Life for our productions doesn't end just because the festival is over. Here is where we get a chance to share further successes and news about our Festival participants.

Be sure to check back often for updates.

Webeime
runs through May 4 at the

Harlem School of the Arts
645 St. Nicholas Ave. (at West 141st St.)
(212) 279-4200

Read the NY Times Review       Buy Tickets Online

INVISIBLE LLC 
presents

WARNING SIGNS
Created and performed by Maggie Surovell
Costume design by Sarah Sophia Turner

NEW YORK MAGAZINE Top Pick from the Midtown International Theater Festival of July 2006

An original, coming-of-age story about a Jewish / Socialist / Vegetarian / Feminist and her extremely big hair. Growing up in a politically left-wing household in Maplewood, NJ, wasn't always easy for Maggie.  With a left-wing father, feminist mother, radical scrabble loving grandmother and an insightful dog who happens to be her best friend, Maggie is forced to face the painful realities of unrequited love, bullies, death, racism, war, vegetarian haters and her extremely big hair.

"Surovell's a solo act in life and a one-of-a-kind on stage. When she speaks, every moment is a surprise... This is not just stand up ... Surovell addresses the issues -- desires, impulses, moments, and events that have collectively shaped this woman who is an American. Who is a citizen of the world." -- Kevin Connell, nytheatre.com

Maggie has performed WARNING SIGNS at numerous venues including: Cherry Lane Theatre's CHERRY PIT LATE NITE, Chashama, The Midtown International Theatre Festival, Stage Left Studios, MadLab Theatre Company, ATHICA, and Camp Kinderland.

The Sanford Meisner Theatre
164 11th Ave (between 22nd and 23rd Streets)

Friday April 4th & Saturday April 5th @ 10pm
Monday April 7th & Tuesday April 8th @ 8:30pm
Wednesday April 9th @ 7:30 PM

Cash Only @ The Door: $18 General and $12 Students/Seniors/Starving Artists
Reserve Tickets: wsigns@gmail.com

DIRECTIONS: Subway: C, E to 23rd Street; Bus: M23 to 23rd and 11th 

Twist -- The New Hit Musical Drama Los Angeles Is Talking About!

Brandon Ruckdashel,
Chris Carlisle,
and the other boys
in the Los Angeles Production
at the Avery Schreiber Theater

Dickens scholars and workhouse tyrants have long appreciated the masochistic element underlying the iconic orphan's plaintive "Please, sir, I want some more." But why settle for subtext? It's a question asked and answered (repeatedly) in the tune-lashed saga of Oliver, here transformed from underage boy into "an attractive youth of indeterminate (but legal) age," convincingly portrayed by Brandon Ruckdashel.

The concept behind Twist is good, dirty, campy fun. You get the feeling that someone got the idea for it when noticing that Oliver Twists' famous "Please sir, can I have some more?" sounds suspiciously like something a masochist might say during a beating session.... But the core - the sad youth who says "It's what I know" - is never too far from the surface of this Oliver. Brandon Ruckdashel plays him (here called Twist) with a simple earnest innocence. Even though the sort of thing that makes his face light up with joy isn't what most would call "innocent." Ruckdashel's Twist is basically just looking for a place where he can feel safe. And putting that sort of heart into the piece, from beginning to end, grounds the entire production.

From the poignant "Bound and Tied," sung beautifully by Ruckdashel , to the Artful Dodger's infectious "Sucker" ("fill up my mouth and I'll be a sucker for you"), to the rousing Act 1 finale "You Can't Choose Your Family," this is one of the best original scores I've heard in a long time. (There's also the Abba-esque "Clothing Makes the Man" and the touching "Reflection," a gorgeous love song for Twist and Dodger, among other winners.)
Director Storiale spent several months casting Twist, and it shows in the musical theater talent he has assembled. The title role was the hardest to fill until, at the end of several months of searching, Ruckdashel arrived from New York and blew the competition away. Looking and singing like an angel (with a naughty gleam in his eye), Ruckdashel is, as they say, "a find."

Contact: Barney Oldfield Management
New York: 143 E 97 Street Ste 3W, New York, NY 10029 -- 212-410-9404
Los Angeles: 6404 Wilshire Blvd Ste 105-1901, Los Angeles, CA 90048 -- 213-840-6224, Fax 213-477-2004
barney@barneyoldfield.com

"Be Yourself As Well As Art" Interview

Friday, October 19th, 2007 at midnight, Emily Moment and Brendan Ryan from Sons of Molly Maguire, and John Kearns appeared on the cable access show, "Be Yourself As Well As Art" on  Manhattan's  channel 34.  Emily and Brendan performed a scene from the play that takes place in a dive bar with some comical background goings on.  John talked a little about the play and about his new book of short stories, Dreams and Dull Realities. The show was also seen outside of Manhattan over the internet at http://mnn.org/en/viewers/watchmnn by clicking the link next to Channel 34.

KadmusArts Interview of Susan Rankus

Artistic Director for International shows at the Midtown International Theatre Festival, Susan is also an actor and was awarded the 2001/2002 Dorothy Haas Acting Apprenticeship at the Walnut Street Theatre. She produced and performed Renaissance at the 2007 Midtown festival, and will be producing and starring in a film titled Previous Tenants. In this podcast, Susan talks about the process of attracting and facilitating non-US. companies’ participation in the festival, and why keeping things simple is a good strategy.