For Immediate Release: August 26, 2005
Media Contact: Bryan S. Clark, The Academy Theatre, 609.291.9000

For the first time since 2003 and only the second time ever in their history, The Academy Theatre, of Bordentown, N.J., will be producing a non-musical dramatic play. This new direction of entertainment is in honor of the “last great American playwright,” (according to Neil Simon) Arthur Miller. The choice: A View From the Bridge.

A View From the Bridge tells the tale of Eddie Carbone, a longshoreman of Italian descent, who lives with his wife, Beatrice, and his orphaned niece, Catherine. Eddie treats the 18-year-old girl like a child and loves her, so he thinks, like a daughter. This idea really comes into question when two of his wife’s cousins, still poorer than he, are smuggled in from Sicily to work illegally on the docks, for which he provides them shelter in his home.

Marco, the older Sicilian, is quiet, sturdy, and a hard worker. His strikingly handsome brother, Rodolpho, is easy-going, always ready for a joke and a song. When Catherine and Rodolpho fall in love and want to marry, Eddie refuses to let the girl go. Driven near insanity by his repressed desire for his ward, he accuses Rodolpho of homosexuality and wanting to marry only in order to obtain American citizenship. When Eddie fails to convince the girl of this, he reports the Sicilians to the immigration authorities, fulfilling his own foreshadowing and completing an elderly, compassionate lawyer Alfieri’s predicament of watching the action “run its bloody course.”

The Academy Theatre’s production of A View From the Bridge will feature some of the region’s best and brightest talent, including three Equity Membership Candidates, a SAG member and featuring The Academy Theatre mainstage debut of Director Bryan S. Clark.

Bryan joined The Academy Theatre team this year as head of the theatre’s marketing department, but has spent many years in the Greater Philadelphia area in a variety of theatrical capacities. In the years that followed his Bachelors in Theatre from Temple University, Bryan spent time honing his writing skills with his 2002 production of Things Best Swept (under the rug), a collection of his own plays. This led to the creation of his own production company, Black Starr Company, in which he later directed Zoo Story and Troilus and Cressida for Philadelphian audiences. He also writes for the weekly publication Out and About as a theatre critic.

Playing the pivotal role of Eddie Carbone in this production will be Marco Newton, who is best known for his character-acting capabilities in his extensive work with ActorsNET of Bucks County. With ActorsNET, Marco has claimed to have been in more than 50 shows in six years, and even served with The Academy Theatre twice before in Cabaret and The Rocky Horror Show.

Another local favorite that will grace The Academy stage again will be Pamela Linkin who starred in the season opener Cabaret. Her other Academy credits include Evita, Baby, and Godspell. Regionally, Pamela has been seen at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, the ActorsNET of Bucks County in Morrisville, the Off-Broadstreet Theatre in Hopewell, the Bucks County/Pocono Playhouses, and NYC 13th Street Repertory Theatre, to name a few.

Also returning to The Academy Theatre after a longer sabbatical is Julianne Wiesner-Chianese, who contributed not only to The Academy’s inaugural season, but also to its first show ever, The Fantasticks as well as Godspell, Blinding Light, and Jaques Brel. She has also been seen at the Open Air Theatre and with the Mask and Wig Club. Recently Julianne finished directing Cinderella for Pandora’s Academy of the Fine and Performing Arts.

Another first for this production is the hiring of an outside scenic designer. Their first choice is designer Bradley R. Helm, whose work for Azuka Theatre Company, 1812 Productions, Lantern Theatre Company and BRAT Productions speaks for itself. Recent design credits include BRAT’s Grease… and Desist, Azuka’s Four, and the four-time Barrymore nominated production of Act II Playhouse’s The Big Bang.

Costuming and lighting will feature the enormous talents of Artistic Director Jessica Sentak, and this production will debut Chris Keenan as Stage Manager.

A View From the Bridge’s opening night (September 9th) will offer an opportunity to meet and speak with all the performers and the producers of the show. This event will also include special offers on the rest of the season, invitations for local media groups and organizations, and free concessions after the show.

A View From the Bridge has, at this time, a limited run of only five performances. The show runs from September 9th to September 17th, 2005. Performances are on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with another performance on Thursday, September 15th at 8 p.m. Tickets may be reserved by calling the Box Office at 609-291-9000. To see a seating chart or for more information on The Academy, check our website at www.theacademytheatre.com.

For more information regarding The Academy Theatre, this press release, or to arrange for interviews call Bryan S. Clark at 609-291-9000 or by emailing clarkbs1@juno.com or theacademytheatre@yahoo.com.

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