The unlikely connection comes from the subject of playwright Gina Gionfriddo's work America's Got Tragedy, which is included among the four other plays that comprise Spin. The production began performances Oct. 3 and continues through Nov. 8 at the Cherry Lane Theatre.
Gionfriddo's play, according to press notes, "depicts the pop princess in a fantasy setting: on the set of a reality TV show in which she competes against a dead American soldier who was recently killed in Iraq. The winner must prove their story is most tragic."
StageFARM has received a number of e-mails from Britney Spears fans who have responded to what they feel is a "negative and inaccurate portrayal of their favorite female idol," according to stageFARM executive director Carrie Shaltz.
In response, Gionfriddo stated "I'm a huge Britney fan. I wrote the play to comment on the dwindling news coverage of the war and the way in which — I think — Britney was demonized and exploited by a media that should have paid more attention to the troops. I would love to have a dialogue with fellow fans about my play. Their response is interesting to me because my play has won so many Britney converts during the run. My hope is that it functions as a humanizing corrective to Britney-bashing rather than a jump on the ugly bandwagon."
To make good on their word, stageFARM is offering Spears fans the opportunity to e-mail executive director Carrie Shaltz at [email protected] in order to receive a complimentary ticket to Spin through the rest of the Off-Broadway run. StageFARM artistic director Alex Kilgore and Evan Cabnet direct a cast that includes Patch Darragh (Crimes of the Heart), Rebecca Henderson (Vengeance), Jesse Hooker (Some Men), David Ross (Vengeance) and Dreama Walker ("Gossip Girl").
Playwrights contributing to Spin also include Adam Rapp, Judith Thompson, Elizabeth Meriwether and Mark Schultz.
Show times are Tuesday-Saturday evenings at 8 PM. Tickets, priced $37.50, are available by calling (212) 868-4444 or by visiting www.smarttix.com.
The Cherry Lane Theatre is located in Manhattan at 38 Commerce Street, between Barrow and Bedford Streets.
