RAWSHOCK
October 18 @ 12:00 am - November 3 @ 12:00 am
Manhattan Rep Announces Limited Engagement Run of Rawshock
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| Manhattan Repertory Theatre Presents The Limited Engagement Run ofRAWSHOCKWritten by Rita LewisDirected by Ken Wolf October 18th – November 3rd The New Drama Set in A Psychiatric Hospital as Conflict Erupts Between Vulnerable Patients and the Needs of The Corporation that has Recently Acquired the Facility. (New York, NY) – Manhattan Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director Ken Wolf and Co-Founder Jennifer Pierro today announced a limited engagement run of RAWSHOCK, a new drama set in a psychiatric hospital as conflict erupts between vulnerable patients and the needs of the corporation that recently acquired the facility. Written by Rita Lewis and Directed by Ken Wolf, the production begins previews on Friday October 18th and will have its official opening on Thursday October 24th at 7:00pm. Performances continue through Sunday November 3rd at Chain Theatre, 312 West 36th St. (4th floor). Tickets are $25.00 and can be purchased online at: https://www.manhattanrep.com/get-tickets-to-rawshock Inside the group room of a long-term psychiatric facility, current and former patients gather to share personal stories, give mutual support, and provide a safety net for life’s difficulties. All works well until a corporation takes over the hospital and threatens its very existence. Behind the scenes, Liz, the group’s therapist, decides to fight the business mentality. But can a highly trained clinician match skills against an entity of acute intelligence and little heart? “Rawshock is a compelling drama about how our system fails patients struggling with their mental health.” says Manhattan Rep’s Artistic Director Ken Wolf. “Every day we witness an alarming number of people on the streets struggling with mental health issues, and we can also see it on the rise within our own circles of family, friends, and colleagues. Cut-backs at psychiatric hospitals, combined with increases in mental illness has led to this crisis that we currently see unfolding all around us. According to the State Comptroller, in New York State alone, mental health needs have increased exponentially, with 21.1% of adults suffering from mental Illness and 5.1% suffering with severe mental illness. 1 out of 4 people was a statistic concerning enough for us to want to share Rita’s important play with those who want to better understand a system that’s designed to help but does so less and less.” Rawshock was originally presented in June 2023 by Manhattan Repertory Theatre in a developmental production. Due to an overwhelmingly positive response, within 3 weeks, it was capitalized for this longer run at Chain Theatre.
The cast of Rawshock includes Jennifer Pierro, Camber Carpenter, David Silberger, Nathan Cusson, Chelsea Clark, Christian Libonati and Theresa Della Valle. There are 14 performances in total: Friday October 18 at 7:00 pm Wednesday October 23 at 7:00 pm Wednesday October 30 at 7:00 pm ABOUT THE CAST: Jennifer Pierro is an Italian American NYC based Actress/Voice- Over Artist/Writer/Director/Producer and a proud member of AEA & SAG-AFTRA unions. She studied acting at the prestigious HB Studio school in Greenwich Village NYC under the guidance of Broadway veteran Jeanne Kaplan. OFF-BROADWAY: Powerhouse (Meena Cizinski) (A.R.T./ New York Theatre’s/Gural Theatre) were she received “The best acting accolade” review by Mari S. Gold, T and B On The Aisle. Select Regional/NYC: Rawshock (Dana), The Eyes of Love, Stagestruck, Men, Past Perfect, The Match Game, Conversations with Dog. Select Film: Switch (she co-wrote) as Dr. Alex Owens. Code Name Nemesis, The Clown. Select TV: All My Children, Guiding Light. She is the co- author & voice of Roma in the multi-touch interactive children’s book Roma’s New York City Adventures. Available now on Apple Books. www.jenniferpierro.com Camber Carpenter participated in the Upright Citizens Brigade improv program In 2012 & went on to perform with the Magnet Theater’s musical improv team, Wonderland, for over 7 years. Graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater. Plays: Our Town…but Wilder! The Perfection of the Donut, and more. David Silberger has done over a dozen plays at Manhattan Rep since 2019, & has also been a member of the Hudson Theater Ensemble (Hoboken,NJ), ToonTheater(NYC) & Practical Theater Company (Chicago.) Touring the nation’s