Beyond Therapy, perf'd in American Sign Language, at Actors Theatre Workshop from 2 - 20 May 2007

New York Deaf Theatre presents Beyond Therapy, a comedy by Christopher Durang, opening at the Actors Theatre Workshop on 6 May 2007, following previews from 2 May and running through to 20 May 2007.

Beyond Therapy: Traces the precarious romance of Bruce and Prudence, two hapless singles who initially meet through a personal ad. After an utterly disastrous first date, the dejected pair retreat to their respective analysts. Prudence's therapist (a lecherous bully with designs of his own on her) insists that she learn to accept imperfection, while Bruce's scatterbrained analyst gleefully suggests another ad with a much-revised personal description. But again Prudence answers the call.

Chaos ensues as the bisexual Bruce's live-in boyfriend becomes jealous of the budding lovebirds and takes matters into his own hands. Is their relationship star-crossed, or can Bruce and Prudence find happiness living 'beyond therapy?'

Directed by Garrett Zuercher, Beyond Therapy features Hillary Baack, Aaron Kubey, Anne Tomasetti, Samuel Caraballo, Darren Fudenske and Christopher Tester.

Scenic Design is by Erica Hemminger, lighting by Kat Haun and costumes by Patty Ordonez.

The play will be performed in American Sign Language (ASL), but non-deaf audiences will be able to enjoy the show as well, thanks to two voice actors (Caroline Burrows And Zach Linnert.

According to Artistic Director Aaron Kubey, "The technique we use when we incorporate our voice actors on the stage with our deaf actors is a seamless one, in which we place them in the scene as background actors. For instance, in the opening restaurant scene, our voice actors would be another couple enjoying a dinner while the lead characters meet for the first time. It's our goal to try and incorporate the voices into the scene as closely as possible, but allow the focus to remain on the deaf actors."

Beyond Therapy premiered off-Broadway in 1981 (with Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Collins) and then moved to Broadway in 1982 in a production featuring Dianne Wiest and John Lithgow.

Christopher Durang's many plays include A History of the American Film (Tony nomination, Best Book of a Musical, 1978), The Actor's Nightmare, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You (Obie award; off-Bway run 1981-83), Baby with the Bathwater (Playwrights Horizons, 1983), The Marriage of Bette and Boo (Public Theatre, 1985; Obie award, Dramatists Guild Hull Warriner Award), Laughing Wild (Playwrights Horizons, 1987), Durang/Durang (an evening of six plays at Manhattan Theatre Club, 1994), and Betty's Summer Vacation (Playwrights Horizons, 1999; Obie award) His most recent projects include Miss Witherspoon at Playwrights Horizons and Adrift in Macao at Primary Stages.

Director Garrett Zuercher's resume includes productions across the United States and around the world in such notable places as the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and Melbourne, Australia. As an actor, he performed the lead role of Huck Finn in the Broadway tour of Deaf West's Big River in major cities across the United States as well as Tokyo, Japan.

New York Deaf Theatre was established in 1979 by a group of Deaf actors and theatre artists who wanted to create opportunities for the production of an art form that was not found elsewhere in New York City: plays in American Sign Language (ASL). A not-for-profit, professional theatre organization, NYDT is the longest running company of its kind in the greater New York City area and the third oldest Deaf Theatre company in America.