Science vs. Faith in "Freud's Last Session" at The Schoolhouse Theater

John Michalski plays the role of Sigmund Freud in the season opening production of ”Freud’s Last Session” at The Schoolhouse Theater. The play runs from October 31 through November 23.

Mark St. Germain’s Freud’s Last Session starts off the 2014-2015 season at The Schoolhouse Theater when it opens October 31 and continues through November 23, 2014. The play is an imagined meeting between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis in Freud’s office in London just days before the start of World War II.

Called “lively, provocative and witty” by the Associated Press, Freud’s Last Session was a critical success in its over two-year Off-Broadway run, and has been produced all over the world. The conversation between these two intellectual giants poses Freud, the scientist, against Lewis, the man of faith. The New York Times wrote, “Mark St. Germain’s script is astute and the humor is plentiful.”

Direction of the play is in the firm hands of Sean Hagerty who serves as the Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education for New York Classical Theatre, as well as the chair of Education and Training for The Shakespeare Theatre Association.

Schoolhouse Veteran, Kevin Cristaldi (Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Ten Unknowns and Laughter on the 23rd Floor), will play the role of the novelist, poet, academic, lay theologian, and Christian apologist, C.S. Lewis. Among his many literary contributions, Lewis wrote “The Chronicles of Narnia” books for children.

Cristaldi has had roles on a number of television series namely, Criminal Minds, Medium, Gilmore Girls, Numb3rs, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the daytime drama All My Children. Cristaldi played the role of Nino in the Center Stage production of The Dirty Talk, which earned The New York Times Critic Pick. He has performed in venues across the country including Hartford Stage Company, The Lillian Theater in Los Angeles, Vermont Stage Company and the New Theater in Kansas City, where he played the lead role of Eugene Morris Jerome in Biloxi Blues.

John Michalski will play the role of Dr. Sigmund Freud. Michalski has just returned to the east coast after a successful run playing Harry Dangle in the opening production of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ season, One Man, Two Guvnors. Most recently, in New York, Michalski performed briefly as Angel in the Off-Broadway comedy, Under My Skin. An Associate Artist with New York Classical Theatre, he has appeared as Prospero in The Tempest, Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, as well as productions of Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, Hamlet, King Lear, and as Scrooge in A Fifteen Minute Christmas Carol. Over his career, Michalski has appeared on and Off-Broadway, in two tours with The Acting Company and in theatres from coast to coast. John trained as a member of Group II of the Juilliard School’s Drama Division, under the legendary John Houseman.

Further into the Schoolhouse season, the Pulitzer-prize winning play, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, written by Paul Zindel, will run from February 27 through March 22, 2015. From June 5 through June 28, the Schoolhouse will produce the emotionally charged historical drama, The Clearing, by British playwright, Helen Edmundson.

Over the years, The Schoolhouse Theater has earned a reputation as the go-to theater in Westchester, where audiences can see Broadway quality productions at a fraction of the cost. The Schoolhouse is a regional Equity theater, dedicated to presenting professional productions by award-winning playwrights and supporting and promoting all the arts.

Individual tickets for mainstage productions are $38, a subscription is $99 (includes one ticket for each of the three mainstage productions). Senior citizen discount tickets are $35 and student tickets are available at $20. They can be purchased online at www.schoolhousetheater.org or by calling the box office at 914-277-8477. The Schoolhouse is located at 3 Owens Road, Croton Falls, NY, just off exit 8 on I-684, and can be “Liked” on Facebook.