HORSE TRADE PRESENTS
A ROYAL CIRCUS PRODUCTION

THE MAGIC OF MRS. CROWLING

Written by Brian Silliman
Directd by Abe Goldfarb

 

 Mrs. Crowling

 

The Kraine Theater

The Kraine Theater
85 E4th St.
btwn 2nd and 3rd Ave.

SmartTix

Tickets:
Adult: $18
Student and Senior: $12

PREVIEWS JULY 10 & 17
OPENING NIGHT JULY 24
JULY 24 – AUGUST 5

Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm
"If you've ever used your imagination, this is a rough and riotous comedy for you."
- Aaron Riccio, New Theater Corps

"This satisfying comedy ranges from pitch black to oddly moving…a talented cast."
- Tom Nondorf, Playbill.com
"Silliman has created a fantasy world that isn't the expected genre parody or Harry Potter in-joke fest, but a real and interesting place that bears revisiting."
- Sam Thielman, Backstage
"Harry Potter has got nothing on this show…one of the funniest and most heart breaking plays you'll be proud to have seen in New York."
- Chloe Jo Berman, chloejo.com

The Royal Circus in association with Horse Trade presents THE MAGIC OF MRS. CROWLING by Brian Silliman. The production, directed by Abe Goldfarb, will open at the Kraine Theater (85 E. 4th Street) on July 24th following previews July 10 & 17.

Twelve-year-old Kicken Petchio (Paul Wyatt*) is not long for this world. Dying of "undisclosed cancer", his only escape is into the wizardly world of his favorite books: the Henry Shield adventures, written by A.R. Crowling (Shelly Smith). When his father (Brian Silliman) arranges for Kicken to meet his favorite author through Last Ditch Wish, Kicken gets more than he bargained for. As characters from the book come to life and Kicken crosses the threshold between reality and fantasy, he learns that nothing is ever what it seems. Taking its cue from the beloved Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings books, The Magic of Mrs. Crowling is for lovers (and haters) of fantasy everywhere.

The creative team for THE MAGIC OF MRS. CROWLING includes Larry Lees (original score), Robin Mates (designer), Afua Richardson (poster art) and Stephanie Williams (Stage Manager).

 

Abe Goldfarb (Director) is a director, actor and writer. As a director, credits include Silly Cow (Access Theater) and Titus Andronicus (walkerspace). As an actor, he trained at the Bristol Old Vic and has worked with such companies as the Jean Cocteau Rep, Studio 42, theatre minima and The Pumpkin Pie Show. His film criticism is published in the U.S. and abroad. He’d like to thank P.J. and Brian, the two finest wizards he knows.

The Cast

Denis

Dennis Hurley (Valiaare) is an actor, writer, producer working primarily out of New York and Boston. He has appeared in 4 other Brian Silliman plays: Dramatis Personae, The Birth, Adoption and Death of Dorothy Dutchess, The Colonel's Holiday (reading), and Killing The Great White Tiger. Played Chiron in Abe Goldfarb's production of Titus Andronicus. THEATRE: Dating Grim, The Girl Most Likely To, The Golf Wars. FILM: Let Them Chirp A While, Bear Guy, and his internationally acclaimed spoof, The Albino Code, featured on CNN. His 2 man sketch/improv show, Sawyer and Hurley, appears regularly at ImprovBoston, and Stand Up NY. Dennis received his B.F.A. in Acting from Ithaca College and studied improvisation with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Dennis' one act plays have been staged at Theatre Studio Inc., The Independent Theatre, Manhattan Repertory Theatre, and the Strawberry One Act Festival. More about Dennis is available at www.dennis-hurley.com
Ronica
Ronica V. Reddick is a native of Syracuse, NY and a recent graduate of Ithaca College. In New York, Ronica has appeared onstage in Volume of Smoke at the 14th Street Theatre, In Public at the Manhattan Theatre Source, Les Petites Mortes in the NY Fringe Festival, and Junta High at PS122. Regional credits include Pecan Tan at the Kitchen Theatre and Smokey Joe's Cafe at the New Bedford Theatre Festival. Film credit: Sexual Dependency, directed by Rodrigo Bellot.

