The world premiere of the play Edison’s Elephant will take place Thursday, Jan. 16 at 7:00 PM. The play, which is presented by The Metropolitan Playhouse and Joe Trentacosta, is a part of the Metropolitan Playhouse Gilded Age Festival which is running Jan. 16 – 22 at 220 East 4th Street in Manhattan.
Edison’s Elephant was written by Chris Van Strander and David Koteles and directed by David Elliott. Press notes describe it this way:
In 1903, on Brooklyn’s Coney Island, Thomas Edison electrocuted an elephant. Moreover, he filmed it, for all to witness. Based on historic accounts, Edison’s Elephant explores the life and death of Topsy, the circus elephant who, after much abuse, retaliated against those who harmed her, and who was ultimately executed for her actions—then made the subject of Edison’s film Electrocuting the Elephant.
Casting for this play includes: Lynn Berg (How I Learned to Drive, Batz. Film: A Day’s Messing and The Clean Up), Kevin Orton (Sir Peter Hall’s Amadeus, Uncle Vanya), Wendy Merritt (My First Lady, Game Changers), Alyssa Simon (Film: They Will Outlive Us All, Off-B’way: Purchase, My First Lady), CJ Trentacosta (BergenPAC’s 42nd Street. Film: Life in a Box) John Thomas Waite (Broadway: Dracula, Amadeus. Off Broadway: The Fantasticks), Rik Walter (K Comma Joseph, “30 Rock,” “Law and Order”) and Sean Gough on piano.
Performances of this new play will be held on :
Thursday, Jan 16 at 7PM; Sunday, Jan 19 at 9PM; Friday, Jan 24 at 9PM; Saturday, Jan 25 at 1PM. Running time is 75 minutes.
Tickets are $15-$18 and can be purchased by visiting http://www.metropolitanplayhouse.org where more information on the festival is available.
Note: The Metropolitan Playhouse explores America’s theatrical heritage to illuminate contemporary American culture. The Playhouse produces early American plays, new plays drawn from American culture and history, and plays from around the world that resonate with the American canon