By Ernio Hernandez
09 May 2005

Elizabeth Marvel stars in Terrorism
photo by Joan Marcus

The American premiere staging of The Presnyakov Brothers' Terrorism begins Off-Broadway May 9 at The Clurman Theatre in Theater Row.

Omnium Gatherum director Will Frears stages the co-presentation between The New Group and The Play Company. The drama is slated to officially open Off Broadway May 23.

Elizabeth Marvel is featured in an ensemble that includes Adam Alexi-Malle (Titanic), Alex Draper (Golden Boy), Laura Esterman (The Show Off), Anna George (Sakharam Binder), Darren Goldstein (Intimate Apparel), Daniel Oreskes (Aida, Roar), Lola Pashalinski (Fortune's Fool) and R.E. Rodgers (Dedication, "Oz").

Marvel — who recently starred in the title role of Antigone at Los Angeles Theatre Works — appeared Off-Broadway last year in the New York Theatre Workshop revival of Hedda Gabler and Woody Allen's A Second-Hand Memory. Other credits include An American Daughter, Alice in Bed, A Streetcar Named Desire and Lydie Breeze, Parts I & II as well as television appearances on "The District."

Sasha Dugdale translates the work by the Siberian scribes Vladimir and Oleg Presnyakov, the plot of which is set into motion with a bomb threat in an airport. The work — penned prior to Sept. 11, 2001 when the word "terrorism" took on new meaning — debuted at London's Royal Court in 2003 and is divided into six scenes dealing with the impending threat of doom.

Frears just staged the current production of Sean Cunningham's God Hates the Irish or the Ballad of Armless Johnny at Off-Broadway's Rattlestick Theatre and also directed the Off-Broadway run of Theresa Rebeck and Alexandra Gersten Vassilio's Omnium Gatherum. Other directing credits include the world premiere of Lucy Thurber's Where We're Born, Jessica Goldberg's Get What You Need (Atlantic Theater Company), Rebeck's The Water's Edge (Williamstown Theatre Festival) and the Chicago premiere of Stephen Adly Guirgis' drama Our Lady of 121st Street (Steppenwolf Theatre Company).

The design team features David Korins (set), Sarah Beers (costumes), Marcus Doshi (lighting) and Bart Fasbender (sound).

For tickets to Terrorism, at The Clurman, 410 West 42 Street, call (212) 279 4200. For more information visit www.thenewgroup.org or www.playco.org.