(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre will move its hit world premiere production of The Net Will Appear to the Off-Broadway venue 59E59 Theater, in a co-production with The Collective NY. The Net Will Appear by Erin Mallon is a heartwarming comedy of an unlikely friendship between the feisty 9-year-old Rory and her septuagenarian neighbor Bernard, played by film, TV, and stage actor Richard Masur. The run will go from December 5 through December 30.
Seventy-five-year-old Bernard (Richard Masur) finds quiet solitude on his rooftop, until one day his new neighbor, 9-year-old Rory (Dasha Dakkuri and alternate Eve Johnson), discovers him and demands his attention. She eventually earns his friendship, and the two save each other from their lonely worlds below. The Net Will Appear is a comedy full of heart where two wonderfully eccentric people find true friendship.
New Jersey Stage spoke with the playwright about the play during its run at Mile Square Theatre. That interview can be found here.
MST Artistic Director Chris O’Connor says of the show, “Our production last year of The Net Will Appear was by far our most successful show ever. People came back to see this wonderful play 2 and 3 times! We are thrilled to move the show to an Off-Broadway venue and to bring it to a New York audience. The play depicts a unique friendship; two characters, wildly different, find each other from atop their suburban rooftops and forge a beautiful friendship. We are also thrilled that Richard Masur is returning to play the role of Bernard opposite two talented young actresses; Dasha Dakkuri and alternate Eve Johnson. Audiences are in for a real treat.”
Directed by Mark Cirnigliaro, the creative team brings together resident MST designers Matthew Fick (sets) and Peter Fogel (costumes), Justin Partier and Jenn Burkhardt (lighting), plus original sound design by Sean Hagerty (A Christmas Carol, told by Charles Dickens).
The Net Will Appear, presented by Mile Square Theatre and The Collective NY
59E59 Theaters is located at 59 East 59th Street in New York City. Tickets available at 59E59.org
The role of Rory will be played by Eve Johnson on 12/7, 12/8 (matinee), 12/12, 12/15 (matinee), 12/18, 12/22 (matinee), 12/26, 12/29 (matinee).
RICHARD MASUR (Bernard) Here is a sampling of his 45-year career: Broadway: Lucky Guy, Democracy, and The Changing Room; Off Broadway: Sarah, Sarah, The Ruby Sunrise, Fetch Clay, Make Man, Relevance. Over 60 feature films, including The Thing, Heartburn, Risky Business, My Girl, License to Drive, Tumbledown and Don’t Think Twice. TV series (partial) Transparent, Girls, Younger, The Good Wife, Orange Is the New Black, Red Oaks, One Day at a Time and Rhoda. Over 40 TV movies - Fallen Angel, Adam, The Burning Bed (Emmy Nomination), It, And The Band Played On, and 61*.
DASHA DAKKURI (Rory) began performing at age four. Her credits include New York Winter Festival – Oriste; Aladdin Jr., Annie, Cinderella, Mary Poppins. When she is not acting, she enjoys Taekwondo, reading, drawing and playing with her dog. Thanks to mom, dad, sister, Judy Bowman, the Creative team, to my manager, Lynne Tannen @ Tannen’s Talent, and my agent, Barry Kolker @ Carson Kolker.
EVE JOHNSON (Rory Alternate), 5th grade, is excited to be making her New York City theatre debut. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse’s Annie (Tessie). Other favorites: Annie (Annie) at The Barn Theatre in Montville, NJ, Gypsy (Baby June) with Plaza Theatrical Productions, and Junie B. Jones (Lucille) with Pixie Dust Players. Eve studies dance, violin and piano, performs with the Broadway Youth Ensemble, and is a former competitive gymnast. Thanks to Nancy Carson, Bonnie Deroski, Emily Bauer, Chris York, Judy Bowman, Erin Mallon, Richard Masur, the fantastic MST team, friends, grandparents, Noah, Gideon, Mom and Dad for the endless encouragement! IG @eve_johnson_official
ERIN MALLON (Playwright) Erin Mallon’s full-length plays include Skin Hungry, Branched, Good Riddance, Stunning Displays of Prowess, Soft Animals, The Net Will Appear and The Other White Meat. Erin’s play Branched premiered with InViolet Theater at HERE Arts Center (Original Works Publishing). Erin is the narrator of nearly 300 audiobooks, a member of The Collective NY, founder and co-curator of The Brooklyn Generator (a playwriting engine that creates “plays in less-than-30-days”) and one half of Theater Husband/Theater Wife Project along with playwright Bixby Elliot. She is thrilled to be one of The Farm Theater’s commissioned playwrights for their ‘18/’19 College Collaboration Project.
MARK CIRNIGLIARO (Director) NY Credits: Comfort Women: A New Musical by Dimo Kim (Peter Jay Sharp Theatre /assoc. dir.), Dipti Mehta's Honour: Confessions of a Mumbai Courtesan ("5 Stars"—Time Out NY), Judgment of Fools by Bernardo Cubria (Intar), Hounds of War by BIll Holland ("Must See"—Broadwayworld.com). Mile Square Theatre credits: Cyrano, Goodnight Moon, It's a Wonderful Life, The Net Will Appear, Driving Miss Daisy, and Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike. Mark is a company member of InViolet Rep. Rutgers MGSA MFA in Directing.
MILE SQUARE THEATRE Mile Square Theatre was founded in 2003 by Chris O’Connor. Our mission is to enrich and engage the region through the production of professional theatre and innovative arts education. MST produces professional theatre productions year-round, including shows for young audiences and our annual festival of plays about baseball, 7th Inning Stretch.
THE COLLECTIVE NY unites professional artists who share a responsibility to create work in the contemporary American Theatre that is emotionally truthful, socially relevant, and defiantly accessible. The company was established in the tradition of the Group Theatre out of a belief that the current conditions of commercialized theatre necessitate collective action. Commitment to a permanent ensemble is what distinguishes The Collective NY. The collaborative power of the ensemble sets the company’s work apart from others. Currently, the production company is a creative home to over 60 artists and is headed by Artistic Directors Ross DeGraw & Sayra Player.
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