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JUMP/ROPE
June 9 - 24 at Urban Stages

Square Peg Productions presents the New York Premiere of John Kuntz’s JUMP/ROPE beginning June 9th at Urban Stages. This new comic thriller is directed by Douglas Mercer. Opening night is slated for June 12th.

At the opening of JUMP/ROPE, the long relationship between Martin and Alex has begun to sour as a mysterious third party enters their lives. What ensues is both a hilarious puzzle and a murderous game as these three men compete for power and love. It is a bizarre triangle rooted in attraction, violence, and the fear of being alone.

The production stars John Kuntz, Bill Mootos and Nathan Flower, with set design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costumes by Valerie Marcus Ramshur, lighting by Paul Hackenmueller, sound by Michael Bogden and fight direction by Steve Ramshur.

Massachusetts native John Kuntz is a founding company member of Boston’s The Actors Shakespeare Project. As a playwright, his plays include Sing Me To Sleep, Glitterati, Emerald City, Miss Price, Freaks!, Jasper Lake and Starfuckers, which received an Off-Broadway run in 2003. He is the recipient of Elliot Norton, IRNE and New York International Fringe Festival Awards for "Outstanding Solo Performance." Jasper Lake received both the Michael Kanin and Paula Vogel National Playwrighting Awards. As an actor he has been seen in productions at New Repertory Theatre, Nora Theatre Company, Lyric Stage (including the Boston premiere of Fully Committed), Commonwealth Shakespeare and Huntington Theatre Company. Jump/Rope first appeared the Huntington Theatre Company, where John was a Playwrighting Fellow.

Douglas Mercer is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Square Peg Productions. From 2005-2007 Doug served as Associate Producing Artistic Director of The Acting Company. His New York directing credits include The Taming of the Shrew (OOBR award), Jasper Lake by John Kuntz (FringeNYC), Romeo and Juliet (The Acting Co) and As You Like It (Expanded Arts). His regional directing credits include Mamet’s Boston Marriage (The Guthrie Theater), The Moliere Comedies (UMKC), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Commonwealth Shakespeare Co.). He is graduate of Boston University.

Sara Katz, Douglas Mercer, and Betsey Katz founded Square Peg Productions in 2006. Square Peg Productions' mission is to foster the creation of original work by emerging playwrights in order to develop a new generation of writers who engage New York audiences. Their inaugural production was Ronan Noone’s The Atheist starring Chris Pine. For more information visit www.squarepegproductions.org

JUMP/ROPE runs June 9 - 24, Tuesday - Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm. (Please note: There is an added show Monday, June 11 at 8pm and no show on June 13.) Urban Stages is located at 259 West 30th Street (between 7th and 8th Aves, accessible from the #1 train at 28th Street). Tickets are $18, available at 212-868 4444 or SmartTix.com.