Q&A with Buffalo Heights' playwright Adam Harrell

Buffalo Heights is TIC's first world premiere production, a comedy about a new teacher who moves to Buffalo to teach French, only to find herself embroiled in scandal when she crosses the wrong student.  The production was devised, or company-created, over the course of six months, and the resulting script, crafted by playwright Adam Harrell, is as goofy as it is heartfelt.

The show runs for 8 performances, May 7-10 and 14-17 at 8 PM at The Bridge Theatre.  Purchase $18 tickets online or by phone at 212-868-4444.

Playwright Adam Harrell

We sat down with our playwright, Adam Harrell, to get his thoughts on creating the new comedy, hometown pride, and other sources of inspiration.

1. What has been your favorite part of creating Buffalo Heights?
The development process--there was always an air of excitement and collaboration, like we were kids playing house.  Everyone took full ownership of their roles, they were generous and listened intently to their scene partners, and made excellent choices.  Having the resources and talent for a production like this is quite an honor, and I was humbled on a daily basis by everyone's commitment.

2. Buffalo Heights embraces Buffalo, NY's hometown pride.  Where are you from and how to you show your local spirit?
I'm originally from Louisiana, which makes me a fan of the New Orleans Saints and soul food.  However, Buffalo Heights High is loosely based on my old high school in Centralia, WA, where I spent most of my teenage years.  Centralia had a little league baseball field, Wheeler Field, that sold these amazing things called "Wheeler Burgers" in the spring, and they were absolutely a hometown point of pride.  To this day, I can't pass one up!

3. We took inspiration from two existing plays, The Children's Hour and Rhinoceros, in the creating of our new piece, Buffalo Heights.  What are your favorite aspects of the two inspiration plays?
In Rhinoceros, I most enjoyed the absurd back-and-forth between the two leads, Jean and Berenger, which ended up being the inspiration for Jean and Fran's relationship in the play.

In The Children's Hour, I was impressed by how the play's themes of sexuality, politics and societal norms were still fresh and relevant for a play written in the 1930s.

Tongue in Cheek's Spring Crop of Shows!

Over the coming weeks, we're going to be profiling our spring productions here, with Q&As with the artists involved and other fun updates at www.tictheater.com.

We are delighted to have you attend TIC's 27th and 28th productions, Buffalo Heights and the spring 2014 Plus 1 Solo Show Festival, in May at The Bridge Theatre @Shetler Studios (244 W. 54th Street, 12th Floor, midtown NYC).

Buffalo Heights is TIC's first world premiere production, a comedy about a new teacher who moves to Buffalo to teach French, only to find herself embroiled in scandal when she crosses the wrong student.  The production was devised, or company-created, over the course of six months, and the resulting script, crafted by playwright Adam Harrell, is as goofy as it is heartfelt.  The show runs for 8 performances, May 7-10 and 14-17 at 8 PM at The Bridge Theatre.  Purchase $18 tickets online or by phone at 212-868-4444.

The spring 2014 Plus 1 Solo Show Festival features five 20-minute solo works and musical guest Todd Kramer.  The festival line up:

• Unmolested? by Lynn Bixenspan
• Lucky Chick by Felicity Seidel
• Solo Show by David Meyers
• My Unsexy Life as a Wall Street Analyst by Yangyang Guo
• Sleep Well by Glynn Borders

The festival runs for 2 shows, May 11 and 12 at 8 PM at The Bridge Theatre.  There is an intermission. Purchase $20 tickets online or by phone at 212-868-4444.

BUFFALO HEIGHTS stampedes into spring with its first rehearsal

Just got back from our first rehearsal of TIC's new comedy, Buffalo Heights, and I have that same feeling I used to get right before going back to school as a kid: excited to see my friends again, psyched to learn new stuff, all while gleefully clutching my shiny new school supplies and books.

Damn, that's one fine-looking herd of Buffalonians!

Getting back into the rehearsal room with this talented group of actors (see their pretty faces, above), playwright Adam and SM Shelby felt just like walking into home room and seeing your favorite friends and catching up. And we had our thick binders filled with a fresh-off-the-printer script to read (our new text books, if you will!).

