Lightning from heaven at the workshop theater

For Immediate Release
January 10, 2013
Media Contact: Katie Rosin / Kampfire PR
917-562-5670 / [email protected]

WORKSHOP THEATER COMPANY

Proudly Presents the New York Premiere of

LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN
The love story behind Doctor Zhivago

"Mr. Sickles’s zingy dialogue sparkled." – The New York Times review of Intellectuals

“Under Thomas Coté’s brisk direction, swift scene changes — no small feat for a play with so many — allow the momentum to build as the audience puts the pieces of the plot’s puzzle together.” – The New York Times review of Interchange

“Playwright Scott C. Sickles creates an intriguing, surprisingly believable study of human behavior. ... Just about any audience member will find something with which to connect." – Back Stage’s review of Moonlight & Love Songs

“A good cast under Thomas Coté’s direction brings each of the characters to life.” – The New York Times review of Never Missed a Day

Written by Award-Winning playwright SCOTT C. SICKLES

Starring MARY RUTH BAGGOTT, MICK BLEYER*, ETHAN CADOFF*, JED DICKSON*, BOB MANUS*, DAVID M. MEAD*, KARI SWENSON RIELY*, MICHAEL SELKIRK*, CHRISTINE VERLENY, DUSTYE WINNIFORD*
*Performing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association.  AEA approved showcase.

Directed by THOMAS COTÉ

LIMITED ENGAGEMENT

FEBRUARY 14 – MARCH 9, 2013 AT THE WORKSHOP THEATER

OPENING NIGHT IS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, AT 8 PM

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT WORKSHOPTHEATER.ORG

WORKSHOP THEATER COMPANY is pleased to announce the New York premiere production of LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN by WorkShop Theater Company Artistic Director and award-winning playwright Scott C. Sickles’s, LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN, directed by Thomas Coté. LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN will play a limited engagement on the Main Stage at WorkShop Theater (312 West 36th Street, 4th Floor). Performances of this love story begin on Valentine’s Day Thursday, February 14 and continue through Saturday, March 9. Opening Night is Saturday, February 16 (8 pm). Press performances: Thursday, February 14, at 8 pm; Friday, February 15, at 8 pm; Saturday, February 16, at 3 pm; Saturday, February 16, at 8 pm.

Before the classic film and the celebrated novel Doctor Zhivago, there were poet Boris Pasternak, his muse Olga Ivinskaya, and the Soviet government’s attempt to silence their story. After Pasternak’s death in 1960 Olga, his lover of fourteen years, was arrested by the KGB. LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN chronicles Olga's subsequent interrogation and trial, while depicting her and Pasternak's struggle to complete and publish Doctor Zhivago despite determined Soviet efforts to stop them.

The production stars WorkShop Theater Company members: Mary Ruth Baggott as Olga’s daughter, Irina, Mick Bleyer* as Vladilen Alexanochkin, Ethan Cadoff* as Semionov, Jed Dickson* as Boris Pasternak, Bob Manus* as Kosachevski, David M. Mead* as the judge, Kari Swenson Riely* as Olga Ivinskaya, Michael Selkirk* as Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, Christine Verleny as Pasternak’s wife, Zinaida, and Dustye Winniford* as the prosecutor.

The production features scenic design by Craig Napoliello, costume coordination by Joanie Schumacher, and lighting design by Diana Duecker. Ryan Lee is the sound designer, makeup is by Jade DaRu, and Jason Healy is the stage manager.

LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN plays the following regular schedule through Saturday, March 9:

 Thursdays at 7 pm
 Fridays at 8 pm
 Saturdays at 8 pm
 Sundays at 3 pm

There is an additional performance on Monday, March 4, at 7 pm

Tickets are $15–18 and are now available online at workshoptheater.org. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the theater 30 minutes prior to performance.

Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 10-minute intermission

Website: workshoptheater.org

Earlier incarnations of LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN have been performed at the Red Barn Theatre near Pittsburgh, PA, in 1999, directed by William C. Kovacsik; and at The Hartt School in West Hartford, CT, directed by Michael Montel.

In January 2013, Smith & Kraus selected one of the speeches from LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN to include in BEST MEN'S STAGE MONOLOGUES OF 2013!

BIOGRAPHIES

SCOTT C. SICKLES (Playwright) received the 1999 Beverly Hills Theater Guild Julie Harris Playwriting Award for Lightning from Heaven. His plays have been performed across the United Stares, as well as in Canada, Australia, the UK, and Lebanon. Smith & Kraus included his full-length comedy Intellectuals in New Playwrights: The Best Plays of 2007. Other published works include the short plays murmurs (Samuel French) and Beautiful Noises (also S&K). In addition to serving as Artistic Director of the WorkShop, Mr. Sickles has received three WGA Award nominations with the writing team of One Life to Live, and currently is a scriptwriter for General Hospital.

THOMAS COTÉ (Director) For the Workshop Theater, Ken Jaworowski’s Interchange and Never Missed a Day, Allan Knee’s The Jazz Age and The Last Seder, and Levy Lee Simon’s Audelco Award–winning play, The Guest at Central Park West. For Algonquin Productions, the critically acclaimed production of Shel Silverstein’s The Devil and Billy Markham.  For the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, National Pastime by Tony Sportiello.

About WorkShop Theater Company

WorkShop Theater Company’s mission is to provide a creative home for a diverse group of playwrights, directors, and actors.  WorkShop has developed hundreds of plays, among them Eddie Antar’s NY Times Critics’ Pick, Drama Desk–nominated, and NY Innovative Theatre Award–winning hit The Navigator (“cruises in entertainingly high gear” – NY Times) and Ken Jaworowski’s Interchange (NY Times Critics’ Pick). Another WorkShop play, Allan Knee’s The Man Who Was Peter Pan, became the acclaimed film Finding Neverland, which received an Academy Award nomination for its screenplay by David Magee and was produced by Nellie Bellflower – both of whom are WorkShop Theater Company alumni.

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Listings Information:

Who: WorkShop Theater Company

What: LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN

Where: Main Stage at WorkShop Theater (312 West 36th Street, 4th Floor).

When: February 14 – March 9, 2013

How: workshoptheater.org

Before the classic film and the celebrated novel Doctor Zhivago, there were poet Boris Pasternak, his muse, Olga Ivinskaya, and the government that did not want their story to be told.

 

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