FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press contact: Bob Shuman/Stage Voices
Bobjshuman@gmail.com
THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY, CRYSTAL FIELD, EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, TO PRESENT DREAM UP FESTIVAL WORLD PREMIERE OF BOB SHUMAN’S “LITTLE JEWEL: IN THE PLAGUES AND THROES OF LOVE,” DIRECTED BY FRANK FARRELL AND BOB SHUMAN
MICHAEL SCOTT-PRICE, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
OFF-OFF-BROADWAY RUN OPENS
SUNDAY – AUGUST 24 – 5PM
WEDNESDAY – AUGUST 27 – 6:30PM
FRIDAY – AUGUST 29 – 6:30PM
SUNDAY AUGUST 31 — 8PM
WEDNESDAY – SEPTEMBER 3 – 6:30PM
FRIDAY – SEPTEMBER 5 – 6:30PM
KEY ART & PHOTOS available: (Illustration Credit: The Milkmaid (c. 1657–1658) by Johannes Vermeer. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Inv. no. SK-A-2344. Design: Frank Farrell.)
The Dream Up Festival 2025, in which this production appears, has been highlighted in Time Out New York.
Dreamup Web site: https://www.dreamupfestival.org/shows.html
Little Jewel: In the Plagues and Throes of Love
World Premiere
$18
Theater for the New City/Cabaret Theater
Running time: Little Jewel: In the Plagues and Throes of Love is 1.5 Hours $18. |
Writer, Producer, and Director Bob Shuman
Director and Production Manager Frank Farrell
Based on Shakespeare’s “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”
The original draft of “Little Jewel: In the Plagues and Throes of Love” was written in the form of a dramatic diary, beginning with the start of the COVID epidemic in 2020.
Then Shakespeare took over . . .
“Little Jewel: In the Plagues and Throes of Love” is based on Shakespeare’s “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” and is written in Early Modern English and iambic pentameter. The play is set amid the fearful turbulence of the Italian Renaissance, or in the Bronx during COVID, or even in Elizabethan England in the course of a pox outbreak—times analogous, or as Einstein theorized, all happening at once. The window into these worlds is the dogs inhabiting the grounds at the Duke of Milan’s castle. They are cared for by Magdalene, a milkmaid, and Launce, Sir Proteus’s servant. Displaced into a terror-ridden world of a severe epidemic, part of a larger pandemic, they, their love, and the destinies of their animals, may remind audiences of their own lives in a time not very long ago.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona (written between 1589 and 1593)
A dog, Crab, is brought to the Milanese court by his Master, Launce, servant to Sir Proteus, a young Veronese noble. He has been sent by his father to gain wider experience in the world, although this has meant Proteus must leave his love, Julia. He is quickly enamored, nevertheless, by Lady Silvia, the Duke of Milan’s daughter. Launce is smitten, as well, by a milkmaid, but she does not appear in the play and is not named. Likewise, the dog, “The Little Jewel” is mentioned in the text but is never seen. The servant, Speed, however is featured in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, as well as his master, Valentine, who also has fallen in love with Silvia–however, his attentions are reciprocated. Shakespeare focuses on Renaissance preoccupations with courtly love and gentlemanly honor in this early examination, regarding both the invention of the human–and the canine.
William Shakespeare (Playwright, 1564-1616) The Bard’s incomparable, seismic canon of work far exceeds “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” used as the foundation for “Little Jewel: In the Plagues and Throes of Love” or the one-acts in Shuman’s “Tongs and Bones Shakespeare.” Yet there is little factual information regarding his life. Baptismal records document that he was born in Stratford-upon-Avon to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden, part of a family that included seven brothers and sisters. His own children numbered three, after his marriage at age eighteen to Anne Hathaway, who was eight years his elder. The first mention of his career in the London Theatre is as an actor and playwright in 1592. His prodigious outpouring of dramatic writing includes “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “The Tempest,” “As You Like It,” and “The Winter’s Tale” and at least thirty-two other titles.
