Press Packet
Cordially invites you to attend The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side | |
THE PIED PIPERS OF THE LOWER EAST SIDE runs two hours and forty-five minutes including two intermissions. For information about the company:
The PIED PIPERS Press Packet www.theamoralists.com www.ps122.org The AMORALISTS Company Derek Ahonan |
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The AMORALISTSMissionThe AMORALISTS is a theatre company that produces work of no moral judgment. Dedicated to an honest expression of the American condition, our actor driven ensemble explores complex characters of moral ambiguity. We seek to initiate a dialogue between artists and audience, putting theatre at the heart of our community. Rollicking, rebellious, and raw, our work will go home with you...Boom! | |
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"Ahonen has written full, complex characters, and the committed
cast approaches them with sincerity and heart. This is exciting
work, fresh and refreshing: The Pied Pipers of the Lower East
Side makes you want to follow the Amoralists wherever they go
next." -Adam Feldman |
"A nearly three-hour dose of high-energy Steppenwolf-style
realism. The young company's deep commitment and contagious
exuberance brings to mind the vitality that distinguished the
early Off-Off Broadway work of artists like Sam Shepard only a
generation ago." -Branden Jacobs Jenkins |
The Pied Pipers of the Lower East SideAn extraordinary gathering of young idealists live as a modern day urban tribe above a vegan restaurant in NYC. Billy, Dawn, Dear, and Wyatt are an extended sexual family battling their fears and addictions in order to live their utopian dream. The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side is a celebration of love and the search for human grandness.September 10 - October 5Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 7:30pm Sundays at 5:00pmPresented at Theatre 80 St. Marks, 80 St. Marks Place at 1st Ave. | |
“It’s one of my biggest regrets this season that I saw Derek Ahonen’s show too late to be able to review it in print. ‘The Pied Pipers’…looks at the last five days of a bisexual polyamorous relationship that feels remarkably equal and believable…What I particularly loved about the show is that Ahonen takes these four people and their dreams seriously. ‘The Pied Pipers’ is fast, funny, raucous and in-your-face. The cast is 110% committed and feels so closely connected to its parts that I can’t even imagine them in other roles. All are outstanding. I’ll certainly follow the Amoralists’ work from now on.” - Elisabeth Vincentelli
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“The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, is the most exciting theatre I’ve seen in quite a while; its adventurousness, its fearlessness, and its wideranging embrace of a potpourri of important and challenging subjects mark it as something special-the kind of work that makes theatre-going the uniquely vital experience that, at its best, it can be. The sheer scope of this piece- touching on religion, environmentalism, economics, anarchy, vegetarianism, sexuality, and much more- makes it endlessly admirable, as does its willingness to look at controversial subject matter frankly and uncompromisingly. The production is thoroughly professional and constantly keeps us riveted. A raw, potent, visceral work that means what it says and says what it means. How I respect that; and how I look forward to whatever these folks come up with next.” -Martin Denton
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PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Meghan Ritchie | CASTBilly: James Kautz |
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“A miracle of artistic convergence. Think young Steppenwolf. What a pleasure it is to witness a group of artists working their stuff with such vigor and intelligence. Everything a great theater troupe aught to be: ambitions, purposeful, madly talented, and largely unknown.” -Jonathan Reuning | “It’s the same rabble-rousing theatricality that fueled the Living Theatre, that made Sam Shepard plays, especially the early ones, a theatre of brutality that electrified audiences.” -Leonard Jacobs |
"The Pied Pipers is fast, funny, raucous and inyour-face… All are outstanding. Considerably smarter and complex. I'll certainly follow The Amoralists’ work from now on." - Elisabeth Vincentelli |
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"Writer-director Derek Ahonen’s complex
characters makeThe Pied Pipers of the Lower
