Savage in Limbo |
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The Tom Kane Theatre |
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| by John Patrick Shanley |
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| This production is dedicated to the memory of Jayne Haynes | ||
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Francis Shanley |
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Anthony Marino |
| Directed by Anthony Marino | ||
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SAVAGE IN LIMBO is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service. |
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From the (Artistic) Director
There are certain plays and playwrights that live in your head rent free. You don’t know if you’ll get to them, but you know they’re waiting for you. For me, John Patrick Shanley has always been one of those inevitabilities and Savage in Limbo one of those plays.
Directing it has been an honor. Getting to be in it at the same time is something even more personal. It’s messy, funny, painful, and deeply human and local. Exactly the kind of work that brooklynONE was built to do.
This wasn’t just the right play. It was the right moment. The company is in a period of real growth. The space is evolving. The audience is growing with us. A play about people stuck between who they are and who they could be hit at exactly the right time in that journey. An unexpected parallel that has allowed for deep creative and personal work.
Then this cast showed up. These actors didn’t just step into these roles. They brought themselves into the room in a way that made the work bold from day one. There’s no hiding in this play. You either go all the way or you don’t. Every single person involved chose to go there. Same goes for the crew, who have built a world that supports that kind of vulnerability without ever getting in the way of it. That’s what makes this one special.
And the truth is, none of this exists without the people who have built brooklynONE alongside us. The audience that keeps showing up. The artists who keep coming back. The community that has grown in that room over time. This kind of work only happens when there’s trust in the space, and that trust has been built show by show, year by year. This production belongs to that community as much as it does to anyone onstage.
brooklynONE isn’t perfect. It never has been. It has flaws. It has vulnerabilities. It’s still figuring things out in real time. It’s raw. It’s growing. And in a lot of ways, that’s exactly what this play is about. People trying to move forward while carrying everything that’s unfinished, unresolved, and uncertain. That tension between who you are and who you’re trying to become. That’s not just the story onstage. That’s the story of this company too.
brooklynONE has always been about building something real. Not just putting up shows, but creating a space where artists can take risks and audiences can feel something genuine. Something no algorithm can replicate. This production is forward momentum in that mission. A signal of where we’re headed.
There’s another layer to this that means a lot. You can’t work on a play like this without thinking about the writer. About what it meant when it was first written, and what it means now. Being able to do this work while that connection is present in the room adds a weight and responsibility we don’t take lightly. You hope you’re honoring that voice. You hope you’re doing justice to the work.
More than anything, I hope this is just the beginning. A deeper relationship to the type of work we produce, creatives we work with and who and what bkONE becomes beyond our 20th season.
— Anthony Marino Artistic Director, brooklynONE productions
Cast
Creative Team
brooklynONE productions
John Patrick Shanley
Alix Black
Ben Roth
Ariel Benjamin
Freddie Hamilton
Madison Edwards
Kevin Klakouski
Brandon Manderville
Kelly Gregory Bertolette
Peter DeVincenzo
Camille Loccisano
Michael LoPorto
Meet the Company
Anthony Marino
Anthony Marino is the co-founder and Artistic Director of brooklynONE productions, a Brooklyn-based performing arts company he launched in 2006 with Tom Kane. Under his leadership, brooklynONE has grown into a dynamic creative hub, producing theatre, film, music, and immersive arts programming while serving as a home for emerging and established artists alike.
A Brooklyn native, Anthony’s work is deeply rooted in the energy and diversity of the city. He began his artistic journey in community theatre and went on to study Theatre Arts at Wagner College, developing a style that blends contemporary edge with a respect for traditional storytelling.
Through brooklynONE, Anthony has helped shape a wide range of original productions, festivals, and multidisciplinary events, including works such as *The Heavens of Hell* and the feature film *The Way It Went Down* (2010). His leadership has also driven the creation of The Tom Kane Theatre at Industry City, now a black box performance space and cultural hub for Brooklyn’s arts community.
In addition to his producing and directing work, Anthony is an active performer, recently seen as St. Jimmy in *American Idiot* with brooklynONE, along with numerous readings, events, and ongoing collaborations with Dialogue with Three Chords. His work is grounded in building community through the arts, creating spaces where artists can take risks and audiences can engage with bold, original storytelling.
