Theater for the New City (Crystal Field, Executive Director) presents UP THE RABBIT HOLE, a new play by Andy Halliday and directed by G.R. Johnson, opening Tuesday, September 26th at Theater for the New City (155 1st Avenue at 10th Street). Previews begin Thursday, September 21st with performances through Sunday, October 15th. Halliday and Johnson return to Theater for the New City following their 2014 collaboration Nothing But Trash with this deeply personal story about a young man who has fallen into a world of sex and obsession, and must find his way out. Tickets are $25 general admission and can be purchased online at www.smarttix.com or by phone at 212.868.4444.
UP THE RABBIT HOLE is the story of a young man who, desperate to find answers to questions that consume his life as an adopted child, becomes obsessed with tracking down and connecting with his birth mother. His lack of identity in these formative years has led to a life of careless sexual exploits and reckless drug use. When he finally finds his mother, the answers he has been searching for his entire life finally give him the courage to combat his drug addiction and climb out of the darkness and UP THE RABBIT HOLE.
Drawing on his own life experiences, playwright Andy Halliday approaches the subject by infusing his work with his signature brand of twisted humor. “I tell my story with candor, but you must add humor to the horror show,” remarks Halliday. “Making people laugh at the absurd situations of my real-life nightmare draws viewers into this world and the epidemic that no one is talking about.” Stripping away most conventional stage devices, UP THE RABBIT HOLE will put a sharp focus on the actors and story, a technique that the creative team believes cuts through to the truth and raw emotions at the crux of this visceral, deeply personal story.
UP THE RABBIT HOLE features performances by Quinn Coughlin, Andrew Glaszek, Jeffrey Grover, S.P. Monahan, and Diane Tyler. Scenic design is by Dan Daly, with lighting design by Joseph Thompson and sound design by Jacob Subotnick. UP THE RABBIT HOLE was developed by Windowpane Theatre Company.
The playing schedule for UP THE RABBIT HOLE is as follows: (September 21 through October 15) Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm. Additional performances on Monday, September 25 at 8:00pm; Tuesday, September 26 at 7:00 pm (Opening Night); Tuesday, October 3 at 8:00 pm; Wednesday, October 4 at 8:00 pm; Tuesday, October 10 at 8:00 pm; and Wednesday, October 11 at 8:00 pm.
Andy Halliday was part of Charles Busch’s and Kenneth Elliott’s Theatre-In-Limbo Company from 1984 to 1991. He originated roles in the Off-Broadway productions of Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Psycho Beach Party, Times Square Angel, Red Scare On Sunset and The Lady In Question, for which he won the ‘Scene Stealer of the Month Award’ from Playbill, and Hirschfeld created a caricature of him in the role as ‘Lotte’ for the New York Times. He wrote and acted in I Can’t Stop Screaming in 1991. In 2004, he formed Pocketwatch Films, Inc. and has written, directed, and produced six films. In 2011, he was featured in the Off-Broadway comedy Devil Boys From Beyond, directed by Kenneth Elliott. And in 2014 he wrote and starred in Nothing But Trash, which was produced at Theater For The New City and directed by G.R. Johnson.