Ptrick
Patrick Shearer (Dazzelin) is an Artistic Associate with Nosedive Productions. Over the past six years, he's worked as an actor, director, sound designer, and associate producer all over the city. You may have seen him as The Therapist in "Suburban Peepshow", The Grog in "The Adventures of Nervous Boy", or Scrooge in "A Very Nosedive Xmas Carol". Perhaps you may have heard his soundscapes for The Vampire Cowboys' production of "Men of Steel", Isaac Butler's production of Dan Trujillo's "Talk Of The Walk-Up", or George Hunka's "In Public". Or you may have even caught his productions of Mac Rogers' "Trailers", "The Kiss of Blood" -- one of the original Grand Guignol horror plays by Jean Aragny and Francis Neilson for "The Blood Brothers Present...", a new experiment in theatrical horror -- or the pre-Fringe workshop reading of Silliman's and Lees', "Jonestown: The Musical". If you haven't caught any of these, it's no big whoop. He's in this show, too. He's the bald one. Thanks to Abe and Brian. (Special thanks to J.K., JRR, Naomi, Philip, Stephen, Ann, Clive, William, Neil and the various other authors who've kept me sane, happy, and full of wonder.)

Brian
Brian Silliman (Playwright and Ramsey): Recent acting credits include Volume of Smoke (Ensemble) with Elsewhere, In Public (The Public) with theatre minima, Will's Way (Launce/Poins) at the Workshop Theatre, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bottom) with the Summer Theatre of New Canaan, Titus Andronicus (Saturninus) directed by Abe Goldfarb, Evil Hellcat and Other Lurid Tales (Andy/Abba) with Nosedive, Macbeth (Malcolm) at the Looking Glass, the workshop of Daniel Kramer's Soil. Film credits include The Albino Code, Let Them Chirp Awhile, and A Briefcase Full of Knives. Original plays include: THE BIRTH, ADOPTION, AND DEATH OF DOROTHY DUTCHESS (Fringe 2003), THE COLONEL'S HOLIDAY (Poor Artists 2005), KILLING THE GREAT WHITE TIGER (Poor Artists 2004), FEAST, POISON DARTS, HAZING AND SHOVING, and the books to JONESTOWN THE MUSICAL (Fringe 2004) and 16 DAYS.

Shelly

Shelly Smith (Mrs. Crowling) Recently Shelly was seen in the original cast productions of Connecting Flight, The Golf Wars, She Returns & the brilliant new comedy Dating Grim. She was also seen at the Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts in DreamGirls under the Tony Award winning director, Ben Harney. Shelly loves spending time at FlickerLab, where she’s recorded a number of national children’s cartoons and educational DVD’s. Pride lies with her comedy team The Brothel, where she's had award winning productions @ The Chicago Improv Festival & Caroline's on Broadway. Shelly is honored to be working with this brilliant cast and crew on this truly magical production & thanks you for supporting this show. Love to KS & BS. shellysmith@gmail.com; www.thebrothelnyc.com.

Collin (Kicken) is thrilled to have had the last minute .opportunity to joined this fantabulous cast. He is in the midst of training at Brooklyn College to get his BFA in Acting, and was last seen there as Matt in Adam Rapp's Red Light Winter. This summer, he got the opportunity to participate in Gone in 60, the international one-minute play festival, as well as work with Louis Zorich in the film The Price of Art.  Coming December, he will be starring with his roommate Kaila in The Mystery Plays at BC. Collin sends his love to her for all her care and support, the rest of the BC crew, his family back in CA, all of his professors, and again, this phantasmagorically stupendous cast for welcoming him with such love.  Thank you all, and enjoy the show.
Paul
Paul Wyatt (Kicken) just recently finished performing the role of Stanley in Brighton Beach Memoirs at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck, NY. He made his Off-Broadway debut last March at the York Theatre, performing the lead role, Adam Davies, in The Yellow Wood. He played Eddie in a concert version of Liz Swados' Runaways at Joe's Pub, and also just recently completed a local tour of Dr. Dolittle with Theatreworks USA. Paul's regional credits include Sacramento Music Circus, The Denver Center Theatre, The Weston Playhouse, The B Street Theatre, and The Michigan Theatre. Paul has a BFA from the University of Michigan. His favorite wizard is the Miracle Max.