Published: December 10, 2009
"Search and Destroy"
By Rajdeep K. Bhathal
Errickson Wilcox and Kelly Miller in "Search and Destroy" by Howard Korder. Photo by Jonathan Slaff.
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"Search and Destroy" by Howard Korder, a portrait of nefarious business practices and moral degradation in the Reagan era, will be presented by Strudel Productions (
www.strudelproductions.com) from January 14 to 23, 2010 at the Kraine Theater in Manhattan's East Village. Strudel Productions is launching with "Search and Destroy" and is preparing to present other such revivals later in 2010. The piece will be directed by Nick Meo.
In the play, Martin Mirkheim, small time chiseler and producer, perilously in debt, decides to finance a film of a book called "Daniel Strong," written by a pseudo-religious, late night self help guru. Mirkheim's efforts include drug dealing and deception to achieve what he feels is a "pure goal." The work is a disturbingly entertaining indictment of American values, filled with brilliant gutter language and tightly-wound characters whose eagerness to be "strong" made them the New American Monsters of their time.
The play was originally written in 1988. It was commissioned by The South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, CA, and debuted there in 1990. It was subsequently presented by Yale Rep in 1990 and by Circle in the Square in 1992. A film adaptation, directed by David Salle, was released in 1995. Other plays by Howard Korder include "Boy's Life," "The Facts" and "Imagining America."
Director Nick Meo is a graduate of Rowan University. He produced and directed his own one-man musical, "Grape Hospital" which debuted as part of the Philadelphia Fringe [unfiltered] Festival at the Adrienne Theatre and a solo modern dance piece entitled "The Gift," which he created with Philadelphia dance artist Paule Turner in 2005. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist. He has studied at American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Circle In The Square Theatre School. He works prolifically as a stage manager in New York. This is his directing debut.
Set design is by Kathryn Kawecki. Lighting design is by Josh Starr. Music is composed by Michelangelo Sosnowitz. The cast includes Kelly Miller (as Martin Mirkheim), Errickson Wilcox, Tina Jensen, Geoff Lerer, Andrew Kaempfer, Bruce Barton , Stephanie Weyman, Logan Tracey, Ken Hailey, Gustavo Obregon, Kila Packett, Matt Swanston and John Reoli.
The Kraine Theater is located at 85 East Fourth Street, between Second Avenue and Bowery, in Manhattan. Tickets for the show are $10, and $5 for students and seniors with identification. Show times are Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 PM with matinees on Saturdays at 3:00 PM. The performance runs one hour and fifty minutes. Tickets are available through SMARTTIX at (212) 868-4444 or online at www.smarttix.com.
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