Flashpoint Theatre Company presents the Philadelphia premiere of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb’s boom, October 28 – November 21, 2009. All performances will be held at Second Stage at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom Street, in Philadelphia. Ticket prices range from $5 to $18 (depending on the performance). To order tickets or for more information, please call 215-665-9720 or visit Flashpoint’s website at www.flashpointtheatre.org.

Late one night in a subterranean biology lab, a feisty journalism student and a mild-mannered marine biologist meet for an evening of “intensely significant coupling.” What begins as a casual encounter spins wildly out of control, and what happens next will change the course of humanity.

Peter Sinn Nachtrieb is a San Francisco-based playwright whose works include boom, Hunter Gatherers, Colorado, Meaningless, and The Amorphous Blob. boom was developed during the 2007 Brown/Trinity Playwrights Rep and received its world premiere production in New York at Ars Nova in March 2008 to strong reviews, and has since been produced at Woolly Mammoth Theatre (Washington, D.C.), Seattle Rep, Cleveland Public Theatre, and others. Hunter Gatherers received the 2007 American Theatre Critics Association/Steinberg New Play Award for best new play to premiere outside of New York and the 2007 Will Glickman Prize for best new play in the Bay Area. His work has also been seen at SPF in New York, the Bailiwick in Chicago, W.H.A.T. in New England, Dad’s Garage in Atlanta, and the Magic Theatre, Killing My Lobster and Impact Theatre in the Bay Area. His newest play, TIC, premiered this year with the Encore Theatre Company (SF). He is also working on a commission for South Coast Rep and was a 2008 Resident Playwright at the Playwrights Foundation, San Francisco. Peter holds a degree in Theater and Biology from Brown and an MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. He likes to promote himself online at www.peternachtrieb.com.

The cast features Flashpoint founder Derick Loafmann, whose credits at Flashpoint include Schoolgirl Figure, The House of Yes, and of course, The Santaland Diaries. Loafmann has recently been seen in Twelfth Night (Delaware Shakespeare Festival), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Little Fish Theatre Company), and Last Night of Ballyhoo (Montgomery Theater). Making their Flashpoint debuts are Susan Giddings (Wit, HATG; Rock Doves, Amaryllis) and Melissa Lynch (Hot ‘n’ Throbbing, Luna; Skin Deep, Inis Nua).

The production team includes Flashpoint favorites: scenic designer Christian Pedone, costume designer Regina Rizzo, lighting designer Dominic Chacon, sound designer John Glaubitz, properties by Avista Custom Theatrical Services, LLC, dramaturg Gigi Naglak, and stage manager Catherine Pidgeon.

Director Noah Herman is a graduate of Muhlenberg College where his production of Israel Horovitz’ Lebensraum performed and won top honors at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in 2006. Most recently Noah directed the world premiere of A Singer’s Circus at this year’s Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Locally Noah has assistant directed The Four of Us and The Karma Cookie with 1812 Productions, where he also serves on the Board of Directors. His acting credits include Hot ‘n’ Throbbing (Luna), House, Divided (InterAct), and Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Broadway Theatre of Pitman). Noah is the Audience Services Manager for Flashpoint, and a member of ComedySportz Philadelphia.

Flashpoint is very excited to be to be presenting boom at the same time as Theatre Exile’s production of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb’s Hunter Gatherers, which will be performed downstairs in the mainstage at the Adrienne. Flashpoint and Theatre Exile will be hosting a brunch in the lobby of the Adrienne with Nachtrieb as our special guest on November 8th at 1:00pm, just before our 2:30 matinee performance. After the performance, Nachtrieb will join us for an open talkback.

Flashpoint Theatre Company is dedicated to promoting cultural arts awareness in the Greater Philadelphia area through the production of socially provocative and emotionally resonant works of theatre, through the development of educational programming within the community, and through collaboration with new and emerging artists from all artistic disciplines. Founded in 2003 by five graduates of Drew University, Flashpoint’s first five seasons have included thirteen Philadelphia premieres and one world premiere, several readings of new plays as part of the High Voltage Workshop Series, and numerous outreach events including artist talkbacks, benefit performances of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, and special matinees for local high school students.

JUST THE FACTS

WHAT: boom By Peter Sinn Nachtrieb

WHEN: Wednesday, October 28 – 8pm (Preview)
Thursday, October 29 – 8pm (Preview)
Friday, October 30 – 8pm (Opening Night)
Saturday, October 31 – 8pm
Thursday, November 5 – 8pm (Bloggers’ Night)
Friday, November 6 – 8pm
Saturday, November 7 – 8pm
Sunday, November 8 – 2:30pm (Post-Show Talkback)
Thursday, November 12 – 8pm
Friday, November 13 – 8pm
Saturday, November 14 – 8pm
Sunday, November 15 – 2:30pm
Wednesday, November 18 – 6:30pm
Thursday, November 19 – 8pm
Friday, November 20 – 8pm
Saturday, November 21 – 8pm

WHERE: 2nd Stage at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA

TICKETS: $18 (Adults), $15 (Students/Seniors) – Fri & Sat at 8pm
$15 (Adults), $12 (Students/Seniors) – Weekdays & Sundays
$10 – Second Preview
$5 – First Preview

PHONE: 215-665-9720

WEBSITE: a href="http://www.flashpointtheatre.org" target="_blank">www.flashpointtheatre.org

PRODUCTION & DESIGN STAFF:
Director - Noah Herman
Scenic Designer - Christian J. Pedone
Costume Designer - Regina Rizzo
Lighting Designer - Dominic Chacon
Sound Designer/Original Music - John Glaubitz
Props Designer - Avista Custom Theatricals
Dramaturg - Gigi Naglak
Production Stage Manager - Catherine Pidgeon

CAST:
Jules - Derick Loafmann
Jo - Melissa Lynch
Barbara - Susan Giddings