Biographies:
Bob Shuman (Playwright, Director, and Producer) had his work included in Theater for the New City’s Dream Up Festival, 2024 (“Tongs and Bones Shakespeare”)–he is beyond grateful. He earned an MFA in Dramatic Writing at NYU/Tisch and is the owner of Marit Literary Agency and the Theatre Web site Stage Voices. He is also a playwright, a senior editor with experience in mainstream publishing, a college professor, and a recipient of Hunter College’s Zarkower Award for excellence in playwriting. His dramatic work has appeared in four anthologies from Applause Theatre and Cinema Books, which includes a volume of monologues for kids. He co-edited “Acts of War: Iraq and Afghanistan in Seven Plays” (Northwestern University Press) and has written for the Eugene O’Neill Society and judged work for the New York Innovative Theatre Awards. Co-author, with fashion florist Michael George, of “Simply Elegant Flowers,” Shuman is a past fellow of the Lark Theatre Company, and his work has been given readings with the Amoralists, Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, Second Stage, and the WPA, among others. Productions and readings of his plays have been presented at New York University, Ursinus College, Hunter College, and University of Mount Saint Vincent. He has also spearheaded three monologue events at the Drama Book Shop, where he was a featured author, and he ran such an evening at the Cornelia Street Cafe. He attended the Sewanee Writers Conference in Tenn., and his musical compositions for “As You Like It” and “Twelfth Night” have been heard at Ursinus College. Additionally, Shuman has acted in college productions and in local theatre in NJ and GA. He has seen productions of every Shakespeare play, many of which he has reviewed for his site, and has interviewed industry notables such as playwright Albert Innaurato (in his last “talk” before his death), Natalia Kaliada (Belarus Free Theatre), and Mia Yoo (La MaMa), among others. The actor Liv Ullmann answered several of his questions for “The Guardian” (UK). In 2021, one of the projects he represented as a literary agent was optioned by HBO, and he currently teaches courses on Eastern European Literature and Environmental writing.
Frank Farrell (Director & Production Manager) in 2024 produced and directed six productions: “Little Women,” “Poe: An Evening of Mystery and the Macabre,” and “Dickens Presents A Christmas Carol” for the Hermitage in New Jersey. In New York City, he produced “Hamlet on the Run” at The Tank Theater, produced and directed “Tongs and Bones Shakespeare” at Theater for the New City, and co-produced and directed “Walt Kelly’s Songs of the Pogo” as part of the New York City Fringe Festival. In 2023 he produced and directed “Shakespeare’s Ladies at Tea” and “Shakespeare’s Deaths” as part of the Little Shakespeare Festival in NYC, “Little Women” at the Hermitage, and he conducted play readings of plays by Maxwell Anderson at several New York City public libraries. He was an actor in Chicago for 40 years, receiving four Joseph Jefferson acting nominations. He also directed and produced plays for the Free Shakespeare Theatre Company, Temporary Theatre, Shakespeare’s Herd, Steppenwolf Theater, Raven Theatre, Equity Library Theater Chicago, the North Lakeside Players, Citadel Theater, and Theatre-Hikes. Frank has formed seven theatre companies, including the Free Shakespeare Theatre Company (Chicago’s first year-round Shakespeare company), Theatre-Hikes, the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company in Grand Haven, Michigan, and, in 2019, the First Flight Theatre Company. For FFTC he has directed and produced many plays, including 2022’s production of Maxwell Anderson’s “Valley Forge.” Frank has re-published six plays by Anderson from the 1920s: “What Price Glory,” “First Flight,” “The Buccaneer,” “Outside Looking In,” “Gods of the Lightning,” and “Sea-Wife,” all available at Amazon.com.
