SAKE WITH THE HAIKU GEISHA
Limited Engagement! Feb. 24 - April 8 at The Perry Street Theater

Gotham Stage Company, an innovative new Off-Broadway theater company, will present the World Premiere of Randall David Cook’s SAKE WITH THE HAIKU GEISHA. Part drama, part romantic comedy, part ghost story, this unique new work that blends traditional Japanese Noh theater with contemporary American drama is directed by Alex Lippard. Produced on an Off-Broadway contract, previews begin February 24th at The Perry Street Theater with opening night scheduled for March 2nd.

In SAKE WITH THE HAIKU GEISHA, a trio of foreign teachers attend a party at a Japanese lodge hosted by a mysterious Geisha who only speaks in Haiku. Sake flows, secrets are revealed and hearts are opened in an evening that weaves together five interconnected tales of sexual mishaps, romance, and cross-cultural miscommunication.

The play was inspired in part by playwright Randall David Cook’s experiences in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. The program, created in 1987 by Japan’s Ministry of Education, brings teachers from English-speaking nations to instruct in Japanese schools and expose students to different cultures.

Randall David Cook’s play include Southern Discomfort; King MacBush II: A Shakespearean Tragedy of War, Greed and Strategerie; Fate’s Imagination; and Third Finger, Left Hand. His plays have been produced by theaters including Trilogy Theatre, Westbeth Theatre Center, Greenwich Street Theatre, John Houseman Studio Theatre, and Aronoff Centre (Cincinnati,OH). He has written two screenplays that were finalists for Sundance Filmmakers Lab. His one act play "Sushi and Scones" (which later became part of Sake with the Haiku Geisha) was first performed at the Dawlish Arts Festival in England in 1999, won the Best Play award at the South Carolina Playwrights Festival in 2000, was performed at the Japanese Embassy at the invitation of Japanese Ambassador Ando in 2003, and was produced by BBC Radio in December 2004.

The production stars David Shih, Emma Bowers (Strangers with Candy), Fiona Gallagher (Trust), Jeremy Hollingworth (Sly Fox, Fortune’s Fool), Angela Lin, Sala Iwamatsu (Avenue Q, Rent, Jewtopia), and Ikuma Isaac with scenic design by David Newell, sound design and original compositions by Allison Leyton-Brown, costumes by Charlene Alexis Gross, and lighting by Lucas Krech.

Alex Lippard received an Overall Excellence in Directing Award for Moonchild (starring Heather Tom) at FringeNYC 2004. His other directing credits include Hecuba (starring Kristin Linklater) at 45 Bleecker, Dogmusic (starring Kay Walbye and Deven May) at AMAS Musical Theater, All We Can Handle (starring Raul Esparza) at Joe's Pub, Machinal at Shakespeare NJ, Hedda Gabler at Century Center, and The Sun Also Rises at The Directors Company. He is the Artistic Director of Friendly Fire theater company. He is a 1998 Drama League Fellow and holds an MFA in Directing from Columbia University.

Gotham Stage Company is comprised of a diverse group of writers, actors, directors, designers and producers who strive to create thought-provoking theater for an equally diverse audience. Collaboration is the key ingredient in their approach to developing a piece and they encourage members to take on roles outside of their primary area of expertise. SAKE WITH THE HAIKU GEISHA marks their inaugural production. For more info visit gothamstage.org.

SAKE WITH THE HAIKU GEISHA runs February 24 - April 8, Tuesday - Friday at 8pm, Saturday 3pm & 8pm and Sunday at 3pm. The Perry Street Theater is located at 31 Perry Street (between 7th Ave & West 4th St. -- accessible from the 1 train at Christopher Street or the 2/3 at 14th St). Tickets are $40 for previews & $60 thereafter, available at 212-868-4444 or SmartTix.com.