April 23, 2007
NEW YORK, NY - The AUDELCO Award nominated, and internationally acclaimed, Firebrand Theory Theater Company will present Oliver Hailey’s HEY YOU, LIGHT MAN! at The 45th Street Theatre, 354 West 45th Street. Performances will begin on May 18 and will run through June 3.
HEY YOU, LIGHT MAN! reveals the story of Ashley Knight, a leading man who has decided to live onstage in the set of his current hit to escape from his oppressive family obligations. Lula Roca, herself in transition after a life crisis and seeking a home, has been accidentally locked in the theater. Ashley persuades her to come onstage, and then to stay with him for the night. The story examines what transpires when one man’s escapism collides head-on with the harsh realities of life and responsibility, while one woman grappling with homelessness creates a new definition of what it means to be home. This romantic comedy, in the tradition of theater of the absurd, explores the universal conflict between daydream and reality. In the experimental vein that has defined Firebrand Theory, the multi-media staging of this production visually represents the evolution of Lula Roca’s mind as she processes her experiences.
Director Jaime Robert Carrillo is a company member and associate producer for The Classical Theatre of Harlem, and a company member of The Bats at the Flea Theater. “He keeps the audience engaged and focused without ever allowing us to feel alienated,” writes Martin Denton of NYTheatre.com of Carrillo’s direction. New York directing credits include Firebrand Theory’s AUDELCO Award nominated Lynch Play as well as Minneapolis Bride and The Dickens.
Emmy Award nominated writer Oliver Hailey penned plays and, most notably, teleplays. In 1963 HEY YOU, LIGHT MAN! was produced Off-Broadway, winning a Drama Desk Award. Other plays by Hailey include Father’s Day, I Won’t Dance and First One Asleep, Whistle. The television shows he has written for include Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Family and The Cosby Show.
HEY YOU, LIGHT MAN! stars Sari Caine from the Hollywood release Mr. Destiny and Elisa Gouveia, a Brazilian actress from the Tablado School of Theater. The cast also features Gary Ferrar (Brooklyn Academy of Music), Vance-allen Rawles (The Culture Project), Christopher Lee (Bank Street Theater), Sonya Tsuchigane (The Kraine Theatre), and Heidi Azaro (Musical Theatre Works).
The New York City based Firebrand Theory has dedicated itself to stir up public feelings by investigation of controversial issues and dramatizing the infinite mystery of the extraordinary in the ordinary. The troupe’s theory is that theater is a device to bring belief into action yielding a lively mix of celebration, unrest, and adventure. This phenomenon, much like the company, cannot be regulated. Firebrand Theory brought past productions to Dublin, Winnipeg, Ohio, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Virginia. “The work is sincere and honest,” writes the CBC-Manitoba, and The Irish Sunday Independent writes, “simple, accomplished and adult theatre in the best sense of the term: moving and mature.”
Performances for HEY YOU, LIGHT MAN! will begin on Friday, May 18 and will run through Sunday, June 3. The schedule will be Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM and Sundays at 3PM. Tickets are $19, $12 for students and seniors, and can be purchased by calling Smarttix at (212) 868-4444 or by visiting www.smarttix.com. For more information on The Firebrand Theory Theater Company, visit their web site at www.firebrandtheory.com.
HEY YOU, LIGHT MAN!
Written by Oliver Hailey
Directed by Jaime Robert Carrillo
At The 45th Street Theater, Main stage Theater, 354 West 45th Street
TICKETS: $19; $12 for students and seniors. Group rates available. For reservations visit www.smarttix.com or
call (212) 868-4444.
Performance Schedule: Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 3PM.
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