Urban Stages Presents the American Premiere of

UNSEAMLY

A new play written by OREN SAFDIE

Featuring GIZEL JIMENEZ, TOMMY SCHRIDER, and JONATHAN SILVER

Directed by SARAH C. CARLSEN
Set and Costume Designer: BRIAN DUDKIEWICZ
Lighting Designer: CHRISTINA WATANABE
Sound Designer: DOUGLAS MILLS
Video Designer: NICHOLAS BLADE GULDNER
TD and Set Construction: JOHN LAVIGNE
Production Stage Manager & Composer: KRYSTLE HENNINGER
Assistant Stage Manager: ALEXANDER NIXON
Choreographer & Dance Captain: GIZEL JIMENEZ
Master Electrician & Assistant Lighting Designer: SARAH STOLNACK
Press Representative: JOE TRENTACOSTA, JT PUBLIC RELATIONS
Advertising and Marketing: AMANDA BOHAN
House Managers: ASTRID PERKINS & MAN DISNIE SEBASTIAN
Theatre Maintenance: IRA JASINOVER

Urban Stages
259 West 30th Street (between Seventh & Eighth Avenues)
(212) 421-1380 or www.urbanstages.org
October 14 – November 1, 2015; Opening Night – 10/14/15

A former employee (Gizel Jimenez) meets with an attorney (Tommy Schrider) to discuss the possibility of suing the CEO of a well-known clothing company (Jonathan Silver) for sexual harassment. Oren Safdie’s UNSEAMLY is a play about boundaries, pushing limits, and crossing lines. It begins with an interpretative chair dance by the sexy young employee (Jimenez) and a job interview that gives a hint of what is to come. As the attorney attempts to evaluate the validity of the charges, it is clear that nothing is clear. Company CEO Silver talks non-stop weaving sexual innuendos and harassment with compliments, work concepts, and promises of a bright future. Jemenez does a similar weaving job with innocence and sexual awakening. Both sides of the story are subject to interpretation, and the truth will be determined by who holds the power. How do you sanction a company that is known for risqué advertising and the exploitation of women? And who is exploiting whom? The cast does a fine job with the dualities of their characters.

UNSEAMLY is a fast-paced, thought-provoking work kept on pace by Director Sarah C. Carlsen. Safdie uses humor, violence, and sex to tell a story that has become all too common in the workplace. The influence may have been the well-known American Apparel sexual harassment scandals, but unfortunately there are other companies that could fill this role.

- Laurie Lawson -