VERSE CHORUS VERSE by Randall Colburn receives its NY premiere this fall, having debuted this spring in Chicago at Tympanic Theater. VERSE CHORUS VERSE will preview October 26th prior to its official opening night October 29 and running through November 12.
Set 20 years after the death of Kurt Cobain -- the rock musician who wrote the song of the same name for the popular band Nirvana -- VERSE CHORUS VERSE follows Polly, the haunted subject of the Nirvana song, as she seeks out the young rock star who wants to prove Cobain's death was a murder.
Mr. Colburn's plays have been produced or developed at such theatres as Alliance, Public Theater, Victory Gardens, Stage Left and The Right Brain Project, which dedicated its 2010 season to his work. His plays include LAMP & MOTH, RAVISHMENT and BLESSED ASSURANCE. His HESPERIA is slated for production at Writers' Theatre next winter. He is a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists and was named by Chicago Reader as "One to Watch."
Here's a look at WHO'S WHO (Playwright, Director, Cast):
Randall Colburn’s plays have been produced or developed at such theaters as the Alliance, the Public, Victory Gardens, CityLit, InFusion, Brain Surgeon Theater, Stage Left, and The Right Brain Project, who dedicated their 2010 season to his work. He is the recipient of a 2010 Individual Artist Grant from the Illinois Arts Council, as well as playwriting fellowships from Dad’s Garage Theatre and the Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Conference. His play Lamp & Moth was a finalist for the 2011 O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, the Alliance’s 2009 Kendeda Graduate Playwright Competition and the 2009 New York Summer Play Fest, and his short play Ravishment was part of the Northwest Playwrights Alliance’s 2008 British Arts Tour. He has been commissioned by Writers’ Theatre and InFusion Theatre and is an artistic associate with Brain Surgeon Theater. This spring he premiered his play Verse Chorus Verse with Tympanic Theater after developing the play at the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs’ Incubator Series, and will be developing his play Blessed Assurance in a residency at Stage Left Theater. His play Hesperia is slated for production at Writers’ Theatre next winter. He is a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists, and was recently named by the Chicago Reader as “One to Watch.” A bad movie scholar, Randall was also featured in the hit documentary, Best Worst Movie. He received his MFA in Playwriting from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
Ricardo Riethmuller is a director, performer, and producer. He is a founding member of East 3rd Productions. His directing credits include: NO EXIT (Fehomj Group), THE WIERD SISTERS (East 3rd Productions, Inc), 70/70 HOROVITZ PROJECT: HOROVITZ MARATHON (East 3rd Productions, Barefoot Theatre Company), A LASTING IMPRESSION (East 3rd Productions), and STRANGE SNOW (East 3rd Productions). He has also directed readings by playwright Zack Calhoon and has directed for aMios Theater Company’s SHOTZ.
Forbes March (Gerald Friend) March's first big acting role was Scott Chandler on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children in 1999. Paired with new character Becca Tyree (Abigail Spencer), he was written off the series in 2000. March and Spencer soon worked together again on the 2001 independent film Campfire Stories. He next played Jesse Kilmartin on the Canadian science fiction series Mutant X from 2001 until the show's cancellation in 2004. In late July 2005, he returned to daytime television as Nash Brennan on ABC's One Life to Live from July 7, 2005 to June 5, 2008, and then briefly from June 6, 2008 to July 16, 2008. Special thanks to Henry Ravelo for all his help and support over the years.
Lorraine Rodriguez-Reyes* (Polly, Managing Director, Producer) is an actress and producer. She received her MFA from the American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre School at Harvard University and her BA in Theatre Arts from SUNY New Paltz. She has produced and performed in numerous films and plays. Production credits include: Associate Producer for “CAPICU” (Best Short at the Poconos Film Festival), Associate Producer for Rising Sun Falling Star (78th St Theatre Lab) and The Room (Howl Theatre Festival, NYC). As an actor she has appeared at Columbia Stages (Columbia University), Theatre Row Theatres, the A.R.T. and The Moscow Art Theater. Film: The Stick Up Kids and Willets Point. Ms. Rodriguez-Reyes has been seen on HBO’s The Sopranos, ABC’s Primetime Negligent Nanny, and the Discovery Learning Channel Cookin in Brooklyn. She joined East 3rd Productions in 2008 as Producer for their first main-stage show, The Weird Sisters, and has gone on to become Managing Director. She has produced all of East 3rd’s theatrical and cinematic productions as well as starring in the second main-stage production, A Bicycle Country, at Theatre Row Theatres. Lorraine is also a member of Barefoot Theatre Company. Many thanks to my wonderful husband Marc, our precious son Marcus Joaquin and The Rodriguez and Reyes Family for all your love and support! With out you this wouldn’t have been possible.
