'Rebel Without a Cause' at American Theatre of Actors

Rebel Without a Cause, at American Theatre of Actors from the 9 - 20 Mar 2005

Rebel Without a Cause is dramatized by James Fuller from the screenplay by Stewart Stern, adaptation by Irving Shulman, from a story by Nicholas Ray.

50 years after James Dean and Natalie Wood made cinematic history in the film version of Rebel Without a Cause, the classic tale of Jim Stark arrives on the off-Broadway stage.

Set in the 1950's, Jim Stark is a lonely and conflicted teenager from a 'good family". He finds himself the new kid in yet another town with a family running from his reckless delinquencies. While Jim tries to make sense of his surrounding the best way he knows how, he seems to find nothing but trouble, more confusion and a mixed bag of friends and enemies. In a whirlwind period of 24 hours, Jim finds love, loss, redemption and becomes the man he wishes his father could be

'If I just had one day when I wasn't confused and ashamed of everything..." 50 years have passed since it was originally released, but the messages of Rebel Without a Cause are as resonant as ever. Though time may have sterilized and idealized the collective perception of 1950's America, sexuality, violence, emotional disturbance and rebellion are very real issues to the teens in Rebel Without a Cause.

Jim Stark, often referred to as the first accurate dramatic depiction of a teenager, suffers all the classic trappings of growing up in a modern world. For that reason, he remains a role model to teens and the epitome of youth to millions worldwide. Though much has changed greatly since 1955, the personal struggle to maintain balance has not.

Allie Mulholland tackles the role that helped make James Dean an American icon. Aubrey Plaza and Joshua Blaylock fill the roles of Judy and Plato, Jim's surrogate family. They are tormented by the gang of 'wheels" led by Brendan Bradley, Joshua Coleman, Erin Cunningham, Mary Wall, and Jason Piccoli. Adeline Drescher and Stan Andrew portray Jim's hopeless parents, and Dorothy Kretchmer is his Grandma. Gregory Sweeney, Diana Dotter, Steve Coombs, and Courtney Merritt round out the cast.

The production was conceived by Brian Stites and is under the direction of N. Christian Ugbode.

Barely Balancing Artists, a non-profit theatre company, was established to bring this classic to the New York stage. With 2005 being the 50th anniversary of the film's release and of Dean's tragic demise, the time seemed right to revisit this American treasure.