Here Comes The Change At Theater for The New City

THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY (TNC), Crystal Field, Executive Artistic Director, is presents the premiere of Award-winning Playwright Bina Sharif’s newest play, HERE COMES THE CHANGE, playing at Theater for the New City, 155 1st Avenue (bet 9th and 10th Street), from December 18th, 2008 through January 4th, 2009.

Bina Sharif’s Hilarious and Timely new play, HERE COMES THE CHANGE, is a satirical look back at the recent Presidential Election. We are taken on a whimsical journey to the Presidential debate, where Senator McCain appears more worried about losing his own house than winning the White House. His opponent, cool, collected Senator Obama, calls for both social and economic change, in an effort to win over his most ardent opponents.

In the audience, poor Joe the Plumber tries to make himself heard. But will anyone listen? Meanwhile, Sarah Palin talks and talks and talks … but can anybody figure out what she’s saying?! TV Hosts and Political Pundits argue amongst themselves. Election night comes and is met with all the fervor of the Kentucky Derby. And, of course, we all know who wins!

The play features Raul Jennings as Senator Joe Biden, Bina Sharif as the Moderator, Omar Robinson as Senator (now President-Elect) Barack Obama, Oliver Thrun as Joe the Plumber, Sonia Torres as Governor Sarah Palin, Jonathan Weber as Senator John McCain and Kevin Mitchell Martin as President Bush. Lighting Design is by Alexander Bartenieff.

BINA SHARIF is an award winning playwright, actress and director. HERE COMES THE CHANGE is her 25th play. Her plays have been produced in the USA, Germany, Pakistan, Switzerland, Scotland, Brazil and England. Her one-woman play, AFGHAN WOMEN, a response to the events of 9/11, was produced by TNC in 2002 and was highly acclaimed, and then toured the USA (including Hawaii), Pakistan and Manchester, England. The play was hailed “most beautiful piece of Theater,” “unforgettably haunting,” “brilliantly acted,” and “superb writing with wit, humor, grief, joy and terror.”

Originally from Islamabad, Pakistan, Bina currently resides in New York City. TNC has produced 18 of her plays, including the highly acclaimed productions of MY ANCESTOR’S HOUSE, DEMOCRACY IN ISLAM, and ACCUSATION. The Playground in London has produced workshops of LOVE IS A STRANGER IN A WINDOWLESS ROOM, and 1000 HOURS OF LOVE (about the British Raj).

Mabou Mines commissioned her to write and act in a one-woman play, SLEEPING WITH HORSES. She received a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for Acting at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. She is a recipient of NYSCA, Jerome Foundation and Franklin Furnace grants.

The play runs from Thursday, December 18th through Sunday, January 4th. Performance times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and Sunday Matinees at 3pm. Please note that there will be no performances on Thursday, December 25th, or Thursday, January 1st. Tickets are $10.00. Reservations can be made by phone at (212) 254-1109. Tickets can be purchased online through Theater for the New City’s website, http://www.theaterforthenewcity.net.

THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY 155 1st Avenue (Between 9th and 10th Streets) New York, NY 10003 For reservations call (212) 254-1109

For more information and to purchase tickets online, please visit our web site, http://www.theaterforthenewcity.net Visit TNC on MySpace! http://www.myspace.com/theaterforthenewcity

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