Thomas J. Donohoe II (Technical Director) is an NJ/NYC-based stage manager, director, and designer, and a graduate of Ramapo College of NJ with a degree in Directing/Stage Management. Select Credits include: New Studio on Broadway: “Bright Star” (PSM), “An Experiment” (PSM), “Once More,” an original musical (PSM); First Flight Theatre Company: “Ladies at Tea” and “Shakespeare’s Deaths” (PSM/Light & Sound Design), “Mina” (Sound Design); The Tank: “Hamlet on the Run” (Director), “43 Stages of Grieving, a Comedy” (PSM); Montclair Studio Players: “The Laramie Project” (Director); Nutley Little Theatre: “Tin Cat Shoes” (PSM), “A Christmas Carol” (Sound Design); Columbia University: “Broken Arpeggios” (PSM); Ramapo College of NJ: “Stop/Kiss” (PSM), “Acting Under the Influence: Julius Caesar: A Drunk Reading” (Director). In 2020, he won the KCACTF Region 2 National Award for Stage Management Excellence. Contact at Tdonohoe05@gmail.com.
Cast Biographies
(View Cast Photos at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lyl6Klnm-hw87ushwdAqHdkFnFCdVZ7T)
Noni Alley (Speed, Thurio’s Retainer’s Dog) (they/them) is an actor, producer, and award-nominated VoiceOver artist based in NYC. An acting alumni of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy with a background in circus arts, Noni performs in film, live theater, animation, and audiobooks. Recent work includes Valentine in “Twelfth Night,” Ariel in “Tongs and Bones Shakespeare,” Sterling and Tezcatlipoca in “It Has His Eyes,” a narration of “Wings of Omen” audiobook.
Bobni Das (Launce) is excited to make his debut as Launce in “Little Jewel: In the Plagues and Throes of Love.” He would like to thank the cast and crew for the amazing few weeks together. Outside of acting, he can be found taking studio dance classes, playing sports like pickleball, or spending time caring for his two cats.
Alejandro Flores (Proteus, Stefano) is an actor from Ossining, NY. At TNC, he played Duke Senior, in “Tongs and Bones Shakespeare,” in 2024. Alejandro graduated from the City College of New York, where he was part of multiple productions, including Morriseau’s “Pipeline” (Dominique), Lynn Nottage’s “Sweat,” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Nick Bottom). Besides acting in school productions, Alejandro has pursued directing, lighting design, improv, and film. His love of the craft has led him to explore monologues from various Shakespeare plays, and he is extremely excited to be performing in this production and creating something wonderful with his fellow castmates and the production crew. Alejandro thanks his family and friends for supporting him throughout his journey!
Ireland Meacham (Crab, Thurio’s Retainer) is an actor, writer, and producer. They were last seen as Oberon and Theseus in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with the Clementine Players. They also serve as managing director of the Clementine Players for whom they produce mainstage plays, sketch comedy workshops, and fundraisers, like trivia nights and drag shows. By day, they are a podcast producer and are particularly proud of their podcast Gender Spiral, which features interviews with trans and queer people about their relationships to gender.
Katy Robinson (Silvia, Julia, Ticino) is an actor from Washington, D.C., and is elated to be making her New York theater debut in “Little Jewel”! She is a recent graduate of Arcadia University with a BFA in Theater. Past shows include the world premiere of “Holy Grail of Memphis” (Gigi Robins; Understudy) with Arden Theater Company; “Twelfth Night” (Sir Toby Belch); and “Volpone” (Voltore) with the British American Drama Academy. Outside of acting she can be found playing the ukulele, drawing, or reading a new play. She wants to thank her mom, dad, and girlfriend, Gwendolyn, for always supporting her dreams.
Eike Ross (Magdalene) (they/them) is an artist from Chistochina, Alaska. They have a BA in theatre from UAF, graduated from Atlantic Acting School’s full-time conservatory, and are the artistic director of The Clementine Players. Recent work: Director of “Twelfth Night,” Tybalt in “A Man Called Paris,” The Sheriff in “Brokeneck Girls: The Murder Ballad Musical,” and Sycorax in “Tongs and Bones Shakespeare.”
