Rising Sun, who brought you the acclaimed revivals of “An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein”, the New York Innovative Theatre Awards nominated “Shape of Things” (2004), and the critically acclaimed hit “Hellcab”, continues its tradition of bringing off beat stories to life, breaks new ground with a brand new play about desperation and survival in the most brutal of worlds.

This is the story of Jack & Benji, two companions brought together out of tragic circumstances, one with a guilt ridden conscience and dark past, the other with only the present and surviving in his scope. Each depending on the other in a very real and extreme way, Jack a recovering addict is running from a tragic accident leaving him to care for Benji an autistic man with no comprehension of the reality facing them both. Benji in turn cares and nurtures Jack in ways he never expects making their fight for survival not only a literal but an emotional one. As Jack struggles with navigating the role of caretaker and outrunning his demons, he slowly discovers that his need for Benji may not only be redeeming himself but a need for love.

Can Jack redeem himself, survive and still be the caretaker for another?
Find out in A’Spress……

What the Critics Have to Say about Rising Sun
“Intense and out-there, and just never lets up” .. NYtheatre.com
“Well worth the audience’s time and money” & “Deeply Honest” …Oobr.com
“A little gem hidden in the dark Under St. Mark’s”.. L Magazine
“if the unusual is what you crave head down to UNDER St. Mark’s for the ride of your life!” .. NYcool.com
“A number of excellent performances” – Deborah Greenhut
"The ten ”..in terms of its ambition, the piece is pretty spectacular". Martin Denton NYTheatre.com
"..intriguing sketches veer from the expected path by choosing small-scale, offbeat anecdotes to illustrate larger issues." Backstage
The Online Entertainment Guide calls Rising Sun the most popular Off-Off-Broadway performance company!!

Adam Purvis (Playwright-Performer) Adam Purvis (Author/Jack) would like to take the time to say thanks to Rising Sun for being foolish enough to put money into my first produced stage play. To thank Akia and the cast for working hard enough to make up for my slackness. To thank SNACK (www.snacknyc.com) for doing more good than I ever will, and for letting us crash. To thank Mandi (the beautiful heroine of my real story) for making every day easier to wake up. To thank Clare for being so willing to use her knowledge to help us get it a little less wrong. And to George, Joey, and Benjamin- three most unlikely muses- thanks for being so perfect. He hopes that this production of A ‘Spress will be the last in a long, fun line of performances for him and the first in a long, fun line of written works by him.

Akia (Director) Akia (Director/Founding Artistic Director)is an active member of the flourishing Off-Off/Indie & Off Broadway theatre communities having produced, directed, and performed with numerous NYC companies since 1997. Proudly, she is the Founding Artistic Director of the Rising Sun Performance Company, now in its sixth season, and has been involved on all levels with each of its 30+ productions. She is on staff at Horse Trade Theatre Group, a Board Member of The Paul Butterfield Fund & Society, and Company Manager for The New York Innovative Theatre Awards, where she serves on their honorary awards committee as Sub-Committee Chairman and as an At-Large Judge. This past year she was the General Manager for FRIGID New York, a new international theatre festival and worked as an associate producer at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre. Akia is also contributing writer/reviewer for several theatre websites and is now testing her hand at playwriting. Most recently Akia has joined the Blue Man Group as their Company Manager. She would like to thank her inspirational cast for their devotion and hard work on this challenging script, and Adam for his trust and faith. Special thanks to Matthew for his amazing patience with our insane family. As always many thanks to Erez, Morgan & Justin for giving RSP such a wonderful home.

Brandon Drea (Performer) Rising Sun Performance Company debut. New York Theater credits: Unattended Packages. Other theater credits include: Works of John Patrick Shanley (American Conservatory Theater, STC) Angels in America (UCLA), The Last Morning After (Theatre Artist’s Studio), Throwing Snowballs at the Moon (Theatre Artist’s Studio), Somewhere, Arizona (Old Pueblo Playhouse). Film credits: The Dr. Joe Show, Reckless Endangerment, Will, Father Knows Best, and Positive-Negative (UCLA).

Di Drago (Sound Designer) Di has been playing in recording studios for over 10 years and has been assisting Rising Sun for over 3 years. She worked on RSP’s sound design for “Greenbriar” and the infamous “HellCab,” both directed by the incredibly talented Akia. She is thrilled to go back to the mixing board for RSP and knows her surround sound specials will leave your ears tingling! She has a Masters of the Arts from The New School where she focused on audio production. You can hear her new band ‘Some Random People’ at www.somerandompeople.com or www.didrago.com.

