ACEDIA: An Apocalypse Trilogy
April 2022 @ The brick
ACEDIA: An Apocalypse Trilogy. A cheery exploration of the morose and existential. A theatrical experience. A celebration of apocalyptic turmoil and the collapse of the inner self. Fun. Painful. A question. Three plays that stand alone or can be experienced as a collective. Acedia: the lost name for the emotion we're all feeling. A state of listlessness or torpor. An inert state without pain or care.
This April join The Brick in welcoming three plays that make-up Mind The Art Entertainment's award winning Apocalypse Trilogy. Sappy Tales for a Frozen Heart (ACEDIA: Part 1), Fish Food for Feelings (ACEDIA: Part 2), and Ampathy: miscreated by a non-writer (ACEDIA: Part 3).
The ACEDIA trilogy explores the times before The Apocalypse, during, and after – one play a night, or -- on Saturdays -- all three. See them in repertory -- or see them all on one day and save.
From the award winning producers of:
"FATTY FATTY NO FRIENDS"
"WHISKEY PANTS: THE MAYOR OF WILLIAMSBURG"
”JACK OF HEARTS MASTER OF NONE”
“A DRINK WITH DEATH”
“TWISTED OPERETTAS”
Featuring:
As Kent / Terran / Lint: Tyler Andrews
As Theo / Maris / Listener: Christian De Gré Cárdenas
As Bart / Dr. Feels / Tuft: Mark Dessaix
As Finnigan / Solana / Dandelion: Bethany Geraghty
As Katia & Magda / Blaise / Wisp: Caro Guzmán
As Killian / Sensum / Traveler: Jules Murtha
and Robert Moreira, Stephanie Heitman and Justin Anselmi as the Gods of Acedia
Playwright / Composer / Producer: Christian De Gré Cárdenas
Director / Production & Scenic Designer: Brian Freeland
Lighting Designer: Jennifer Fok
Costume Designer: Zoë Allen
Sound Designer: Andy Cohen
Make-up Designer: Kate Marley
Additional Lyrics: Joseph Reese Anderson
Stage Manager: Lenyn Hernandez Marcia
Asst. Director / Asst. Stage Manager: Noah Grannum
Creative Producer: R. Patrick Alberty
Associate Producer: Thomas Michael Culhane
Marketing Director: Sue Conover Marinello with KT World Communications
Company Photographer: Ze’ Castle
Developed at
The Alchemists
SPACE on Ryder Farm
Yaddo Colony
The National Opera Center
FRIGID NY
and The Brick
Mexican Artist Christian De Gré Cárdenas has emerged as one of the most influential contemporary voices in the development of new works in New York City. He has spearheaded numerous international projects in film, theater, television, music, publishing, web-media, fine-art and radio such as “Fatty Fatty No Friends” (FringeNYC Excellence Award Winner, Innovative Theater Award Nominations for Best Music and Best Musical, New York Musical Festival Best of Fest Concert, National Alliance of Musical Theater Semi-finalist, Time Out New York Critic’s Pick), “Beware The Chupacabra” (FringeFAVE, FRINGE ENCORES), “Whiskey Pants: The Mayor of Williamsburg” (Audience Favorite at FRIGID New York, Showscore Critic’s Pick, off-broadway premiere at HERE), “Broken Crayons” (Golden Palm at the Mexico International Film Festival), and “Acedia” (Excellence Award winner at FRIGID, developed at Yaddo Colony and SPACE on Ryder)
A self-taught composer/playwright, De Gré Cárdenas has written and produced 30 original award winning plays, musicals, operettas, operas and song-cycles in New York City at world renowned organizations like Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, Feinstein’s/54 Below, HERE Arts, and La Mama E.T.C. He has been commissioned to write music for The Discovery Channel, The Drama Desk Awards, The United Nations, The Alchemists, and The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York.
De Gré Cárdenas has trained activists in Eastern Europe, Northern Africa and the Americas as the Global Outreach Theater for Social Change Partner of the United Nations International Y-Peer Network. Other projects include fine art exhibitor at the 69th Regiment Armory (Time-Out New York: Photo of the Week) and published poet in “Story Time with Mr. Buttermen: Fables for Adults Living in a Modern World” (available on Amazon).
