"THE SANTA CLOSET", OFF-BROADWAY SHOW COMES TO PEEKSKILL

Peekskill, NY, December 1, 2014 – EMBARK | Peekskill presents “THE SANTA CLOSET” on Saturday, December 13th at 8:00 PM and Sunday, December 14th at 3:00 PM.

The performances will take place at EMBARK@EMC located on 925 South Street, Peekskill, NY (first floor).

When a little boy’s gender atypical gift request to the North Pole is denied, a series of heart-felt letters from the child nudge Santa Claus out of the closet, and into the culture wars. Meet seven year-old Gary who asks Santa for a Sparkle Dream Princess doll; Mary Ellen who evokes a 21st century Anita Bryant; Rudolph, elves, Santa Claus’ Agent, Sid Green and many others.

Written/performed by Jeffrey Solomon, and directed by Joe Brancato, ”The Santa Closet” is a theatrical documentarian in the mold of Anna Deavere Smith and the Laramie Project. Mr. Solomon purports to have interviewed, and portrays, all of the key players in the scandal that has come to be known as ‘Santa-Gate’. The play was inspired by the national movement to speak honestly and openly to children about LGBT lives and issues, and the conservative backlash.

• The New York Times raved: “A Delightful Surprise!...This isn’t a clumsy parody, but a sensitive, imaginative tale that really is about a boy’s realization that he is different. Mr. Solomon portrays an amazing range of characters, all of them beautifully.”
• The Huffington Post praised: “Touching and Moving.”
• Heralded as “Hilarious” and “Brilliant” by Broadway World and Out Magazine.

Tickets available online at www.embarksanta.brownpapertickets.com and at the door.

• Adults, $20 and Seniors/Student/Groups 8+, $15.
• Holiday snacks and spirits will be served. Appropriate for ages 14 and up.
• For more info: embarkpeekskill@gmail.com and www.facebook.com/events/405330089631171/

About THE SANTA CLOSET (formerly titled “Santa Claus is Coming Out”) ran Off-Broadway on Theatre Row at the Kirk Theatre in 2009 and at the Diversionary in San Diego in 2010 in a performance that garnered a Scenie Award for Best Male Solo Performance from StateSceneLa. This production was originally produced in New York by Diverse City Theater, Penguin Rep and Shotgun Productions. Directed by Joe Brancato, Sound design by Jill Du Boff, original music by Andrew Ingkavet and Jason Webb, Projections designed by David Derr.

About the PLAYWRIGHT:
JEFFREY SOLOMON’s other solo play Mother/SON has been seen at HERE Art Center (NY), Celebration Theatre (L.A.), and he received a Joseph Jefferson Nomination for Best Actor for the same performance in Chicago at the Bailiwick Rep. Internationally, Mother/SON has been seen on London’s Off West End at the New End and Oval House Theatres, the Edinburgh Fringe, the 4th Floor (Mumbai, India) and Theatreworks in Melbourne, Australia. His performance won the Best Actor Award in Dublin’s Absolut Gay Theatre Festival as well as the Awards for Audience Favorite, Best Playwriting and Best Male Solo Performer at the Columbus National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival. THE SANTA CLOSET won the Best of the Fest at the same festival. Jeffrey Solomon’s original teleplay for “CityKids” (ABC/Jim Henson Productions) received an Emmy Nomination for Best Children’s Special as well as winning an Ollie Award for excellence in Children’s Programming. He penned a CityKids novelization for young adults published by Random House. Jeff is co-founder and Co-Artistic Director of Houses on the Moon Theater Company, which tours his original plays internationally including “Tara’s Crossing,” (Tenement Theatre in New York) and “De Novo,” (America’s Off-Broadway Festival at 59 E 59 St. Theaters, Palacio Tecleño, El Salvador).

About the DIRECTOR:
Director JOE BRANCATO is the Artistic Director and founder of Penguin Rep Theatre. He directed Karoline Leach’s Tryst (Outer Critic’s Nominee, Best Play) starring Maxwell Caulfield at the Promenade Theatre; Lee Blessing’s Cobb (Drama Desk winner) produced by Kevin Spacey and Melting Pot at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and co‐ produced by Mr. Spacey and Garry Marshall in Los Angeles; George Walker’s Escape From Happiness starring Marsha Mason; The Big Swing (starring Madeline Kahn, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Marisa Tomei) and Dr. Valentine’s Waltz (starring John Turturro, Laura Linney, Gina Gershon, Jane Alexander) at Naked Angels.

About Katie Schmidt Feder, EMBARK’s Executive Director/Producer/Co-founder:
About Katie Schmidt Feder, EMBARK | Peekskill Executive Director/Producer/Co-Founder
Director, Choreographer, Performer, Designer 25+ years. Member of AEA. Selected for Lincoln Center Directors Lab-2001. Training includes a BA in Musical Theatre (Dance Minor) from the University of Northern Colorado and the 2-year Meisner program at William Esper Studio (NYC). Instructor of dance, drama and voice, throughout the Hudson Valley. Masters of Arts in Arts Administration Candidate (Aug 2015) - Goucher College.

About Sol Miranda, EMBARK | Peekskill Outreach Director/Producer/Co-Founder
Actor, Director, Producer 25+ years. Member: AEA & SAG-AFTRA. Performances: NYC Opera, Off-Broadway, regional, Europe and Puerto Rico (birthplace). TV work: co-star/recurring role in “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Tina Fey, creator/producer - Feb. 2015), co-star in “Blue Bloods” & “Law and Order”. Films: “Arthur Newman” with Colin Firth and “Jack, Jules Esther & Me.” MFA in Acting from UC, San Diego.

About EMBARK | Peekskill: EMBARK | Peekskill is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. EMBARK’s mission is to provide an artistic home for performers, writers and community members of multiple genres and generations where they can create, collaborate, teach and perform. EMBARK’s stepping-stone space at 925 South Street in Peekskill provides intimate performance and studio space as well as a place for the community happenings. This summer/fall EMBARK coordinated performances outside, partnering with Peekskill’s Restaurant Row producing the 17 weekend long Summer Block Party Music Series on North Division Street under the direction of Sol Miranda, EMBARK co-founder and Outreach Director, as well as the First ever Hudson Valley ELECTRONICA 1.0 FESTIVAL on October 18 under the direction of electronic musician/photographer Kevin Michael Winterfield. Website: http://www.embarkpeekskill.com/

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