East Side the meaningful play that it is. The
audience gets a sense of hope that there are, in
fact, people in the world who do not judge
others. - Kristyn Ciccone |
"The cast is so good to the point that I'd often
forget I was watching performers recite
memorized dialogue. I really cared about these
characters. The Amoralists offer a fun,
thought-provoking and sometimes intense night
of theatre, something that's well worth the
audience's time, attention, and money." -James Comtois |
"Love Stories don't come any purer than this." -Doug Strassler |
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Derek Ahonen Playwright / Director Founding member of The AMORALISTS | Derek Ahonen grew up just outside Chicago and is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Derek co-founded and is the resident playwright of The AMORALISTS Theatre Company. His plays include: Amerissiah (The Amoralists, November 2008, NYC), The Hey You Monster Part One: Pokin The Bears In A Zoo and Part Two: Bring Us The Head Of Your Daughter (Both parts published by United Stages, The Amoralists, April 2008, NYC), The Pied Pipers Of The Lower East Side (Published by United Stages, The Amoralists, November 2007, NYC), While Chasing The Fantastic… (The Amoralists, May 2007, NYC), Twelve Hundred Plays In Purgatory (The Austin Fine Arts Festival, April 2006, Austin, TX), In Lieu Of Flowers (Rocketship Productions, June 2005, NYC), Venus, Sensation And The Pope (GAT5 Artists Collective, November 2004, Austin, TX) Directing credits include: Amerissiah, The Hey You Monster Part One: Pokin The Bears In A Zoo, and The Pied Pipers Of The Lower East Side. | |
Meghan Ritchie Producer | Meghan Ritchie grew up on an island near Seattle. She has studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and Atlantic Theater Co. Acting School. She is the founder of Mirabilia Features and joined The AMORALISTS in 2009. Credits include: For Artists Only (Nellie Tinder, NYC), A Marriage of Convenience (Turtle Shell Productions, NYC), A Girls Guide to Chaos (Chashama, NYC), A Comedy Of Errors (Greasepaint Rep., Seattle), Man Reconstituted (Independent Short Film), See Saw (Independent Feature Film). She has also appeared as a singer in numerous benefit concerts including: ARTcents / AStep (Triad, NYC), Fleet Street on The Bowery - BC/EFA (Bowery Ballroom, NYC). Production credits include: Movie Geek (Stage Manager, Charlie B. / Ars Nova, NYC), The Paperback Musical (Stage Manager, Milk Can, NYC), Fleet Street on the Bowery, Benefit for BC/EFA (Producer, Bowery Ballroom, NYC), Amerissiah (Asst. Director, Amoralists, NYC). Meghan is currently editing her first feature documentary and founded Mirabilia Features, a production company, in 2008. | |
James Kautz Actor: Billy | James Kautz was born in Fort Collins, Colorado, the son of a traveling rock musician and a published poet. At age 18 he moved to New York City to pursue a life in acting. He is an alumnus of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and The Terry Schreiber Studio. In 2007, James co-founded The AMORALISTS Theatre Company. Theatre credits include: The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, Pokin the Bears in a Zoo and Amerissiah (The Amoralists, Gene Frankel Theatre), Hamlet in HAMLET Prince of Denmark (Mortals Theatre), Captive (Baby Grand), Debt (Maverick Theatre), The Inconstant Infection (13th Street Rep), Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (South Hampton Peoples Theatre), Game Show (Harra’s Theatre). Film credits include: Reflection (International Distribution), Dream State (Twin City Film Festival), Thanks Mom (Boston Film Festival), Principal role in Emmy Award winning director Sam Jackson’s Combat Jump. James is active politically, working and traveling as an independent journalist reporting on myriad social justice movements. His articles and photos have been published in the US and around the world. A social, political, and revolutionary consciousness lives in all his work. | |
Matthew Pilieci Actor: Wyatt | Matthew Pilieci was born in Long Island, New York and raised on the beach in South Florida. He is a graduate and company member of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. In 2007, Matthew co-founded The AMORALISTS Theatre Company. Theatre credits include: Bernie the Attorney in Amerissiah (The Amoralists, Gene Frankel Theater) Wyatt in The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side (The Amoralists, Gene Frankel Theater) Glenn in Pokin the Bears in a Zoo, (The Amoralists, Gene Frankel Theater) Kent in While Chasing the Fantastic…(The Amoralists, The Kraine Theater) Laertes in Hamlet (Mortals Theatre), Steven Standing Bears in Venus, Sensation and the Pope (The Hideout Theater, Austin, TX), and Joey in Night of the Hawk (78th St. Theater). Film credits include Reflection (International Distribution), Gravity (Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner). | |
