THE BLACK BOX presents EDWARD ALBEE'S THE STATE OF UNIONS:
MARRIAGE PLAY, COUNTING THE WAYS, and THE PERFECT MARRIAGE
as an Exclusive Fundraiser Workshop
NOW IN RESIDENCE AT TEANECK'S DEBONAIR MUSICAL HALL!
NOVEMBER 14th, 15th, and 16th at 7:30PM
Tickets may be purchased here.
Once there, simply select the date of the show you wish to attend.
Performances:
Tuesday November 14th
at 7:30pm
Wednesday November 15th
at 7:30pm
Thursday November 15th
at 7:30pm
Performances of Edward Albee's The State of Unions occur at The Debonair Music Hall (1409 Queen Anne Road between Walraven and State Street in Teaneck, NJ 07666).
Seating is limited; tickets are a $25 donation.
In 1987's MARRIAGE PLAY, Jack and Gillian employ verbal and physical battles to explore their life together and the institution itself. Featuring BB Managing Directors Michael Gardiner and Danielle MacMath. Directed by BB's Artistic Director Matt Okin.
In 1976's COUNTING THE WAYS, a vaudeville, a long married couple discover that time has wrought changes in their relationship. Featuring BB regulars Zach Abraham and Deb Maclean. Directed by Matt Okin.
2006's THE PERFECT MARRIAGE, a rarely seen monologue about exactly what it sounds like, features BB Technical Director Ilana Schimmel. Directed by The Edward Albee Foundation's Executive Director Jakob Holder.
Edward Albee was born on March 12, 1928, and began writing plays 30 years later. His plays include THE ZOO STORY (1958), THE DEATH OF BESSIE SMITH (1959), THE SANDBOX (1959), THE AMERICAN DREAM (1960), WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1961-62, Tony Award), TINY ALICE (1964), A DELICATE BALANCE (1966, Pulitzer Prize; 1996, Tony Award), ALL OVER (1971), SEASCAPE (1974, Pulitzer Prize), LISTENING (1975), COUNTING THE WAYS (1975), THE LADY FROM DUBUQUE (1977-78), THE MAN WHO HAD THREE ARMS (1981), FINDING THE SUN (1982), MARRIAGE PLAY (1986-87), THREE TALL WOMEN (1991, Pulitzer Prize), FRAGMENTS (1993), THE PLAY ABOUT THE BABY (1997), THE GOAT OR, WHO IS SYLVIA? (2000, 2002 Tony Award), OCCUPANT (2001), AT HOME AT THE ZOO: (ACT 1, HOMELIFE. ACT 2, THE ZOO STORY.) (2004), and ME, MYSELF & I (2008). Mr. Albee was awarded the Gold Medal in Drama from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1980. In 1996 he received the Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts. In 2005, he was awarded a special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement.
The Cast & Creative Team:
Zach Abraham (HE in Counting the Ways)'s first role with Black Box PAC was Ross Tuttle in Albee's The Goat Or, Who Is Sylvia back in 2016. Since then he has been in Black Box's productions of Pygmalion (Alfred Doolittle), Buried Child (Father Dewis), and in the summer Shakespeare series' Twelfth Night (Andrew Aguecheek), Macbeth (Duncan/Old Man/Doctor), and Othello (Brabantio/Lodovico), as well as numerous staged readings. Notable performances away from Black Box include The Odd Couple (Felix Ungar), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Vice Principal Panch), South Pacific (Luther Billis), The 39 Steps (Clown 2), Memphis: The Musical (Mr. Simmons), The Graduate (Mr. Braddock), Hairspray (Spritzer/Pinky/Principal/Guard). www.zachabraham.com
Jakob Holder (Director, The Perfect Marriage) was Edward Albee’s longest serving personal assistant and is currently the Executive Director of the Edward F. Albee Foundation. He is also an internationally produced playwright and a member of the Dramatists Guild. His plays have had productions and readings throughout the U.S., the U.K., in Helsinki and Rome. He is a two-time winner of the Last Frontier Theatre Conference Playlab Award and a three-time winner of the NAAA New Play Competition. In 2009, he was selected to be the sole Cherry Lane Theatre Mentor Project playwright for his play Housebreaking. His full-program plays include: Bedtime Solos; Housebreaking (Dramatists Play Service, 2012); Repeat Play; Green Setting Sun; The Shoulder; The Open Circuit, To the Sea in a Sieve and The Agatha Shadow. His short plays include: One Slip; Darktime in Skipland; Ersatz; Findings; and Sumatra Mandheling. He has led playwriting workshops for children in Alaska, teenagers in Florida, and adults in Finland, and continues to mentor new playwrights through his work with the Dramatists Guild Institute. A resident of Edgewater, NJ, he was a Dramatists Guild Fellow, a Lark Theatre Fellow, and an Oriveden Opisto Resident Artist.
