Beast on the Moon Wanes Off-Broadway; Final Performance Is July 24
By Kenneth Jones
Playbill, NY
July 18 2005
The Off-Broadway production of Beast on the Moon will close July 24
after 15 weeks and 120 performances, producer David Grillo announced
July 18.
Directed by Larry Moss (The Syringa Tree) and written by Richard
Kalinoski, the warm play about Armenian immigrants finding new hope
in America made its Manhattan debut with the staging at the Century
Center, off Union Square. The play blossomed internationally and
around the country in the past decade.
In recent weeks, Grillo himself stepped into the show to replace Tony
Award nominee Omar Metwallly, who is shooting a movie. Understudy
Grillo was announced to play the role of Aram through the month of
July, but will now be in the closing cast. He told Playbill.com, “Omar
has actually been back in the role for a week, on hiatus from shooting.
He’ll do the first half of the final week, and I’ll finish the run,
attempting to deliver his beautiful performance as well as I’m able.”
Metwally plays Aram Tomasian, the Armenian immigrant who settles in
Milwaukee and carves out a new life with his haunted bride, played
by Lena Georgas, a refugee from the early-century Armenian genocide.
The cast also includes Frank Biancamano (who replaced Louis Zorich)
and Louis Dilan (who replaced Matt Borish).
Grillo, who earned an MFA in acting from Yale School of Drama,
played the role of Aram in Boston in 1999, and acquired the New
York production rights two years ago. Beast on the Moon is his first
venture as commercial producer. His producing partner for the project
is Matt Salinger.
“I first fell in love with Beast on the Moon when I played Aram in
the Boston production,” Grillo said in a statement. “I knew then that
this was a play that had to reach New York audiences. I have been
standing-by for Omar since we began previews this spring. While Omar
is off filming, I am looking forward to switching hats and revisiting
Richard Kalinoski’s beautiful play from an actor’s perspective.”
Century Center for the Performing Arts is at 111 East 15th Street.
The final week’s performance schedule is July 19 at 7 PM, July 20
at 2 & 8 PM, July 21 at 8 PM, July 22 at 8 PM, July 23 at 3 & 8 PM,
July 24 at 3 PM.
Tickets are $65 for all performances. Tickets and information are
available at Telecharge.com, (212) 239-6200.
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