WESTPORT, CT — Westport Country Playhouse will present "Rent Control," a comedy written and performed by playwright and actor Evan Zes, at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28.
Based on Zes' own story, the play follows a struggling New York City actor whose moneymaking scheme involving his rent-controlled apartment gets out of control.
"Something crazy happened to me that could only happen in New York," Zes said. "It involved my rent-controlled apartment on the Upper East Side. As it was happening, I thought to myself, 'Pay attention, cuz one day this is going to make a great story. It's not a great story now because it's happening to me and I want to die. But someday…' Now, I'm glad that crazy thing happened to me because I wrote a play about it."
In "Rent Control," a cash-strapped aspiring actor gets one of New York City's remaining rent-controlled apartments. While pursuing an acting career, he turns the apartment into an Airbnb operation. The plan eventually backfires, involving him with internet scammers and low-level gangsters. Zes portrays 25 characters in the show.
"Rent Control" debuted at the New York International Fringe Festival in 2016 and continued with the 2016 Fringe Encore Series at SoHo Playhouse. Zes has also performed the production in Greece and Costa Rica.
Zes previously appeared at Westport Country Playhouse in "Sorry for Laughing," "The 39 Steps," "Around the World in 80 Days" and several Script in Hand playreadings.
His Broadway credits include "The Kite Runner." His Off-Broadway credits include "Incident at Vichy," "Rent Control," "Arms and the Man," "Days to Come," "London Assurance," "Freedom of the City," "Man and Superman," "Around the World in 80 Days," "White Woman Street" and "American Dreams."
His regional theater credits include productions at Paper Mill, Hartford Stage, McCarter, Alley, Goodman, Old Globe, A.R.T., La Jolla, Arena, Shakespeare Theatre DC and Berkeley Rep. His television credits include "Only Murders in the Building," "The Blacklist," "FBI Most Wanted" and "The Path." His film credits include "The Street."
Zes has an MFA from A.R.T./Moscow Art Theatre at Harvard University.
Tickets are $25, $35 and $45. The running time is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Westport Country Playhouse is at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1 in Westport. Tickets and additional information are available at westportplayhouse.org or by calling the box office at 203-227-4177 or 1-888-927-7529.
Barbara Streicker is the Playhouse's 2026 programming and season sponsor. Media sponsors are Moffly Media and WSHU Public Radio. Westport Country Playhouse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
A complete schedule of Playhouse events is available at westportplayhouse.org. Play titles, artists, dates and times are subject to change.
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