Brokenhearteds, a Political Thriller With a Love Triangle, to Play NYC Sept. 10-26

By Kenneth Jones
08 Aug 2009

Temar Underwood's The Brokenhearteds, billed as a political thriller for the 20th century's last generation, will get its world premiere Off-Broadway starting Sept. 10.

In the play directed by Pete Boisvert, "Peter Graves has been hired as the author of a daily politics blog in the midst of a contentious Presidential election," according to press notes. "His friend, Ezra, an aide to the President, leaks information to him about a Pakistani man called Mu'Awiyah Fareed that could change the course of the election and history. His new girlfriend, Halle, has thrust him into an agonizing and complicated love triangle with her ex-boyfriend Milan. And God has begun to speak to him in his dreams. Peter and those around him must find the purpose in their ambitions to shine a generation's light on the world...lest they be left brokenhearted."

Opening is Sept. 11. Performances play to Sept. 26 at The Wings Theatre, 154 Christopher Street between Greenwich and Washington Streets in downtown Manhattan.

Playwright Underwood explains in production notes, "I am a political junkie. A theme of the last election was about living in a post-racial America. I don't think that we do, but I sometimes feel that black artists are often forced into their work being through the prism of race or the African American experience. I wanted to write a play about the American experience that is not shown through the prism of race; a story about young people under 30 that are trying to find their purpose."

Led by acclaimed indie director Boisvert (Suburban Peepshow, The Adventures of Nervous Boy – A Penny Dreadful), The Brokenhearteds is the result of a year-long collaboration between the playwright, director and the ensemble of actors.

The Brokenhearteds features Jon Hoche, Mike Mihm, Andrea Marie Smith, Paco Tolson and Temar Underwood.

The creative team includes Sarah Riffle (costume design), Kaitlyn Mulligan (set design) and Daniel Winters (lighting design). The production stage manager is Sandy Yaklin.

The production is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, and is made possible in part through generous donations from The Cut Beauty School Inc. and The Dexter Family.

Tickets to The Brokenhearteds are $18; call SmartTix at (212) 868-4444 or visit www.thebrokenhearteds.com.