FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2009

Plague Play revived in New York
Stone Soup Theatre Arts presents Anthony Clarvoe's The Living

New York, NY - Stone Soup Theatre Arts presents the first New York revival of The Living, Anthony Clarvoe's early 1990's play about the bubonic plague in medieval London. The play will have a limited engagement at the Richmond Shepard Theatre at 309 East 26th Street (Between First and Second Aves), in New York City. Performances will run from Saturday, April 18 through Saturday, May 2nd, 2009.

Written in response to the outbreak of the AIDS crisis, The Living follows a community left by their government to survive as best they can. Being revived for the first time in New York City, this spare ensemble piece explores the best and worst that catastrophe provokes, both in society and individuals.

Anthony Clarvoe's other work includes Ambition Facing West, Let's Play Two, and adaptations of work by Ibsen and Dostoyevsky. His plays have been performed in numerous regional theatres throughout the country. The Living is directed by Elyzabeth Gorman, Artistic Director of Ignited States Production Company. Her work includes Michael Niederman's To Barcelona (Ignited States), Every Man (Samuel French Festival Winner), Caitlin Condy's See Jane Run (Prospect Theatre Co.) and Little Wing (NY Fringe).

Stone Soup Theatre Arts has produced both new work and revivals of rarely seen contemporary plays on contemporary social issues. The company has mounted plays by such writers as Edward Bond, Don DeLillo, Vaclav Havel, Howard Korder, and Elie Wiesel. In addition, they have created numerous original works, dealing with topics as diverse as native American rights, gay marriage, and the Great Depression.

Production Team: Jonathan Cottle, Set Design; Evan Purcell, Lighting Design; David Moyer, Costume Design; and Martha Goode, Sound Designer.

Cast: Musa Bacon, Brian Byus, Eric Eisenbrey, Rachel Handshaw, Abe Koogler, Kevin Mitchell, Joy Notoma, Al Patrick Jo and Sarah Todes.

Performance Schedule:
Saturday, April 18 at 8pm
Wednesday, April 22 at 7pm
Thursday, April 23 at 7pm
Saturday, April 25 at 2pm and 8pm
Thursday, April 30 at 7pm
Saturday, May 2 at 2pm and 8pm

The Living runs in repertory with What Happens to Women Here by Ben Trawick-Smith. For details and tickets visit stonesoupkitchen.org.

Press may reserve tickets, request interviews and production photos by contacting Leigh Goldenberg, 917-698-0844 or leigh@stonesoupkitchen.org.

About Stone Soup
Stone Soup Theatre Arts was founded in 2001 in order to produce socially conscious, ensemble-based work. Each season, the company examines a new contemporary social issue, presenting a published work by an established playwright and an original piece, written collaboratively after months of research. The company's productions, created to initiate change both outside and inside the theater through its balance of activism and art, have been featured in USA Today, The Village Voice, and The Jewish Week. NYTheatre.com commended Stone Soup's ability to "see the human journey through the eyes of many races, homelands, and periods in time [and using] the theatre as a means to educate." Stone Soup has produced thirteen full productions in New York City, as well as a number of readings, artistic development workshops and a variety of creative fundraisers from bingo parties to dog beauty pageants.

About Season Eight: Diagnosing the Present
From the dark days of the bubonic plague to America's current medical care crisis, history has proven time and again that one's health is much more than a personal matter. Politicized, bureaucratized and monetarily valued, the condition of our physique is the most intimate,yet most socially wide-reaching measure of our species. In the context of the current war raging over universal health coverage, how much is a society responsible for the well-being of its members? For Stone Soup's eighth season, the company plans to tackle one of America's most heated debates - the care of human body.