Kristy Powers (Moira Stanwyck) is happy to be making her debut with East 3rd Productions at the Cherry Lane Theatre. She completed her studies at American University, The British American Drama Academy in London, and Circle in the Square Theatre. She's also founding member of Rag N'Bone Theatre Company. Special thanks to family, friends, and aMios with whom she feels honored to work with every month.
Joshua Coomer* (Terry Krug) is a member of aMios Theatre Company and can be seen in LongShotz: Arrivals in December. NY: Shotz (Under St. Marks), NYCycle(Access Theater), Another Day in Polka-Topia (American Globe Theatre). Regional: Much Ado About Nothing, Tantalus, Cloud 9, Romeo and Juliet (Denver Center), Macbeth (Minnetrista), The Falcon's Pitch, Measure For Measure (Illinois Shakespeare Festival). BS: Ball State University. MFA: National Theatre Conservatory.
Michael Mallard* (Mason Dwyer, Set Designer) is an actor, photographer, and designer. He received his MFA from the National Theater Conservatory, and his BFA from Texas State University. Most recently Michael portrayed the role of Megs in Stephen Metcalfe's STRANGE SNOW. He has performed with Arkansas Repertory Theater, The Denver Center, and toured with Romeo & Juliet as part of the NEA’s Shakespeare Across America Tour. He has acted in industrial films, commercials, and has recorded numerous voice-overs. During Michael’s three years at the National Theater Conservatory he had the opportunity to train in an array of movement and vocal studies including the Skinner releasing technique, the Fitzmaurice method, as well as low-flying trapeze. He has since joined East 3rd Productions as Creative Director and serves as a core creative member. In addition to being a member of East 3rd he is also active with aMios Theater Company and the Ensembull$h!t trapeze workshop.
Michael Bryan Hill* (Garrett Leskin) This Ohio native is thrilled to be working with such a talented cast and crew. National Tours include both Aladdin and Babes in Toyland. Favorite regional credits include Cosmo Brown in Singin in the Rain, Snoopy in ....Charlie Brown, Peter in Diary of Anne Frank, Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as well as roles in West Side Story, On the Town, A Christmas Carol, Once Upon a Mattress and Brighton Beach Memoirs. Proud member of AEA & AFTRA. Thanks to family, friends and manager Susan at CBU Management and agent Eileen Haves for all their love and support. For Arlah Brewer, love you YahYah!
Singh Birdsong (Sez/Spirit of Grunge) is a New York based multi- instrumentalist. He has performed in Moscow, Belgium, Paris, London and elsewhere in England, Italy, Greece and all over the United States. Singh was born in Queens, raised on the Lower East Side, and attended school around downtown Manhattan. The eclectic beauty and energy of these parts of the city have had a palpable influence on his music.
Barefoot Theatre Company in collaboration with East 3rd Productions proudly presents STRIPP3D, a festival of plays continuing with the NEW YORK PREMIERE of: VERSE CHORUS VERSE
October 28-Nov. 12 (previews: Oct 26th, 27th, & 28th; Opening Night: Sat, Oct 29th @ 7pm)
Written by Randall Colburn
directed by Ricardo Riethmuller
featuring
Forbes March
Lorraine Rodriguez-Reyes*+
Michael Mallard*
Kristy Powers
Michael Bryan Hill*
Joshua Coomer*
Singh Birdsong
Eric Nightengale: Light Designer+
Michael Mallard: Set Designer
Jennie West: Costume Designer+
Sidiq Alexander: Sound Designer
Zoe Sarnak: Composer
Charles Casano: Stage Manager
Matthew Brierly: Assistant Stage Manager
Meropi Peponides: Dramaturg
Michael Mallard: Photographer
Barefoot Theatre Company: Executive Producer
*AEA Member / + Barefoot Theatre Company Member
During our 2010-2011, Literary Manager, Therese Plaehn brought us a new play by Kristoffer Diaz which was read in our 2nd Annual bareNaked Reading Series. Now, we embark on journey that takes this play and its development one step further...we present F**KING VIGWAN (OR SWAG) as a workshop for 5 performances only at the legendary CHERRY LANE THEATRE next week. 
CHRISTOPHER WHALEN (Alec) Theater: SINS OF THE MOTHER written and directed by Israel Horovitz (Gloucester Stage Company), 70/70 Horovitz Project in Horovitz's UNEXPECTED TENDERNESS (alongside Michael Stuhlbarg, Annabella Sciorra, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Anna Chlumsky, and Sol Freider at the Bleecker Street Theater), bareNaked Reading Series (NY/LA), SUITE HOROVITZ & MID EAST PIECES by Horovitz (Theatre
ANDREW MacLARTY (Tommy) is a New York based actor. He has most recently appeared in Theodora Skipitares' adaptation of LYSISTRATA at La MaMa, and TOMORROW'S SHORE, the HERE Arts Center, and is a regular ensemble member in the Gi60 international one minute play festival. As a teenager, Andrew performed at The United Nations in two fund raising relief benefit shows. Television credits include BOARDWALK EMPIRE.