Into the Woods Stepmom Stars in Revival of Reddin's Brutality of Fact in NYC

By Ernio Hernandez
18 Aug 2006

Joy Franz — the original Cinderella's Stepmother in Into The Woods—appears in Keith Reddin's Brutality of Fact playing at New York City's Urban Stages.

The Cardinal Group, Robin Mishik-Jett and Jeffrey Schulman present the revival of the Reddin black comedy which began performances Aug. 17 for a run through Sept. 10 at the midtown venue. Stephanie Yankwitt directs the work which opens Aug. 19.

Brutality of Fact centers on "a family tree that is gradually rotting away," as a release states. "In the Brutality brood, we have Maggie, a recovering alcoholic unable to keep either a job or a relationship, and her sister Jackie, who becomes a Jehovah's Witness.  All the while, Val, the daughters' elderly mother is unwittingly enlisted in Jackie's religious crusade.  To further complicate matters, Jackie gets involved in a custody battle with her ex-husband."

Franz — who played the Stepmother to Cinderella in both the original 1987 staging and the 2002 revival — has also appeared on Broadway in Guys and Dolls, Pippin and Musical Chairs.

She is joined in the cast by Amy da Luz, Donna Robinson, Melissa Ross, Marshall Correro, Bronwen Coleman, D.H. Johnson and 9-year-old Paris Yates.

The design team includes Joe Powell (set), Lily Fossner (lighting) and Melanie Swersey (costumes). Rachel Gordon serves as stage manager.

Reddin has penned the plays Frame 312, Big Time, Life and Limb, Rum and Coke, Highest Standard of Living, Life During Wartime, Innocent's Crusade, Desperadoes and Nebraska.

Tickets to Brutality of Fact at Urban Stages, 259 West 30 Street (between 7th & 8th Ave.) are available by calling (212) 868-4444. For more information, visit www.brutalityoffact.com.