TONIGHT: ARMS and the MAN

Streaming tonight at 7PM ET

Aug 14, 2020

Tonight’s the night! No Exit Theatre Collective presents ARMS AND THE MAN, directed by co-artistic director Ben Natan.

George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man, directed by Ben Natan, will be performed today, August 14 at 7 p.m. on the No Exit Theatre Collective Facebook page. All shows in our Fortnightly Reading Series are abridged to run less than 90 minutes, with a Q&A with the artists to follow.

George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man is directed by Ben Natan, co-artistic director. The cast will feature Jackie Alexis as Raina, Meagan Sisler as Bluntschli, Daniel Cabrera as Sergius, Kym Zlogar as Louka, Tessa Ramírez-Keough as Catherine, Keith Hale as Major Petkoff, Kassandra Pérez as Nicola/Officer, and Emma Josephine Rucci, Swing. Technical directed by Daisy Phillips. Script managed by Caity MacNeill.

Director’s note, from co-artistic director Ben Natan

Working on Shaw was a pleasure, but certainly no walk in the park. As I continue to grow as a director, I found new challenges in “Arms in the Man” that my previous explorations (Hamlet, Iphigenia, etc) did not pose. The presence of subtext and interpretation in this play puts so much more in the hands of the actor and director, where classical theatre text is so often a roadmap to character and story.
The challenge, though daunting to me at first, was quickly assuaged by the presence of such gifted actors. The democracy of our creative space truly flourished with a piece like this, because we banded together to figure out this wonderful play and illustrate its colorful characters. As a director, I am disinterested by my singular experience of a text or characters when it comes to telling a story with others. It is so much more enjoyable and enriching when the gift of such rich text is shared amongst collaborators.
Considering that we are working with the works of the dogmatically democratic George Bernard Shaw, I would like to think that this is theatre making within his vision. As you watch tonight, appreciate what a collectivist creative space can achieve in only a few days time. I know that is how I will remember this experience.

Honoring the activist roots of theatre and our artists is at the core of No Exit Theatre Collective. We seek to affect change with our work. With each production we put on, the creative team selects a social justice organization to support. Our support comes from our virtual tip jar, which is on Venmo @NoExit-TC.

This week, we will be supporting the Wallace Foundation.

“Recently, one of our members lost a close loved one. In order to honor their memory, we are supporting the Wallace Foundation for this week’s show. The Wallace Foundation provides artistic opportunities and resources for underserved and less privileged communities. At NETC, we believe in radical accessibility and know what truly makes an artist is the chance to be creative,” said co-artistic director Ben Natan.

Jackie Alexis is an afrolatine nonbinary performer that started acting at the age of 7 years old. They've studied Theatre/Performance at LaGuardia Community College, NYU, and American Academy of Dramatic Arts. They have worked in video game cinematics, multimedia exhibitions, television, and numerous plays throughout New York City. Previous productions include Stickfly (Cheryl), Detroit '67 (Chelle), Make Sky Flow Honey (Self), and more.

Meagan Sisler is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch, where she trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and the Experimental Theatre Wing. Her past credits include Brilliant Traces (Rosannah), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena), Punk Rock (Lilly), and the premiere of Of the Sea (Aoife) at Dixon Place.

Daniel Cabrera is a New York city based actor who has performed in London, NYC and Santa Fe. He graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the arts in 2017 with a BFA. He trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. This is Daniel's third time reading for NETC's Fortnightly Reading Series. He recently had a blast reading for The Old Man in Iphigenia directed by Ben Natan and Orsino in Twelfth Night directed by Caitlyn McCain. Other recent credits include, Audrey/Corin in Match:Lit's production of As You Like It, Claudio in Barefoot Shakespeare and Company of Fools Production of Measure for Measure and Lysander in Santa Fe Shakespeare's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. To see more of Daniel and what he's up to next, visit danielcabreraactor.com. Enjoy!

Kym Zlogar is a Brooklyn based actor and educator who is thrilled to join No Exit’s reading of Arms and the Man. Kym moved to the city after graduating from the Elon University BFA Acting program and has been performing and teaching ever since.

Notable roles include CB’s Sister (Dog Sees God), Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Prejudice), and Reno Sweeney (Anything Goes), with featured performances in Angels in America and The Vagina Monologues. Since 2016, Kym has been performing as a member of Tuff Boys, a NYC based theatre and film production company. With the Tuff Boys, Kym has been featured in numerous 24 Hour Musicals performed at the People’s Improv Theatre, and several short films and television pilots.

Tessa Ramírez-Keough is happy to be returning to NETC! Tessa is a performer, filmmaker, and activist. Through her studies of Visual Storytelling at NYU, she has discovered her love for beauty and style both on stage and on screen. Acting credits: Viola, "Twelfth Night;" Don Pedro/Conrade, "Much Ado About Nothing" (NETC); Toiba, "The Argentinian Prostitute Play" (BBTF); Vera, "It Came From Beyond" (Write Act Rep). SM credits: “Frankenstein,” “BFF,” “Wicked City Blues,” and “Geeks! The Musical” (Write Act Rep). She was also Company Manager for Little Lord’s “Skinnamarink” (NYT’s Critic’s Pick). When she’s not performing, she volunteers for the Sunrise Movement and Alumni for Change. She is thankful for her family, friends, Connor, and everyone that has brought her so much joy and so many opportunities. Black lives matter.

Keith Hale is happy to be returning to No Exit, after appearing as Tesman in their reading of Hedda Gabler earlier this summer. A Brooklyn-based actor and educator, Keith has worked at regional Shakespeare theaters around the country, including The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Commonwealth Shakespeare Co., and Elm Shakespeare. Most recently, Keith finished filming a virtual production of As You Like It with Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival, set to be released in early September. You can also catch him in the original short film, Anastasis, directed by Tzvi Friedman, premiering on Youtube later this month. He is a proud alumnus of Elon University's BFA Acting program. www.keithjhale.com

Kassandra Pérez is an actor, writer, creator, applied theatre practitioner and singer and is currently pursuing her MA in applied theatre from CUNY SPS. She has worked in numerous productions off-Broadway and in regional theatres. She is driven by a desire to create and be a member of forward thinking productions all with the intent of using theatre and performance art to evoke change for the better. Kassandra is very excited to be a part of this production.

Emma Josephine Rucci is an actor based in Southern New England and the Tristate Area. She is a recent graduate of Drew University where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts. She is also a 2019 alum of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Acting Apprenticeship Program. Emma is thrilled to be making her No Exit debut this week!

Daisy Phillips is so excited to return to No Exit as Tech Director for "Arms and the Man"! She's a recent college grad and NYC-based Producer and Stage Manager. Off-Broadway: “The Argentinian Prostitute Play,” “OGYGIA,” “The Treatment.” College Stage Management highlights include: “Starlight Express!” “10 Out of 12,” and “A Very Pretty Word.” She is currently working as a Producing Associate at Honest Accomplice Theatre. Find her online at daisylphillips.com