'Death Party' at the Vital Theatre Space

Mpire Productions will present Death Party, a new, dark comedy by John Pastore, opening at the Vital Theatre Space on the 17 Apr 2005, following previews from the 14 Apr. The show is scheduled to close on the 24 Apr 2005

Synopsis: Today is the day of 25-year-old Joe�s father�s funeral, and Joe has decided to skip the whole thing and spend the day downing beers instead. To Joe, funerals are absurd parties for the living. And he resents being obligated to mourn his father, an angry and bitter man whose relentless mistreatment of his family has been swept under the rug for years. When Joe�s straight-laced brother Alex unexpectedly beats him in an impromptu street boxing match, a drunken and increasingly unstable Joe is forced to attend the funeral. And attend he does--in full clown costume with a loaded handgun. But Joe gets more than he bargained for when his actions lead to some shocking revelations and family secrets.

The comedy will be directed by Marc Eardley, with scenic design by Casey Smith, lighting by Kimberley Klearman and sound by Fred Flowerday.

The cast for Death Party will feature Nick Amick, Danny Clayborne, Steve Devito, Taylor Girard, Luciana Magnoli, Albert Sanchez, Jr., Zac Springer and Hilary Thompson.

Playwright John Pastore says that much of Death Party is autobiographical and based on his own painful family experiences. �My parents were rageful people who seemed to thrive off their disdain for each other and, more importantly, their children. If I dared to make a point, I�d have to rely on my reflexes to duck a frying pan that may have been thrown at my head. I was angry that my parents could be so selfish and treat us like a burden instead of a blessing. So I wrote the comedy as a way to finally be in control. And to finally have my voice heard without having to worry about flying kitchen implements.�

John Pastore is a contributing writer for Galloping Insanity, a comedy website. His first play, 'Naked,' was produced by the College Of Staten Island, where he was the recipient of their Creative Writing Award.