Emerging Artists Theatre presents this latest engagement, under an Off-Broadway Equity contract, launching Sept. 8 at TADA Theatre.
The play by Chris Weikel is directed by Mark Finley. According to EAT, "Penny Penniworth is Charles Dickens' 'lost' epic as mounted by a short-staffed theatre troupe with Royal Shakespeare Company aspirations. Set in Victorian England, it tells the story of young Penny Penniworth, whose childhood love is driven out of town after nearly killing a wealthy businessman. Soon, Penny finds herself penniless, left alone to make her way through a convoluted maze of strange relationships, anonymous benefactors and ultimate justice."
The cast of four, "playing a cavalcade of comic characters," includes Christopher Borg, Jamie Heinlein, Jason O'Connell and Ellen Reilly. The production features costumes by Goody, lighting by Jennifer Granrud, set by Tim McMath, music by Peter Saxe and sound by Aaron Blank.
Performances play to Oct. 3. The performance schedule is Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7 PM; Friday at 9 PM; Sunday at 5 PM. TADA Theatre is located at 15 West 28th Street, 2nd floor (between Broadway & Fifth Avenue).
Running time is 70 minutes. Tickets are $49. For more information, visit www.emergingartiststheatre.org. *
Penny Penniworth was first presented by Emerging Artists Theatre Company in 2002. It was subsequently produced by TOSOS II in the 2003 New York International Fringe Festival. The Off-Broadway premiere, a reworked, recast and expanded version of the FringeNYC production, opened in October 2009 and was extended twice.
Founded in 1993, the mission of EAT is "to provide a dynamic home for emerging writers and artists, to develop their work from an idea to a fully realized production." In the past 18 years, EAT has premiered over 300 new works, garnered a Drama Desk Award nomination for Capathia Jenkins in (Mis)Understanding Mammy: The Hattie McDaniel Story, received the American Theatre Wing Award for Consistent Excellence in Theatre, and was named Best Off-Off-Broadway Theater Company in NYC for Actors to Work With by Back Stage. During its 2009- 2010 season, under the artistic direction of Paul Adams, EAT will showcase over two-dozen new works.