Deb Maclean (SHE in Counting the Ways) appeared recently with Black Box in a workshop production of The Lost Years, a new play by John Patrick Shanley; Neil LaBute’s 10 x 10; readings of Daniel Handler’s Imaginary Comforts, Edward Albee’s The Sandbox, American Dream, and Finding the Sun. as well as readings of The Importance of Being Earnest and Hedda Gabler in their summer outdoor series “Classics on the Lawn.” She has also performed with ANDTheatre Co. at Theatre 54 in New York, The Theater Project in New Jersey, and other theaters in NY, NJ, and L.A. She is founder, producer/director and performer with Lunatic Fringe, NJ’s top improv comedy group, now in its 27th season. She’s done voice work in Russian for Rocky IV, and once made Leonard Nimoy laugh really hard. She performs two original solo shows
Jeremy Niles (BB Production Team) is a NY/NJ based actor, technical assistant, and has been a member of the producing team here at The Black Box since 2020. Jeremy has been involved in numerous productions in a variety of roles. Select Black Box credits include: The Play About The Baby (Boy), The Pillowman (Michel), Importance Of Being Earnest (Mr. Worthing), As You Like It (Adam/Silvius) and many more. Select Film credits include: Secrets Of Eternity, Night Shift, Let’s Ride, Unlocked, The Pink Carnation, and many more. Jeremy received his BFA from Montclair State University. Huge thank you to his Black Box family for these continued opportunities to perform and make art over the years. Shout out to his parents and sister for always supporting/pushing him to do what he loves.
Ilana Schimmel (The Perfect Marriage / BB Technical Director) is an NJ/NYC based Actor, Technical Director, and Teaching Artist. She graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A in Theater Studies. Previous Albee Credits include: The Play About the Baby (Girl) and Finding the Sun (Abigail). BBPAC credits include: World Premiere of Beth Henley’s Exposed (Reb), Neil Labute’s adaptation of Woyzeck (Marie), Craig Lucas’ Ode to Joy (Mala), Fat Men in Skirts (Pam/Popo Martin), The Pillowman (Ariel), Pygmalion (Clara Eynsford-Hill). Shakespeare Highlights include: Othello (Bianca), Hamlet (Rosencrantz), As You Like It (Phebe). Readings: Daniel Handler’s Imaginary Comforts (Naomi), Back Bog Beast Bait (Gris Gris), The Importance of Being Earnest (Gwendolyn), Hedda Gabler (Hedda), Miss Julie (Miss Julie), John Guare’s Satori (A), Caridad Svich’s 3 Days (IZ). Select musicals: ...Spelling Bee (Olive), In the Heights (Vanessa), Legally Blonde (Elle Woods). These performances continue to be dedicated to my mom, Joy. Thank you for always encouraging me to pursue my dreams and for being my biggest fan. www.Ilanaschimmel.com
Michael Gardiner (JACK in Marriage Play/BB Managing Dir.) is an actor, director, writer, teaching artist, as well as Co-Managing Director of The Black Box. Select Black Box credits: Sam Shepard's The Unseen Hand, Action, and the U.S. Premiere of Little Ocean; Edward Albee’s The Play About the Baby (Man), Eric Bogosian’s 1+1, Beth Henley's Exposed (Original Cast), John Patrick Shanley’s The Lost Years (Director), The Pillowman (Katurian), Othello (Iago), Hamlet (Hamlet), …Cuckoo’s Nest (RP McMurphy), Woyzeck (Director/Woyzeck), Romeo & Juliet--BWW 2019 Award Winner. NYC: 1+1 (The Chain, The SoHo Playhouse), …Rise of the Goatman at TNC, Pygmalion at Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Regional: Importance of Being Earnest at Philipstown Depot Theatre, Desire Under the Elms and Hamlet at Hudson Theatre Works. He holds a BA in Theatre/Communication from Fairleigh Dickinson University. michael-gardiner.com IG: @gardinlord1