He is an alumnus of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and The Broadway League’s Commercial Theater Institute and is a member of the Advanced BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. He is a Yaddo Colony and a SPACE on Ryder fellow.
Having served as the General Manager and Director of Operations at The New York International Fringe Festival for five years and as Artistic Director of Mind The Art Entertainment for over a decade, De Gré Cárdenas has overseen the opening of over 1,000 new theatrical productions. In 2018 he was appointed Director of The National Opera Center in New York City and is currently serving as Chief Operating Officer for OPERA America, and Resident Artistic Director for Mind The Art Entertainment’s “The Alchemists” program, where he is developing 25 original works.
www.cdegre.com
Brian Freeland is a director, producer, writer, sound + media artist, community builder, and at times… theatre provocateur. His works for the theatre are rooted in a collaborative performance and development process that creates theatrical works with words, visuals, sounds, text, story, frame, and non-linear structures.
As a multi-hyphenate artist working with a live performance vocabulary, Freeland’s work builds highly stylized community-considered events and stories. Using overlapping disciplines, his work creates layered, aesthetically focused works, often centering around social and normative challenging subject matter.
In addition to his creation work, he has been an advocate for artist-led place-making and has shepherded the creation and management of multiple independent arts venues.
Mr. Freeland is currently in development for the new works, hung + burned (a mythology of power and politics) and well as half/life (a multi-media exploration around the life and work of Marie Currie).
Direction and design credits include works for The LIDA Project, Curious Theatre Company, The Brick, Mind The Art Entertainment, Ping Chong & Co., Universes, The Public Theatre, The 52nd Street Project, Countdown to Zero, THEATREWORKS, About Face, Catamounts, Littleton Town Hall, Lone Tree Arts Center, The Avenue Theatre, The Aurora Fox, Paragon Theatre, Su Teatro, and Shadow Theatre Company.
In 1995, he founded The LIDA Project the regionally acclaimed performance art ensemble, where he served as artistic director until 2015. In 2007, he co-founded with Julie Rada, Countdown To Zero, a political theatre collective.
Tyler Andrews is excited to be a part of Acedia and make his debut performance at The Brick Theatre. He is known for; Ghostlight, 288, and his multiple roles in, All in a Day’s Work. He trains under the tutelage of Tony Savant at Playhouse West Philadelphia. Tyler grew up in Kentucky and continued to follow his passion for acting to New York, where he now resides. @Tylerjosephandrews
Mark Dessaix is thrilled to be working with Mind The Art on Acedia! Mark made the move to NYC from Sydney, Australia and is forever grateful and excited at the opportunities he has had in his time here. He has worked extensively in theatre, touring Australia multiple times with the award winning Monkey Baa Theatre Company. In NYC, Mark worked with Headwall Theatre on Other Desert Cities, and soon after joined the board and became a company member. His voice-over work includes multiple short fictions and he has just completed a collection of stories which will be released on Audible. Mark will be seen in the upcoming action film, Interceptor, written and directed by international best selling author, Matthew Reilly, starring Elsa Pataky and releasing on Netflix in 2022. Training: AFTT Australia. Mark is a proud member of Equity Australia. @thecrankybunnyog
Bethany Geraghty is delighted to be back with Mind the Art Entertainment’s award winning Apocalypse cycle, having previously appeared in Fish Food for Feelings, Ampathy and Whiskey Pants: The Mayor of Williamsburg. She is a member of New Light Theatre Project, and credits include Meaningful Conversation, Still Dance the Stars, Strange Country and the upcoming Radio Drama Pastel Color Ripples. Film and Web credits include MEET: the Webseries, Give It Time and Jane be Jane. Bethanygeraghty.com
Jules Murtha (they/them) is an actor, musician, and writer based in NYC. They earned a BA in Theatre from CU Boulder, where they performed in shows such as Next to Normal (Diana), The Long Christmas Ride Home (Claire), and Poltergeist (Ash). In pre-pandemic times, Jules performed in several Jaffe St. Queer productions in Philadelphia, including Gay Mis and The Lizard of Oz. Their music projects consist of Padraic’s Joy, a folk-rock band based in NJ, and DeepWhine, a soul-folk duo. They are beyond thrilled to return to the stage and work alongside this immeasurable cast and crew of Acedia. @padraicsjoy