PHOTO CALL: Penalties & Interest Is Developed at The Public

By Matthew Blank
June 16, 2008

Rebecca Cohen's Penalties & Interest — part of LAByrinth Theater Company's inaugural Public Lab series — began performances at The Public Theater June 10.

First presented by LAB as a free reading during its annual Summer Intensive at the 2006 Barn Series festival, the work-in-progress is directed by John Gould Rubin. The current "bare-bones Public LAB production" marks the next stage in LAByrinth's unique play development process.

Those interested in following this process, from planning through rehearsals to closing night, may visit and contribute to the Penalties & Interest Blog (at www.LABtheater.org), where author, director, company and creative team discuss the play's development and host a forum for audience response.

"The insular existence of office life is a Petri dish for contemporary society," according to press notes for the production. In Penalties & Interest "Lollie, Lyle and Amy try to keep their heads above water, and their boss, Dick, bobs up when they least expect it."

The cast includes LAByrinth Theater Company members Julian Acosta ("Dirt"), Elizabeth Canavan (The Little Flower of East Orange), Yetta Gottesman (The Last Days of Judas Iscariot), Craig "muMs" Grant (A View From 151st Street, "Oz") and Michael Puzzo (Dirty Story).

Tickets for Penalties & Interest are priced $10 and may be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555 or by visiting www.publictheater.org.

Here is a look at the production, which will run at the downtown venue through June 28:

From left: Michael Puzzo, Elizabeth Canavan, Craig “muMs” Grant and Yetta Gottesman

From left: Michael Puzzo, Yetta Gottesman and Elizabeth Canavan

From left: Michael Puzzo, Elizabeth Canavan and Julian Acosta

From left: Michael Puzzo, Julian Acosta, Yetta Gottesman and Elizabeth Canavan

From left: Director John Gould Rubin with cast members Michael Puzzo, Julian Acosta, Elizabeth Canavan, Yetta Gottesman and Craig “muMs” Grant

Photos by Monique Carboni