Press Releases

July 26, 2002
Southampton Players Presents Tony-Award Winner Elaine Stritch

Actress Teams Up With Celebrated Troupe for Public Reading of "On 5th"

Contact:
Patricia Conway (PR@southampton.liu.edu)
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

Tony-Award winner Elaine Stritch will team up with the Southampton Players for the first full public reading of the play "On 5th" written by Edwin Meyer and directed by Michael Disher on Sunday, August 4, 2002 at 7:00 p.m. at Southampton College' Avram Theater.

"On 5th" is a dark comedy in four scenes telling the story of a family enmeshed in divorce, drugs, prostitution and haute couture. Elaine Stritch, who recently won a Tony Award for her autobiographical tour-de-force "Elaine Stritch at Liberty," will read the role of Mrs. Statler in the new play. For free tickets, call the Southampton Players box office at (631)287-8480.

Along with performing her one-woman show, which travels to London this fall, and winning an Emmy Award for her recurring role on "Law & Order," Stritch has appeared on Broadway in such classics as "Pal Joey," "On Your Toes," "Bus Stop," "Sail Away," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," "A Delicate Balance," and "Company." She has also starred on London's West End, appeared in numerous films and television shows, and is the voice of "Egg" on the PBS arts show.

Meyer has worked as an assistant to Joseph Papp at the Public Theater. He studied drama at New York University and Bailliol College Oxford in conjunction with the Drama School at Yale, and studied acting with Lee Strasberg. He has taught creative writing in the public schools in East Harlem and memoir writing to adults in Sag Harbor.

"On 5th" was first conceived while Mr. Meyer was doing Squat and Site Specific Theater in abandoned buildings in New York's lower east side. The play was later developed at the Bay Street Theater Playwriting Workshop.

Disher is no stranger to formatting new material to the Avram Stage. Six years ago, with the assistance of Jules Feiffer, he began the InterAct program, allowing students a showcase and workshop for new one-act plays. InterAct has become a mainstay of the Southampton Players season. "InterAct and this college offer writing students that rare opportunity of translating the written page into live action," said Disher. "Clearly, what works in print is not always stage wise. InterAct places the product on the Avram mainstage, gives it an audience and offers the playwright the opportunity of working with a stage director on his or her piece. Mr. Meyer's play and Ms. Stritch's participation will certainly become a litmus test for future endeavors."

"What I find so encouraging is the amount of talented resources in this area who are so graciously donating their time and energies in an attempt to educate, entertain and open new venues for new voices in the theatre," said Disher. "I feel the art of collaboration has been renewed at this school and I will do everything in my power to make sure that it continues. It is my commitment to theater and obviously the mindset of these dedicated and determined artists."