Sarah Lemp Actor: Dear | Sarah is excited to be working for the first time with the AMORALISTS. Other New York credits include: Oh Those Beautiful Weimar Girls! (NSTC), Falling (The Anthropologists), The Round of Pleasure (NSTC), The Cave Dwellers (The Pearl Theatre Company) Some Historic / Some Hysteric (NSTC), Impossible Lorca (Milkcan Theatre Company), The Queens (Juxtaposed Theatre Company/Gene Frankel Theatre), 7 Stories (78th Street Theatre Lab), The Deluxe Illustrated Body (Wings Theatre), Tragedy in Nine Lives (P.S. 122). Sarah is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. | |
Mandy Nicole Moore Actor: Dawn | Mandy has most recently been seen in Ladies of Fisherman Cove (Absinthe Minded), Naked Holidays and Vignettes of the Apocalypse with Endtimes Productions. As well as earning a nomination for the 2008 Helen Hayes Award for Alone It Stands, Keegan Theatre. She holds a BFA in Acting from UMBC as well as training from Michael Howards Studios. | |
Nick Lawson Actor: Evan | Nick was born in Massachusetts. He is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Theatre Credits include: While Chasing the Fantastic...(The Amoralists. Kraine Theater), Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side (The Amoralists. Gene Frankel Theater), American Clock (Mary Macarthur Theater). He is a member of the American Mime Association | |
| CHARLES MEOLA Actor: Donovan | Charles Meola grew up in Addison, IL and studied theatre with AnnaMarie Ahonen in Chicago. While training with AnnaMarie, Charles began performing with her son, Derek, in backyard plays. They have since gone on to collaborate in New York in such plays as, Venus, Sensation and The Pope, In Lieu of Flowers, and While Chasing The Fantastic... Charles is thrilled to be working with The Amoralists Theatre Company again. | |
| MATT FRALEY Assistant Director | Matt Fraley is from Missouri, and is a Graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC. Theater Credits include: While Chasing the Fantastic...(Amoralists. Kraine Theater), The Mercy Seat, MacBeth, Romeo and Juliet, Incident at Vichy, The Bacchae, Spring Awakening, The Good Woman of Setzuan, The Municipal Abbatoir, Wingman, Humbug!, The Verge, and Representation. He will also be performing in the Hudson Warehouse's upcoming production of Hamlet in July. | |
| AL SCHATZ Set Designer | Brooklyn based artist Alfred Schatz has a Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University. He approaches all of his creative efforts (painting, drawing, design & etc.) with an eye to uncovering what has been misplaced, forgotten or hidden. He has worked with the Amoralists on The Hey You Monster and Amerissiah. | |
| JEREMY PAPE Lighting Designer | Jeremy works in all facets of theatre, from acting, to lighting, to stage-managing, and beyond. Most recently he directed Knuckle Ball (NY Fringe, San Fran Fringe) which was awarded "Best Play and Overall Production". He is a proud member of End Times Productions. | |
| MATTHEW BOYCE Stage Manager | Matthew Boyce is excited to finially get to work with the Amoralists. Matthew has appeared in the solo role in Santaland Diries by David Sadaris, Mojo Mickybo, Workshop Theatre Group. Over the Tavern, Virginia Stage Company. Just So, Mecury Summer Stock to name a a few. Matthew Attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He currently has a budding Theatre company, The Confedereates Theatre Company. He would like to thank Meredith for putting me up to this. | |
| BART LUCAS Sound Designer | Bart is a sound designer and a musician currently living in New York City.. He has written and produced sound effects for several films, web sites and plays. As a multi-instrumentalist he has performed in over fifteen states and currently is the bass player for THE DIVIDE. | |
| RICKY LANG Costume Design | Mr. Lang has designed for Helmut Lang (No relation) and Theory since '97. He also dressed Dave Matthews for the Crash tour of '98. Work with the Amoralists: Dressed and undressed the boys and girls of "The Hey You Monster" , "The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side" and last season's Amerissiah. VIVA LA REVOLUTION! | |
| HAN MAUTZ Fight Choreographer | Han Mautz doesn’t believe in bios. The work speaks for itself. | |