Danielle MacMath (GILLIAN in Marriage Play / BB Managing Director) is a NY/NJ-based actor, singer, and educator. Her promotional art (for over 20 productions) has been seen in NJ & NYC, and shared by playwrights and other esteemed artists. Select Black Box credits: Spring Awakening (Wendla), Significant Other (Laura), Hair (Jeanie), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Honey), Othello (Emilia), Measure for Measure (Isabella), Hamlet (Horatio), NJ Premiere of Ode to Joy by Craig Lucas (Adele), Edward Albee's The Play About the Baby (Woman), Premiere Production of Exposed by Beth Henley (Jane), Daniel Handler’s Imaginary Comforts (Sarah Gold), the recent workshop of John Patrick Shanley's The Lost Years, and the U.S. Premiere of Sam Shepard’s unpublished Little Ocean (Lo). Other credits: Brianne u/s in Eric Bogosian's 1+1 (SoHo Playhouse, Chain Theater), Cymbeline (Powerhouse Theater Apprentice Co.), the Polar Express Train Ride (Event Energizers), Soul Searching (Nuyorican Poets Cafe), ...Rise of the Goatman (Theater for the New City), Mary Warren in The Crucible (FDU), Louisa May Alcott in HERstory (NJ educational tour), and Lady Capulet in Romeo & Juliet (Pax Amicus Castle Shakespeare). She holds a BA in Theatre & Literature, and MA in Teaching from Fairleigh Dickinson University. www.DanielleMacMath.com @DanielleMacMath
Matt Okin (Director, Marriage Play and Counting the Ways / BB Artistic Director) formed Bergen County's Black Box Studios in 2007 and founded The Black Box Performing Arts Center in November 2015. Recent directing credits include Sam Shepard's Action, the U.S. Premiere of Little Ocean, and The Unseen Hand; each monthly installment of 'From A To Zoo: An Exclusive Staged Reading Series of Edward Albee's Plays'; the initial workshop of The Lost Years by John Patrick Shanley; the world premiere of Guilty Pleasures: An Unapologetic Comedy by Ken Levine.; the Off-Broadway premiere of Eric Bogosian's 1+1 at Soho Playhouse; the NJ workshop production of Daniel Handler's Imaginary Comforts, Or The Story Of The Ghost Of The Dead Rabbit ; the NJ premiere of Edward Albee's The Play About The Baby; the world premiere of Beth Henley's Exposed; the NJ premiere of Paul Schrader's The Cleopatra Club; Craig Lucas' Ode To Joy; as well as the regional workshop premiere of Neil LaBute's Ten X Ten. Original plays showcased in NYC, NJ, and on tours include Cherry Hill; Beltsville/Rockville, Part One: Rise Of The Goatman; #OneInnocentWoman; Twist Of Faith; and Walter Liked To Sit In His Big Backyard. Original musicals include Soul Searching and A Match Made In Manhattan: The Interactive Jewish Wedding Experience. Matt has a BFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU's Tisch School of The Arts; he is a long-time Teaching Artist for select drama programs for teens and adults in Bergen County; and his screenplay, the comedy 'Issues', is in development. Matt has two daughters and one son-in-law: Rachel, Arielle, and Eitan. @niko_ttam