Saturday, June 5 at 7:00PM
Tickets: $10 - $25
When an international wrestling promotion comes to town, Joy Grier decides to seize the opportunity of a lifetime in hopes of being the next superstar queen of the ring. But is she tough enough to beat the competition? Joy Comes In The Morning explores sexism in the world of contact sports, exploitation, misogynoir, the mythos of strong black women and the stereotypes surrounding women of color, identity, dog-whistle politics, homoeroticism in wrestling and female sexuality.
This evening's reading features performances by Shavanna Calder*, Ashley Chiu*, Emma Claye, Janne Linae, Karen Joy Pangantihon*, Cliff Sellers*, Zach Tallman*, Alicia Thomas*, Nyseli Vega; and stage directions by Justin Schwartz.
Joy Comes In The Morning is presented as a developmental reading to benefit The Center at West Park and the future development of this new work.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
MARCUS SCOTT (Playwright) Selected works: Fidelio (Libretto; Heartbeat Opera at Baruch Performing Arts Center, 2018; called “poignant” by NY Times), Tumbleweed (Finalist for the 2017 BAPF; semi-finalist for the 2017/2018 New Dramatists Princess Grace Fellowship Award), Cherry Bomb (recipient of the 2017 Drama League First Stage Artist-In-Residence; 2017 Finalist for the Yale Institute for Music Theatre) and Sundown Town (Finalist for Abingdon Theatre Company’s Virtual Fall Festival Of Short Plays). His work has been developed or presented by Joe’s Pub, 54 Below, APAC, Dixon Place, Space on Ryder Farm, Cherry Lane Theater (DUAF), CoLAB Arts, Symphony Space, MicroTheater Miami, among others. Scott is a four-time finalist for the R&D Group at The Civilians, a two-time finalist for NBT’s I AM SOUL Playwrights Residency and a 2019 finalist for the Bushwick Starr’s Starr Reading Series. He is a Speaker's Corner writer for the Gingold Theatre Group for 2020-2021. His articles appeared in Time Out New York, American Theatre Magazine, Playbill, Elle, Out, Essence, among others. MFA: NYU Tisch.
DEV BONDARIN (Director) is Artistic Director of Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC), Associate Artistic Director of Prospect Theater Company, and a freelance director, Her recent APAC directing credits include the NY premiere of Marguerite by Anton Dudley & Michael Cooper starring Tony Award-winner Cady Huffman and a revival of Caroline, or Change which won the 2019 AUDELCO Award for Outstanding Musical Revival. With Prospect, Dev produces and directs an annual musical theater lab which commissions writers to create new musicals all on a central theme. Since the pandemic began she has pivoted online and recently directed two short musicals as part of a collaboration between Lincoln Center and the New York Public Library (one of which was written by Marcus Scott). devbondarin.com @devbondarin
We wish to express our gratitude to the Performers’ Unions:
ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION; AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS; AMERICAN GUILD OF
VARIETY ARTISTS; SAG-AFTRA; and through Theatre Authority, Inc. for their cooperation in permitting the Artists to appear on this program.
*Denotes member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.