Living Lotus Project in association with Test400K.org and Julie Smolyansky presents

PHOENIX RISING - Girls and the Secrets We Keep
www.PhoenixRisingThePlay.org

Written and Directed by LAURA GOSHEFF

The Cast
KRISTEN VAUGHAN, JULIA PETERSON, RACHEL HAAS
MIRANDA ROLDAN, NICHOLLETTE SHORTS, and WHITNEY BIANCUR

Set Design: SHERYL LIU
Lighting Design: SETH REISER
Costume Design: ANGELA HARNER
Sound Design: JULIAN EVANS
Music Design: LENA GABRIELLE
Movement: JAVIER BACA
Production Stage Manager: DEREK BADO
Assistant Production Stage Manager: ANDRA SURDEANU
Assistant Stage Manager: CHOLE KAYE
Production Director: JOSH SHERER

Lion Theatre @ Theatre Row
410 West 42nd Street (between Ninth & Tenth Avenues)
www.telecharge.com or (212) 239-6200
June 24 – July 16; Opening Night – 06/28/16

Laura Gosheff’s PHOENIX RISING, Girls and the Secrets We Keep, is an ambitious play that deals with the ugly undersides of mistreatments and violations of women. Involuntarily gathered in unruly group counseling sessions, five high school girls reveal secrets and abuses that have shaped (or misshaped) their young lives. There’s hard-nosed cynic Angela (Julia Peterson), good girl Edwina (Nichollette Shorts), self-absorbed shallow Carmen (Miranda Roldan), promiscuous Lola (Whitney Biancur), and drug-addicted Jolie (Rachel Haas) who views the group from afar. They are guided and supported by group leader Grace (Kristen Vaughan) who is a modern-day optimistic Mary Poppins.

This ensemble provides some intense acting, made even more potent by the fact that their revelations are based on true stories. They proudly display their hard-won armors of protection and survival, as well as poignant vulnerabilities that manage to slip through occasionally. The gatherings alternate between a 12-step meeting and a life coaching session interspersed with rituals, dance, song, mysticism, and fantasy. Grace speaks in platitudes of encouragements and positivity as the girls are given a safe space to explore their authentic feelings. A little hokey but effective.

There are many reasons to see PHOENIX RISING. The acting is superb, Gosheff is shining a light on all-too-common problems that continue to plague females, there is a uniqueness and sincerity in the story telling, and best of all - $5 of your ticket purchase will go toward eliminating the 400,000 untested rape kits across the country. Go to www.test400k,org for more information.

- Laurie Lawson -