Wei Qiang (Little Jewel/Child) (They/them) is a Brooklyn-based writer, actor, and costume designer. Wei was last seen in Clementine Players’ production of “Twelfth Night” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” as well as Clementine’s original one-shot series. Wei is thrilled to join the cast and would like to extend their thanks to their family dog, Pudding, for inspiration.
Production Team: Frank Farrell (Set Design); Thomas J. Donohoe II (Sound & Light Design)
STAGE VOICES Web site (www.stagevoices.com) includes reviews, interviews, current events in the entertainment world, Shakespeare quizzes, and Stanislavski quotes, among others. Owned by Bob Shuman, the Internet destination has been called, “one of the best on-line publications, featuring the gestalt of today’s theatre scene.”—Frank Gagliano, Benedum Professor of Playwriting, West Virginia University; “[A] valuable blog; you make a great contribution to theatre, and it’s most appreciated.” –Roger Hendricks Simon, The Simon Studio. David Gibbs, press agent, DARR Publicity, says, “I sometimes wish we had more reviews/write-ups like yours in the theater world. It’s interesting to read someone’s perspective on a work vs. whether it was good or bad. . .. Art is subjective, so it’s refreshing to read an essay like this. I enjoy the debate on the choices a writer and director
makes. And you give the reader smart context.”
THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY (TNC) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning community cultural center that is known for its high artistic standards and widespread community service. One of New York’s most prolific theatrical organizations, TNC produces 30-40 premieres of new American plays per year, at least 10 of which are by emerging and young playwrights. Many influential theater artists of the last quarter century have found TNC’s Resident Theater Program instrumental to their careers, among them are Sam Shepard, Moises Kaufman, Richard Foreman, Charles Busch, Maria Irene Fornes, Miguel Piñero, Jean-Claude van Itallie, Vin Diesel, Oscar Nuñez, Laurence Holder, Romulus Linney and Academy Award Winners Tim Robbins and Adrien Brody. TNC also presents plays by multi-ethnic/multi-disciplinary theater companies who have no permanent home. Among the well-known companies that have been presented by TNC are Mabou Mines, the Living Theater, Bread and Puppet Theater, the San Francisco Mime Troupe and COBU, the Japanese women’s drumming, and dance group. TNC also produced the Yangtze Repertory Company’s 1997 production of “Between Life and Death,” which was the only play ever produced in America by Gao Xingjian before he won the 2000 Nobel Prize for Literature. TNC seeks to develop theater audiences and inspire future theater artists from the often-overlooked low-income minority communities of New York City by producing minority writers from around the world and by bringing the community into theater and theater into the community through its many free Festivals. TNC productions have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and over 42 OBIE Awards for excellence in every theatrical discipline. TNC is also the only Theatrical Organization to have won the Mayor’s Stop The Violence award.
Theater for the New City is located at:
THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY
Crystal Field, Executive Artistic Director
155 First Avenue
(between 9th and 10th Streets)
New York, NY 10003
Visit Theater for the New City
The thirteenth annual Dream Up Festival (www.dreamupfestival.org) is dedicated to new works. Presented by Theater for the New City, the Festival will run from August 24 – September 14, 2025 and will feature a variety of original dramas, comedies, musicals, adaptations and experimental plays. The Festival is traditionally a celebration of the arts in a time when cultural and arts funding is in sharp decline due to a number of social and market forces. Now an East Village tradition, it challenges the audience to reflect on the innovative and imaginative ways that they interact with the theater.
For more information
https://www.dreamupfestival.org/shows.html
Acknowledgments: Fred Bull, Thomas J. Donohoe II, Claudia Egli, Clara Elser, Crystal Field, Pam Green, Susan Hemley, Joyce Henry, Jeffrey Holcombe, Lorraine Kornreich, Joseph Levis, Madeline Marsicano, Michael Scott-Price, Karen Schimmel, Marit Shuman, Thomas F. Shuman, Shuman family, John Stathakis and family, Theater for the New City, The Hermitage, NJ, University of Mount Saint Vincent