Tiffany Rexach (Tiff Rex)
Tiff is beyond thrilled to be a part of brookylnONE's 20th year with "Savage in Limbo" with an incredible cast and crew. (I still don't think they fully grasped it yet, bear with her!) She is a Queer, Puerto Rican multi-hyphenate based in Brooklyn, NY (#BayRidginal) and a proud bkONE core ensemble member. Past credits include: Magenta in "Rocky Horror Picture Show - Shadow Cast"; Ensemble in "American Idiot"; Le Beau/Hymen "As You Like It"; Titania in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"; Geraldine Barclay in "What the Butler Saw" (Heights Players). They would like to dedicate this (and all performances) to Mommy, Mami, Ed, Reagan, Jr, Jesse, the cast and crew of SiL, Anthony Marino, Michael Littig, Glen Washington, and - most of all - the bar ghosts of No Quarter, Red, White & Brew, JJ Bubbles, and Catch 22.
Francis Shanley
Francis Shanley makes his stage debut in Savage in Limbo. A New York native, he’s an artist and metalworker who is excited to be taking the leap into theatre.
Francis has worked as a metal artist and fabricator at Industry City, and now independently, Francis metal sculptures draw from his experiences restoring iconic NYC brownstones and hand made artistry that’s required in his field.
While not a stranger to the performing arts, he grew up around storytelling and theatre, he developed a deep respect and reverence for the work. Savage in Limbo at brooklynONE marks his first step into that world as a performer, taking on a role written by his father. Francis would like to dedicate this performance to his Mother, who originated the role of April.
Raye Levine
RAYE LEVINE - SHE/HER (SAG/AEA ACTRESS, AWARD WINNING WRITER, TONY-NOMINATED PRODUCER) BORN & RAISED IN NEW YORK CITY. A WILLIAM ESPER STUDIO GRAD. RECENT THEATRE (SELECTED): SAVAGE IN LIMBO BY JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY (BROOKLYNONE), UPSTATE PLAY BY ARI SELINGER, BOOKED BY CARLOS JEROME, ON THE 5:31 BY MANDO ALVARADO, EXTINCTION BY GABE MCKINLEY, LEVITICUS BY MANDI RIGGI (EST, 59E59 & EDINBURGH FRINGE), THE VOTE IN ORANGE (FRENCH EMBASSY), WETIKO (THE ACTOR'S STUDIO), FREEWAY BY JEN RUDIN (THEATER 54). FILM (SELECTED): ALMOST GRACE, MERRY GOOD ENOUGH (*BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE AWARD AT NHFF*), PINK FLAGS.
Meg Felling
Meg is ecstatic to be working with BrooklynONE again for their production of ‘Savage in Limbo’. Previously, Meg has performed in BrooklynONE’s new works, and Shakespeare festivals playing Nick Bottom in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' and Touchstone in 'As You Like It'. Most recently, she played The Criminologist and Trixie in BrooklynONE’s shadow cast of ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’.
Before branching out into acting, Meg got her start performing stand-up comedy. She continues to professionally annoy people across the tri-state area and the Midwest and has built a devoted single-digit fan base.
brooklynONE productions
brooklynONE productions (bkONE) was founded in 2006, now in its 20th year, by Anthony Marino and Tom Kane as a haven for emerging artists. Based in the heart of Brooklyn, the company develops bold, innovative, and experimental performances — from original works to reimagined classics — spanning theatre, film, music, mixed media, and more.
From 2006 to 2014, bkONE called the historic Church of the Generals in Bay Ridge home. When the church closed in 2014, the company entered a nomadic chapter — producing one-off events and performances throughout New York City from 2015 to 2022. That journey eventually led to a creative partnership with Industry City, where bkONE began performing regularly and ultimately established its permanent home: The Tom Kane Theatre, an intimate black box-style performance space at the center of a thriving arts community.
bkONE maintains strong ties to its Brooklyn roots and remains committed to fostering collaboration, supporting artists of all ages and experience levels, and expanding access to transformative performance experiences throughout NYC and beyond.
