Acclaimed drama about the troubled life of playwright Eugene O'Neill and his family premieres.
March 4 - 22 at TBG Theater
"Jovanka Bach’s O’NEILL’S GHOSTS rivets with her stark, unapologetic portrait of Eugene O’Neill…Bravo to John DiFusco for going balls out in his unflinchingly unsympathetic portrayal of the genius playwright." -- BroadwayWorld
“A modern tragedy as searing as some of Arthur Miller's early work… a masterpiece.” -- Variety (on Bach's Name Day)
“Ms. Bach's highly naturalistic dialogue is transparent, quickly drawing one into the drama's vortex … a cogent and moving play.” -- The New York Times (on Name Day)
"Uncommon emotional intelligence." -- The New York Times (on Bach's Chekhov & Maria)
John Stark Productions will present the New York Premiere of Jovanka Bach's O'NEILL'S GHOSTS, a new drama about the troubled life of the playwright and his family. Directed by John Stark and starring John DiFusco, previews begin March 4 at TBG Theater with opening slated for March 7.
O'NEILL'S GHOSTS is set in 1950’s in the coastal Connecticut family home of Eugene O'Neill. As the famed playwright struggles to complete his autobiographical play Long Day's Journey Into Night, he is forced to deal with his troubled, alcoholic son and his possessive wife.
Directed by John Stark, the production stars acclaimed actor/director/writer John DiFusco as Eugene O’Neill, reprising the role he created in the L.A. Premiere in September 2014. Best known as the author of the drama Tracers, DiFusco has received the New York Drama Desk Award, The Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle Award, two L.A. Weekly Awards, two NAACP Awards, and a Drama~Logue Award. The supporting cast includes Dana Kelly, Phil Donlon, Lisa Thayer, Mona Lee Wylde, Tom Groenwald and Tanya Starcevich. The production features set and costume design by Jaret Sacrey, lighting by Kent Inasy, and sound and stage management by Joe Morrissey.
Jovanka Bach's plays include A Matter of the Heart (an O'Neill Playwrights Conference semifinalist), Mercy Warren's Tea (Best Play winner from the American Radio Theatre), Marko the Prince, and Name Day (nominated for a PEN West Award). Her drama Chekhov & Maria placed first at the 2002 Santa Cruz Playwrighting Festival; a screen version was filmed for PBS and won Best Feature Drama at New York International Film & Video Festival and Best Feature at the British Film Festival. Bach passed away in 2006, after a long battle with cancer.
John Stark Productions produced the LA premiere of O'Neill's Ghosts in September 2014 at The Odyssey Theater as well as the New York premieres of Chekhov & Maria and Name Day at TGB Theater. They are currently working on the films Sons of Freedom and Death of Angelique Vitry, which have just been published as novels. Stark has staged plays in Canada, the U.S. and London. Stark's solo show An Evening With Stephen Leacock was filmed by RCA at the National Arts Center in Ottawa and has been seen on CBC, BBC, PBS and Bravo. For more info, visit www.JohnStarkProductions.com.
O'NEILL'S GHOSTS runs March 4 - 22, Wednesday-Saturday at 8:00pm and Sunday at 2:00pm. TBG Theatre is located at 312 W. 36th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenue -- accessible from the A,C,E trains at 34th Street). Running time is 90 minutes. Tickets are $18. For reservations call Smarttix at 212-868-4444 or buy online at www.Smarttix.com.