Renaissance Festivals as Judge Half Wit Henry in the Sturdy Beggars Mud Show for many decades. Nathan Cusson is a mixed Panamanian actor, director, writer, gen. theatre tech person TV: Law & Order (Co-Star) Theatre: A Therapy Session With Myself (Lead) Nathan has also directed/performed shows at The Tank, The Producer’s Club, The Vino Theater, The Kraine, Chain Theatre and more. Chelsea Clark is a graduate of The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Film: The Death of April, a recurring principal role as Vera in Steven Soderbergh’s The Knick, and six-episode Dead On Acting, as well as Sam Cooke’s film short Monomyth. She has performed in over 120 NYC plays. Christian Libonati is an actor and all around theater-maker. He is co-founder of Filament Theatre established in Chicago, 2007, which continues to celebrate the perspectives of young people. Acting credits include work with: Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, Mercury Theater Chicago, Boise Contemporary Theatre, Santa Fe Playhouse, Theater Unspeakable (ensemble member). He has collaborated in the creation of over 25 new works including the hit immersive experience FORTS: Build Your Own Adventure. Theresa Della Valle is part of the longest-running Interactive Comedy Murder Mystery, Murdered by the Mob. Select Stage: The Witch in Witchland and Laundry (Chain Theatre,) and For Whom the Southern Bell Tolls (The Acting Studio). Select TV: Law & Order and QVC. Select Film: Mambo Café and La Mastas. ABOUT MANHATTAN REPERTORY THEATRE: Manhattan Rep is a theatre production company, Co-Founded by Jennifer Pierro and Ken Wolf, based in New York City that focuses on creating and presenting original plays. Known for providing a platform for emerging playwrights, directors, and actors, Manhattan Rep has cultivated a space where new voices and innovative works can thrive. With a commitment to showcasing diverse stories, the company often produces a wide range of genres, offering audiences fresh and engaging theatrical experiences. Their productions aim to foster creativity and community within the New York theatre scene. ABOUT THE RAWSHOCK CREATIVE TEAM: Rita Lewis (Playwright) is a member of the Dramatist Guild of America. A theater major in college, she studied acting and directing at HB Studio in Manhattan, and eventually found her passion for playwriting. She writes in a number of different genres: repressed family issues resurfacing in The Unveiling and Undertow. Futuristic dramas containing warnings to society such as Alice, Terminal and, The Fail. An unusual, and at times farcical, resolution to a childhood conflict that separated two friends for decades in Past Perfect. An 1870 western exploring women’s and societal issues that remain unresolved in modern society in The Fallen. A psychological cat and mouse dynamic between a Nobel Prize winning scientist and a former patient seeking revenge in Attachment. Ken Wolf (Director, Light and Sound Design, & Producer) is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Manhattan Rep and the author of over 20 plays. He has also directed over 100 productions including The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Three Sisters, The Eyes of Love, The Match Game, and the original production of The Bigot by Gabi and Eva Mor. In Fall of 2022, Ken produced and directed Powerhouse by David Harms Off-Broadway which garnered critical success. As Artistic Director at Manhattan Repertory Theatre, which he co-founded with his partner Jennifer Pierro, they have produced over 1000 full length plays and over 6000 short pieces in New York City since 2005. Ken hosts The Playwriting Podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and most podcast apps, which was voted the #1 Playwriting podcast in the world. He is also a passionate playwriting coach and a Play Production “Doctor.” He has written 4 books on Playwriting including: How to Write a Fantastic Play in 28 Days. His One Man play, The People in my Hips was hailed by Martin Denton of nytheatre.com as being “unlike any theatre piece I have ever seen.” And Lise Avery of Anything Goes!! Internationally Syndicated Radio said “The People In My Hips” is one of the most extraordinary pieces of theatre I have seen on or Off-Broadway in years. Mr. Wolf’s one-man performance is exquisite, inspiring, courageous and beautifully constructed.” Ken also received rave reviews with his 8lb dog Roma Pierro-Wolf, in his play DAD AND THE DOG, New York City’s first One Man One Dog show. |