John Patrick Shanley
John Patrick Shanley is from The Bronx. His plays include Prodigal Son, Outside Mullingar
(Tony nomination), Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Savage in Limbo, Italian-American Reconciliation, Welcome to the Moon, Four Dogs and a Bone, Dirty Story, Defiance, Beggars in the House of Plenty, and Brooklyn Laundry. His theatrical work is performed extensively across the United States and around the world. For his play, Doubt, he received both the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize. In the arena of screenwriting, he has ten films to his credit, most recently Wild Mountain Thyme, with Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan, and Christopher Walken. His film of Doubt, with Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis, which he also directed, was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay. Other films include Five Corners (Special Jury Prize, Barcelona Film Festival), Alive, Joe Versus the Volcano (which he also directed), and Live From Baghdad for HBO (Emmy nomination). For his script of Moonstruck he received both the Writers Guild of America Award and an Academy Award for best original screenplay. In 2009, The Writers Guild of America awarded Mr. Shanley the Lifetime Achievement In Writing.
Alix Black
(She/her) Alix is thrilled to be back in the Tom Kane theater and this time in partnership with the great Anthony Marino.
Shoutout to the cast, crew, and John Patrick Shanley for the opportunity to give the most intricate, fun line notes I’ve experienced in my 25 years theater career.
Cheers to all the laughs, yohoos, and Lucy cuddles. It’s been a pleasure to be so silly and so serious at the same time. After all, what do you think this is… MANHATTAN??
Ben Roth
Ben is grateful to be a part of this production, and a part of bkONE’s community of artists. With bkONE, Ben directed a reimagined multiverse/ensemble production of The Last Five Years. He also stage managed/assistant directed American Idiot. Other directing credits include Finding Nemo Jr. and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for Playhouse Stage Company in the NY Capital Region. Thanks to Anthony for the chance to work with this talented cast and creative team.
Ariel Benjamin
Ariel Benjamin (they/them) is returning to brooklynONE after previously designing the lights for The Last Five Years. They have worked regionally and internationally in theatre, dance, opera, and broadcast television. Currently, Ariel is the lighting designer for the Tamron Hall Show on ABC since its launch in 2019. They are also a Faculty Mentor for the MFA in Theatre Arts Program at Randolph College. Ariel received their MFA in Theatre Design from the University of Maryland and their BA in Theatre Arts from SUNY New Paltz. They are a member of USA 829 and NABET and a proud native of Brooklyn, NY. Love to Lemon.
Freddie Hamilton
Freddie Hamilton is a freelance production and graphic designer. She started her career designing logos for apparel brands and has been a prop master and, scenic artist for indie productions.
When she isn’t working, she listens to audiobooks, plays the occasional video game, and sings along loudly to music in the car.
Madison Edwards
Madison is ecstatic to be joining brooklynONE for another incredible production! With a BFA in Film and Theatre Production from NYU's Tisch School of The Arts, Madison is a multidisciplinary artist, designer, and costume fabricator who simply can't resist a period piece. She has costume designed two previous BrooklynONE shows, "Dog Sees God" (2025) and "A Good Reason to be Afraid" (2025) and hopes to do many more. From 10th century viking garb to sci-fi Elizabethan swag, Madi loves nothing more than to put a good outfit together. In her free time, she plays the piano (badly) and patches things up for her friends (excellently).
Kevin Klakouski
Kevin is beyond happy to be a part of this team and get his hands dirty painting the stage floor. Kevin is a illustration grad of Paier Art School and had the opportunity to get a Scenic Painters Certificate Degree from the Yale / David Geffen School of Drama. It has been a while since Kevin worked on a theater show, ever since he chose restaurant management over scenic design. His Off-Broadway set design credits include Daddy Issues (St Clements), Rabbit Hole (Davenport) and multiple one act shows. His assistant scenic design works include Disaster! The Musical (Nederlander), and oddly enough, The Duck Commander Musical (Rio Casino).
You can find Kevin managing the bar across from this theater at Frying Pan Brooklyn.
Brandon Manderville
Brooklyn Native, founder of the Production House Manderfilm, and member of the bkONE core Ensemble. When I'm not on set or on the stage, you can find me composing for films and editing too many projects in my office.
Kelly Gregory Bertolette
Kelly holds a Bachelor's degree in Arts Administration with a concentration in Theatre from Wagner College and a Master of Public Administration degree from Villanova University. She is currently the Director of Philanthropic Partnerships for Hope+Door, a national nonprofit organization that helps families facing eviction. She has been in nonprofit development for ten years, raising millions of dollars for organizations via special events, grants, corporate partnerships, and individual philanthropy. This fall, she will stage manage Spinner at the Players Club of Swarthmore in Swarthmore, PA.
