady of South Division Street - a world premiere by Tom Dudzick. It is directed by Joe Brancato. The show will run from May 15 - June 7.

Clara Nowak always thought she was special, ever since the Blessed Virgin Mary materialized in her father’s barber shop in Buffalo! Now in this new comedy, Clara and her children’s faith is shaken to the very core as an old family legend and a deathbed confession are revealed with heartfelt and hilarious results. World premiere. 

The Wonder Bread Years - written & directed by Pat Hazell. The show will run from June 26 – July 19, 2009.

Spam, the kid’s table, Rock’em Sock’em Robots, milk money, Dilly Bars, road trips in the back seat of the family station wagon—these are just a few of the slices of Americana served up in this humorous one-man show. Anyone who remembers Silly Putty and Sugar Pops will love this entertaining salute to Baby Boomer culture. Jerry Seinfeld rated it “three thumbs up!” and gave it his “funny seal of approval”. 

Women Who Steal - by Carter W. Lewis. It is directed by Suzanne Barabas. The show will run from August 7 – August 30, 2009.

It’s Thelma and Louise on steroids as a pair of restless middle-aged women take a riotous joy ride, complete with squealing tires, tequila-chugging and Meat Loaf blaring from the car radio, and drive head-first into love, life and the perils of marriage. Liz Zazzi (Ten Percent of Molly Snyder and Tour de Farce) returns as one of the trio of actors in this outrageous comedy. Adult language and situations. 
 
Beauty and Imagination - a world premiere by Daniel Beaty. It is directed by Joe Brancato. The show will run from October 2 – October 25, 2009.

Before Marian Anderson and Paul Robeson, there was Roland Hayes, the first world renowned African-American vocalist. This new musical play chronicles this pioneer’s amazing journey from a slave plantation to singing before kings and queens, and his loving yet complex relationship with his mother, Angel Mo’. Featuring some of the world’s most inspiring music, the piece celebrates the survival of the human spirit. 2007 Obie Award-winning theatre sensation Daniel Beaty heads the cast. World premiere. 
 
Avi Hoffman’s Still Jewish After All These Years - Special event! One performance only. It will be performed at SUNY Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY. This show will be performed on Saturday, September 26 at 8:30 pm.

The multi-talented PBS star Avi Hoffman walks, sings and even moonwalks down memory lane as he looks back on his 40 years as a professional performer. A follow-up to Too Jewish and Too Jewish, Two!, his tour-de-force revues that celebrated all things Jewish, the show is a nostalgic, fun-filled look at a life in the theatre.

De Novo - Special event! One performance only. It is written & directed by Jeffrey Solomon. It will be performed at SUNY Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY. The show will be performed on
Saturday, November 21 at 8:00 pm.

In Guatemala gangs were Edgar’s only family. All he ever wanted was a real home. To leave the gang was a death sentence. Coming to the USA was his last hope – or so he thought. This new play chronicles the gripping true story of Edgar Chocoy and other undocumented youth, thousands of whom make the harrowing journey across the border and through the U.S. system of justice each year. Performance to be followed by a discussion with creative team and immigration experts.
 

The 2009 Children’s Theatre Festival includes:

Sweet Potato Pie & Such, a Theatreworks USA presentation starring Queen Nur. It will be performed on Friday, July 10 & Saturday, July 11 at 11:00 am & 1:30 pm.

Storyteller Queen Nur presents a tasty treat of stories, songs and dance. This highly energetic performance will delight all ages.

Catskill Puppet Theatre's The Willow Girl will be performed Friday, July 17 at 11:00 am & 1:30 pm.

The Catskill Puppet Theater’s production boasts beautiful puppets, music and a wondrous blend of humor, mystery and magical effects. 
 

The Johnny the K Show, a Theatreworks USA presentation. It will be performed on Friday, August 14 & Saturday, August 15 at 11:00 am & 1:30 pm.

Audiences across the country go wild for award-winning singer/songwriter Johnny the K’s fun-filled, captivating show.

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