The allure of fame, celebrity, fortune and a stinging exposé…
The award-winning contemporary comedy, As Bees in Honey Drown,
will be performed at SUNY New Paltz
High and low resolution images for publicity are available at: http://www.newpaltz.edu/news/images/bees.html Director Nancy Saklad is available for interviews. Call 845-257-3872.
New Paltz, NY – Douglas Carter Beane’s uproarious contemporary comedy, As Bees in Honey Drown, will be presented by the Department of Theatre Arts at the State University of New York at New Paltz, February 26 – March 8.
As Bees in Honey Drown has been described as a clever, stylish and hilarious play about the pitfalls of an unquenchable hunger for fame and about a society whose values are primarily based on brand-name recognition.
Writer Evan Wyler (played by Andrew Barresi) is on top of the world. He has just published his first novel after nine years of writer’s angst. His book is an instant success and the media have labeled him the “man of the moment.” It is then that Alexa Vere de Vere (played by Kathleen Bulman) appears – a woman with a mission – determined to transform Evan from an earnest struggling artist into a suave and savvy player, at his expense. Alexa wins Evan over and puts his future in jeopardy. With the help of other artists conned by Alexa, Evan seeks revenge in a rather unusual manner.
In commenting on the play, director Nancy Saklad says…”Beane is sharp, sometimes topical and always full of surprises. He loves language, situation and particularly character. His characters have elements of Felini-esque richness and always make a bold impression. All in all his work is delightful.”
Douglas Carter Beane won an Outer Critics Circle award for his writing, a 2008 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical (Xanadu), a 2008 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical (Xanadu nominee), a 2007 Tony Award for Best Play (The Little Dog Laughed, nominee) and a 1998 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play (As Bees in Honey Drown, nominee)
Nancy Saklad is an assistant professor of performance at the State University of New York at New Paltz. When not teaching, she directs and coaches voice and acting. Credits include Much Ado About Nothing at Boston’s Publik Theatre, How I Learned To Drive at Durham Center Stage and Other People’s Money at Seacoast Repertory Theatre. Saklad directed the Professional Division Moss Hart Award winning production of The Diary of Anne Frank at Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth, NH and numerous other plays. She has taught acting, voice and directing at the University of Miami, FL, the University of NH, Regis College in MA, Queens College in NY, and The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Saklad is also a recipient of the Kennedy Center Bronze Medallion for service to the New England Region American College Theatre Festival.
Tickets for As Bees in Honey Drown are $16 general reserved, $14 reserved seniors/faculty/students – available at the Box Office located in Parker Theatre, 845-257-3880, Monday – Friday 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. beginning February 16. To purchase tickets on line, go to www.newpaltz.edu/theatre
For additional information call 845-257-3872.
Photo on right: Andrew Barresi and Kathleen Bulman as Evan Wyler and Alexa Vere de Vere in As Bees in Honey Drown.
Photo credit: Kristin Charles-Scaringi
The State University of New York at New Paltz is a highly selective college of about 7,800 undergraduate and graduate students located in the Mid-Hudson Valley between New York City and Albany. New Paltz was named “Hottest Small State School” in the 2008 Kaplan/Newsweek How To Get Into College Guide, which identifies America’s 25 Hottest Schools. The guide features schools that all offer top academic programs, and are making their mark in the competitive world of higher education. The college was also recently ranked 7th among the best public universities and 38th among public and private universities in the North that offer bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings for America’s Best Colleges 2008.
Degrees are offered in the liberal arts and sciences, which serve as a core for professional programs in the fine and performing arts, education, healthcare, business and engineering.