The first read through took just over 90 minutes, but flew by.  There were lots of fun surprises in the revised script: two characters' names changed (an earlier version had too many characters with J names), Joe Mullen grew a beard since last we met (looking good, Joe!), not to mention a whole host of new character and plot developments.  I can't wait to really dig in and explore the whole new piece in the coming month of rehearsals. I think May will be here before we even know it -- so get your tickets now!

Buffalo Heights by Adam Harrell runs for 8 shows, May 7-10 and 14-17, 2014 at 8 pm at the Bridge Theater @ Shetler Studios (244 West 54th Street, 12th floor, NYC).
Tickets are $18 at 212-868-4444 and online at http://www.smarttix.com/Show.aspx?ShowCode=BUF.

Going to Tahiti Productions presents 'Within Arm's Reach'

Nothing makes me happier than seeing other independent theaters' new works premiere!

Going to Tahiti's spring 2014 production of Within Arm's Reach premieres on March 20 and runs through March 30, 2014 at the Big Secret at the Secret Theater in LIC.  I'm going on March 29 and I can't wait!

Within Arm's Reach is adapted for the stage by Jessica Ammirati and Molly Ballerstein from the Ann Napolitano novel of the same name, and it chronicles six months with the McLaughlin family, focusing on three women seeking meaning and direction in their lives.

Ammirati directs, and the production is made possible, in part, with help from The Puffin Foundation.

Get your $18 tickets here: www.goingtotahitiproductions.com or by phone at 866-811-4111.

Reading Takes 'Buffalo Project' to New 'Heights'

'The Buffalo Project' team on February 12, 2014

 

On Wednesday, February 12, 2014, Tongue in Cheek Theater Productions welcomed an appreciative audience of 30 to a sneak peek staged reading of its new original work, Buffalo Heights.  The reading was held in the Penthouse 1 performance space at Shetler Studios in midtown Manhattan, where audiences saw a script-in-hand performance of the comedy about an unexpectedly contentious school election that heats up with the arrival of a new teacher and when the school's mascot goes missing.

A company-created piece, TIC launched 'The Buffalo Project' in November, meeting from November 2013 to January 2014 to explore characters, plot development and backstory for the piece.  The work lead to a draft entitled Buffalo Heights, drawing inspiration from the school scandal of The Children's Hour by Lillian Hellman and the absurd humor of Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco. The ensemble is comprised of playwright Adam Harrell, stage manager Shelby Arnold and 6 actors: Nina Leese, Allison Lemel, Jake Lipman, Shelley Little, Joe Mullen and Matt Whitfield. 

Following the reading, the Buffalo Heights script will evolve further, incorporating audience and ensemble feedback.

Tongue in Cheek is pleased to premiere a fully-staged two-week run of the comedy, running May 7-17, 2014 at The Bridge Theatre at Shetler Studios.  For more about the show, visit www.tictheater.com.

The Buffalo Project Reading Tonight @ 7 pm

Laugh away the cold at tonight's free reading of a new comedy, 'The Buffalo Project'.

What: a free staged reading in midtown of a new comedic work, 'The Buffalo Project'
When: tonight!  Wednesday, February 12 at 7 pm
Where: Shetler Studios in midtown (244 W. 54 St, 12th Fl., follow signs to Penthouse 1)
Who: the seriously funny folks of Tongue in Cheek, including (but not limited to) Jake Lipman, Adam Harrell, Allison Lemel, Shelley Little, Joe Mullen, Nina Leese and Matt Whitfield
Wait, what is this about?
The fall semester at Buffalo Heights High heats up with the arrival of a new teacher, an election upset and the missing school mascot, Stumpy.
Will there be free wine there? Yes!

And we're pleased to announce the play's name: Buffalo Heights

 

Seeking Solo Shows for Spring 2014 Plus 1!

Now on its 11th iteration, TIC's Plus 1 Solo Show Festival is seeking original solo shows for the Spring 2014 fest.

This festival is always a joy to behold: 4 short pieces, with a singer-songwriter singing and emceeing between the pieces.  We nearly always sell out, and many festival participants have gone on to other festivals with their work.

Everything you need to know is here: http://www.tictheater.com/plusone-spring2014.html

Submissions are due to scripts@tictheater.com by midnight on Friday, March 14, 2014.