Written by Douglas Carter Beane, Mondo Drama will begin performances May 9 with an official opening scheduled for May 22. Directed by Christopher Ashley, the new comedy will run through June 14 at the Greenwich House Theatre.
Written in the style of sixties shockumentary Italian films, playwright Beane explains that Mondo Drama is “a documentary performed live on stage that explores life at its most perverse.” Press materials describe the play as “a crazy quilt of endangered sea turtles, the meaning of the Mona Lisa, truly independent filmmaking, Satan, ashrams in the Catskills and prostitutes in Amsterdam.”
Shor, who originated the role of Yitzak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, was recently seen in the Signature Theatre Company's production of Lanford Wilson's Book of Days. Other credits include Merrily We Roll Along at the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration and reprising her role for the film adaptation of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch."
Mahoney has appeared in the Arena Stage's world premiere adaptation of Thorton Wilder's novel Theophilus North as well as Irish Arts' Celtic Tiger and Hilly Hick's A Hole in the Dark (Manhattan Theatre Club's 6 @ 6 Series). Other credits include Julia Jordan's Paul Westerberg(Soho Rep), Watershed directed by Eduardo Machado (La MaMa) and A Fish Story directed by Jeremy Dobrish (adobe theatre company).
The creative team includes Allen Moyer (set design), Gregory A. Gale (costume design), Kirk Bookman (lighting design), Laura Grace Brown (sound design) and Lewis Flinn (original music). Rhea will be making her New York theatrical debut in Mondo Drama. Best known for her syndicated talk show “The Caroline Rhea Show” and her work on “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” she has also appeared in “Pride & Joy,” “Man on the Moon,” “Ready to Rumble,” “The Drew Carey Show” and “Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire.”
Playwright Beane is the author of As Bees in Honey Drown, The Country Club, Music From a Sparkling Planet, Advice From a Caterpillar, White Lies and Devil May Care and Old Money. Director Ashley has directed As Thousands Cheers, The Country Club, Rude Entertainment, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Jeffrey, Blown Sideways Through Life, Fires in the Mirror, Bunny Bunny and Das Barbecu.
Conceived in 1994 in a “cheap rental car,” the Drama Dept. has since presented such acclaimed productions as June Moon, As Bees in Honey Drown, As Thousands Cheer, The Book of Liz and Rude Entertainment. For more information about the company, visit www.dramadept.org.
For tickets to Mondo Drama at the Greenwich House, 27 Barrow Street, call (212) 239-6200.