Eli E Kaplan-Wildmann (Set Designer) Eli E Kaplan-Wildmann

Julie Bain (Performer) Originally from Colorado Springs, CO, Julie Bain (Rachel) has been living and performing in NYC for the past seven years. Most recently, Julie was seen in the opening number of the New York Innovative Theater Awards where she got to sing, rap, and bust some really sweet dance moves. A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, she joined the Rising Sun Performance Company almost 3 years ago. Favorite roles include the title role in Lysistrata and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. Julie recently teamed up with fellow RSP member (and A’Spress star and playwright) Adam Purvis to form a truly awesome band which you should really hear. They’re good. She is also married to a very cool and patient guy named John who she loves very much.

Marguerite Desir (Performer) Marguerite Desir (Gramma) Studied theater at Hunter College received BA in sociology/ Anthropology. Tituba in The Crucible. Resent works Scarecrow Wiseacre Farm at the 13th Street Repertory Theater. Marguerite is thrilled to be a part of the Rising Sun Performance Company. She wishes to thank the cast of A'Spress for giving me a chance.

Matthew Kreiner (Stage Manager) Matthew Kreiner is a writer/director by trade but is taking his first foray into stage management with this impeccable piece of writing, A’Spress. He would like to give love to his family, friends, Jenna, and his ever-lasting crush also known as Adam Purvis. And no, Matthew am not the reason why he is leaving for North Carolina. Best of luck. “I’ll be watching you.”

Mimi Jefferson (Performer) Mimi is truly thrilled to be working with Rising Sun on A’Spress. Favorite theater roles include Alice in Caryl Churchill’s Heart’s Desire, the Professor in The Green Dragon (nomination, Spotlight Award for Best Female Performance in a NY festival), Dina in Door of Hope, 8 characters in Decadence, and Yenta in Fiddler On The Roof. Oy! Film credits include My Brother’s War, Closure, Crossing The Line, The Closet Door, and Londinium. Thanks to Akia, Matthew, and Nicolette. This performance is dedicated to Adam Purvis, who is a rock star with integrity, talent, and smarts - and who wrote a piece that leaves me breathless. In other words, Adam, you suck! To everyone, keep the faith! We can make a world that cherishes the Jacks and the Benjis among us.

Nicolette Callaway (Performer) Nicolette Callaway is proud to be a member of both A’spress and Rising Sun. In performance, she likes to challenge and manipulate ideas concerning authenticity, loneliness and isolation. Her goal is to constantly and continuously produce (good) theater and to confront audiences with representations of our collective experiences and, ultimately, our humanity, no matter how wonderful or frightening. She’s written a couple of plays, too. You should read them. And she designs and directs stuff. Nicolette is also a member of Theatre of the Expendable and earned her B.A. from NYU (Interdisciplinary Studies: Gender & Sexuality focus). She is from Houston, TX, and if you come talk to her after the show (or anytime, really – she’s not aloof), you’ll discover that she doesn’t have an accent. Oh, yeah, she’s also excited about performing in Rising Sun’s winter cabaret, and “suggests” that you WILL see it.

P. William Pinto (Lighting Designer) William Graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in '03 with a degree in playwrighting, minoring in Directing. He has been a member of RSP (and later a staff member) since '04, and has since created and co-directed four of RSP's past musical shows: Let's Just Be Friends, Love Me! Love Me!, Growing Up is Hard to Do, and Love & Money, he also appeared in Beneficial Bawdiness and Full Moon Follies. He is currently working on RSP's December musical The Swinging 60's Office Christmas Party. Past plays produced in New York City include his works A Night at the Party, Triptych: A Study in Fear, and RadioPlay '34.

Patrick J. Egan (Performer) Patrick J. Egan, (Benji) a native New Yorker, is a graduate of William Esper Studios. Credits include The Crucible as Giles Corey at the Krane Theatre; The Tempest as Prospero at the Impact Theatre; Loyalties and Memorial at the Pelican Theatre; the original play, The Last Man Standing as the Last Man at the Samuel French Theatre. He has done independent films including Herman Bolster as Buck; Red Midnight as Joseph/ Announcer; and Hangman’s Noose as Charles, a Film Festival winner. He has been a member of Rising Sun for two years. He is also an improv actor and is part of Rising Sun’s Improv Group, the Solar Powered Flashlights or S.P.F who regularly perform at Under St. Mark’s Theatre. He has also worked as a voice over artist. As an actor, I am very proud to be part of the Rising Sun Performance Company.

Rob Richardson (Performer) Rob Richardson (Police Officer) was born in Baltimore Maryland and is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Robs credits with Rising Sun include the critically acclaimed Hellcab. As well as numerous cabarets, Louis K Walker in Southern Werewolf a one act in Revelations: an evening of one acts. He was recently seen in the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatres One Act Festival: Insight 13. Other credits include Fredrick Douglas in The Tragedy of Abraham Lincoln and the Independent films Zooey and Can We be Honest? He can also currently be seen in the Improv troupe Solar Powered Flashlight.