Peter DeVincenzo
Peter is so pleased to be part of the brooklynONE community. He is a Brooklyn native and his history with the people behind this company goes back further than memory can reach. Peter has had the privilege of working in K-12 education throughout his career as well as supporting theater nonprofits, including bkONE and CO/LAB. He is proud to play a very small part in the work.
Camille Loccisano
Camille Orrichio Loccisano has a background as a nonprofit leader and community advocate. A published food writer and cookbook author, she is proud to serve on the Board of Directors as Vice President and Recording Secretary for brooklynONE Productions. She is a strong believer in a solid and nurturing place for every artist to grow and shine in their creativity. She looks forward to more years supporting brooklynONE as stories are told and art is expressed in countless imaginative ways.
Michael LoPorto
Michael LoPorto is a New York City–based stage director
He serves on the board of the Tom Kane Theatre at BrooklynONE Productions and is a co-founder of the Dialogue with Three Chords theatre collective, where he has been involved in developing and presenting original work in an ongoing, collaborative setting for over 15 years.
Outside of directing, Michael serves as the Associate Director of Student Success at Brooklyn College and plays drums for the punk rock band The Deacons.
He is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Photos
The Cast of Savage in Limbo. Photo by Kevin Parada
The Cast. Photo by Kevin Parada
Articles
Kyra Sedgwick and More To Star in THE DEMAND OF AVARICE as Part of Cherry Lane Alternative Relaunch
Cherry Lane Alternative is relaunching month with a new iteration of works in progress and artist mentorships, following a six-year hiatus, under the new leadership of Mary Geerlof as Artistic Director. Founded in 1997 by Angelina Fiordellisi, Cherry Lane Alternative's mission is to support playwrights and small theater companies whose programs uplift emerging writers, enhancing our culture’s literary landscape and, consequently, the future of American drama.
Cherry Lane Alternative separated from the Cherry Lane Theatre after the venue was acquired by the indie film studio A24, allowing the Alternative to continue its cultural development into the future. Cherry Lane Alternative’s programming includes the Obie Award-winning Mentor Project, the Tongues reading series, and various programs and grants that support emerging artists and new works.
The Tongues reading series, named in honor of director Joseph Chaikin and playwright Sam Shepard’s Cherry Lane play of the same name, relaunches with a staged reading of The Demand of Avarice, written by Matthew McLachlan, directed by David Zayas Jr., and co-presented by Clayton Howe of Roxedge Entertainment. The reading will be held Monday, April 27th at 7:00pm at The Clark Studio Theater at Lincoln Center (Samuel B. & David Rose Building, 165 West 65th Street). The cast stars Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer), Owen Teague (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), David Zayas (“Dexter”), and Screen Actor Guild Award winner Garret Dillahunt (“Raising Hope,” 12 Years a Slave). Casting is by Caparelliotis Casting / David Caparelliotis, CSA and Joe Gery. The reading will be general managed by Ampersand Theatrical Management. A reception will follow the reading. In The Demand of Avarice, the world’s three richest billionaires are kidnapped by a masked vigilante who demands a price their wealth cannot meet.
Cherry Lane Alternative is in development on Remember Me Remember by Lisa Ramirez and Esai’s Table by Nathan Yungerberg.
Cherry Lane Alternative’s Mentor Project is the Obie-Award Winning legacy program dedicated to launching the next generation of American dramatists. Mentor Project engages leading playwrights in one-on-one mentoring relationships with early-career writers. Over the course of a season, mentors guide their writers through the challenging process of new play development—from readings, rewrites, and casting, through rehearsals and performance. The program culminates in fully-staged productions, following the core belief that there is no better teacher for a playwright than experiencing a play as it was intended: in living, luminous shape on stage, in the company of an audience.
Previous Cherry Lane Alternative mentor & mentee pairings have included: Lina Patel & David Henry Hwang, Jocelyn Bioh & Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Nathan Yungerberg & Stephen Adly Guirgis, Antoinette Nwandu & Katori Hall, C.A. Johnson & Martyna Majok, Kate Cortesi & Anne Washburn, Rajiv Joseph & Theresa Rebeck, Jen Silverman & Lynn Nottage, and Bridgette Wimberly & Wendy Wasserstein. For a complete list of past Cherry Lane Alternative mentor/mentee pairings, please visit clalt.org.
For more information, please visit clalt.org.
BrooklynONE to Stage John Patrick Shanley's SAVAGE IN LIMBO
BROOKLYNONE has announced their premiere production of Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award–winning playwright John Patrick Shanley's SAVAGE IN LIMBO, directed by Anthony Marino. SAVAGE IN LIMBO will play a limited engagement at The Tom Kane Theatre at brooklynONE productions (51 35th St, Industry City, Building 5, Brooklyn, NY 11232).
In a special highlight for audiences and a first-ever, Francis Shanley, son of John Patrick Shanley, will make his onstage debut performing in his father's landmark play. Performances begin Thursday, April 23, and continue through Sunday, May 3. Opening Night is Thursday, April 23 (8 p.m.).
First premiering in 1985, SAVAGE IN LIMBO has become one of John Patrick Shanley's most enduring works. Set in a dive bar, the play follows a group, restless and trapped, searching for meaning, identity, and a way forward. Through Shanley's sharp dialogue, humor, and raw emotional honesty, the characters wrestle with ambition, frustration, love, and the universal fear of not knowing if you can be more than the person you are.
“SAVAGE IN LIMBO is one of those plays that just grabs you and never lets go,” says director Marino. “It's funny, painful, and brutally honest about that moment in life when you're trying to figure out who you are and where you're going. To finally bring it to life with this incredible cast feels exactly right. Having Francis Shanley step into his father's work makes the whole thing even more special. In our 20th year at brooklynONE, we're pushing ourselves to raise the bar with every production and continue expanding our cultural footprint in Brooklyn.”
The production stars Meg Felling (brooklynONE's Winter Shorts Fest, Peer Pressure Comedy Group) as April White, Raye Levine-Spielberg (The Velvet Hammer, Screech) as Linda Rotunda, Anthony Marino (The Heavens of Hell, The Way it Went Down) as Murk, Tiffany Rexach (brooklynONE's MIdsummer Nights Dream) as Denise Savage, and Francis Shanley (Doubt) as Tony Aronica
The production will also feature a special talkback with John Patrick Shanley following the Saturday, May 2 performance, offering audiences a rare opportunity to engage directly with one of the most celebrated playwrights of the Modern American Theatre.
The production features scenic design by Freddie Hamilton & Kevin Klakouski, costume design by Madison Edwards, and lighting design by Ariel Benjiman. Isaiah Rothstein is the sound designer, and Alix Black is the stage manager. Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.
John Patrick Shanley's THE PUSHOVER Extends Run Off-Broadway
The world premiere production of John Patrick Shanley's The Pushover, directed by Kirk Gostkowski, has added an additional week to its limited engagement at the Chain Theatre Off-Broadway. Performances began Friday, April 3rd, with opening night Monday, April 6th (7:00 p.m.), and now runs through Saturday, May 2nd.
The Chain Theatre will welcome John Patrick Shanley on Thursday, April 16th for a post-show talkback about the production.
The Pushover is a play about three bad-ass women who collide and collude at a spa in New Mexico, and a bare-bones Asian restaurant in Queens. Dangerous and hungry, their weapons and their passions bleed into each other. They speak the language of the outcast, rough and sexual, and fight to survive, and to love.
The production stars Rebecca De Mornay as Evelyn, known from films such as Risky Business and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, who collaborated previously with John Patrick Shanley on a benefit reading of one-acts titled Outcasts. The cast also includes Di Zhu* as Pearl, Christina Toth* as Soochie, and Christopher Sutton* as the therapist. *The Actor or Stage Manager appears through the courtesy of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
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brooklynONE productions (bkONE) was founded in 2006 by Anthony Marino and Tom Kane as a haven for emerging artists. Based in the heart of Brooklyn, the company develops bold, innovative, and experimental performances — from original works to reimagined classics — spanning theatre, film, music, mixed media, and more.
From 2006 to 2014, bkONE called the historic Church of the Generals in Bay Ridge home. When the church closed in 2014, the company entered a nomadic chapter — producing one-off events and performances throughout New York City from 2015 to 2022. That journey eventually led to a creative partnership with Industry City, where bkONE began performing regularly and ultimately established its permanent home: The Tom Kane Theatre, an intimate black box-style performance space at the center of a thriving arts community.
bkONE maintains strong ties to its Brooklyn roots and remains committed to fostering collaboration, supporting artists of all ages and experience levels, and expanding access to transformative performance experiences throughout NYC and beyond.
DONATE HERE
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