CIRCLE stars Bob Brader and Anna BridgforthLimited Engagement: January 14–16 in New York City

New York, N.Y. - Suzanne Bachner’s award-winning play CIRCLE returns to New York City for a limited preview engagement ahead of its August run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The acclaimed production previously enjoyed a five-month Off-Broadway run, extensive national performances, and a four-month, seven-city sold-out international tour. Longtime collaborators Anna Bridgforth and Bob Brader star in the two-hander.

CIRCLE has garnered numerous honors, including “Most Daring Play” at the London International Fringe Festival, an OOBR Award for “Excellence in Theatre”, and was chosen as a “Hot Pick” at the Montreal Fringe Festival. Critical praise has been equally enthusiastic, with The New York Times calling the play “ingenious,” Backstage hailing it as “elegantly written and moving,” and the New York Post describing it as “witty, knowing, and compassionate.”

SEX. POWER. INTIMACY. DESIRE.

In this award-winning comedy, two actors portray eight interconnected characters in a fast, funny daisy chain of sexual encounters that crisscrosses the country—from New York to Los Angeles and back again.

A country music star, a German exchange student, a cybersex novice, an estranged husband, a submissive, a frat boy, and a lesbian best friend all collide in a witty, provocative exploration of sex, power, intimacy, and the universal longing for human connection.

Bold, timely, and sharply observed, CIRCLE turns desire into a revealing—and hilarious—map of modern relationships.

Produced by JMTC Theatre and directed by Bachner, CIRCLE is associate produced and assistant directed by Nathan Faudree, and associate produced by Linda Movish. The creative/production team includes, technical direction by Chris Kateff, lighting design by Katie Chai, graphic design by Michael Koch, and video production by Shar Adrias.

CIRCLE runs January 14 - 16 with performances on Wednesday, January 14 at 7pm, Thursday, January 15 at 7pm, and Friday, January 16 at 7pm. Tickets start at $20 and are available at www.circletheplay.com and at door (if available) $25 (cash/venmo).

Performances take place at Chain Theatre (312 W 36th St, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10018) as part of The Factory Series @ChainTheatre, which provides renters with production support which may include subsidized space, rehearsal studios, and equipment and the overarching marketing, publicity, and technology enhancements for the theater.

BIOGRAPHIES 

Suzanne Bachner (Playwright & Director) is an award-winning playwright and director and native New Yorker. Her trio of long-running NYC hit plays includes CIRCLE, which ran for five months Off Broadway, won Most Daring Show of the London Fringe in its Sold-Out International Tour and was called “ingenious” by The New York Times. She created and directed two cult hits: Icons & Outcasts, which transferred to The Duplex for a six-month run, and BITE, the choose-your-own-adventure comedy with 968 unique scripted permutations which had a five-month NYC run and international tour. Other playwriting and directing credits include the 14-actor San Diego commission and marriage equality epic, Brilliant Mistake, and her celebrated kaleidoscopic memoir play, We Call Her Benny. Suzanne’s totally true solo show, The Good Adoptee, which won the Best Autobiographical Script Award at the United Solo Theatre Festival, has toured to the London International Fringe Festival and across the U.S., has been part of law and life-changing adoptee rights advocacy and connected with global audiences in its virtual presentations. Suzanne studied playwriting with Romulus Linney and Adrienne Kennedy and holds an MFA from the Actors Studio Drama School at the New School University. She is a four-time OOBR Award winner and a member of the Dramatists Guild. Broadway World called her work “the future of theatre.” www.SuzanneBachner.com

Anna Bridgforth (Actor) has lived and worked in New York City since 2004. Her early work includes a series of independent horror films and Off-Off Broadway productions, including BITE and We Call Her Benny, both written by Suzanne Bachner. In 2015, Anna premiered the one-woman show The Good Adoptee—also written and directed by Bachner—at the United Solo Theater Festival, where she won the Best Actress award. She performed Bite and The Good Adoptee at the Orlando International Fringe and London International Fringe festivals, respectively. In 2008, Anna began performing burlesque under the stage name Boo Bess. As Boo, she has performed at venues across the U.S. and internationally, including The Slipper Room, House of Yes, City Winery and Soho House and she has been the resident emcee at Bathtub Gin NYC since 2013. In 2018, she received the Most Innovative award at the Burlesque Hall of Fame for her duet with Jenny C’est Quoi. In 2017, Anna wrote and directed a trailer for a series concept titled By Night, exploring the duality of life as a nightlife performer. The project led to a television development deal with MadGene Media. As an emcee, Anna (aka Boo) has hosted Mavericks at The Plaza Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas and currently serves as the host of The Miss Behave Show for Virgin Voyages. She is currently developing and workshopping her own one-woman show titled Skin Hungry. www.AnnaBridgforth.com

Bob Brader (Actor) is an award-winning writer, actor, storyteller and monologist. Spitting In The Face Of The Devil, Bob’s acclaimed solo show, has toured all over the U.S. and Canada and won 7 Best of Awards including Best Show of the London Fringe and Best Script and Best Encore at the United Solo Theatre Festival. Bob’s new retelling of the story on the RISK! Podcast was called by RISK! creator and host Kevin Allison: "An absolute stunner. Bob Brader's story ‘Spitting in the Face Of The Devil’ is one of our best episodes ever." Bob made his international debut at the London Fringe Festival with his second solo show, Preparation Hex, a hemorrhoid tale and love story, which toured Canada and played in NYC at the Directors Company and the United Solo Festival. His monologue, Smoker, had its world premiere on Theatre Row as part of United Solo, where it won the Best Autobiographical Show Award and went on to a highly acclaimed Canadian tour. Bob’s numerous acting credits include headlining the two-actor NYC run as well as the sold-out international tour of CIRCLE (Most Daring Show, London Fringe). He was in the original cast of We Call Her Benny and performed in both the recent tour and original five-month NYC run of BITE with JMTC Theatre, for which he is Executive Director. Other New York Theatre credits include Bryan Enk and Matt Gray’s supernatural theatrical serial, Penny Dreadful, at the Brick Theater (Teddy Roosevelt) and numerous DMTheatrics’ productions: Girls School Vampire, Bitch Macbeth, Who in the Hell is the Real Live Lorelei Lee? and Antony and Cleopatra (Caesar, OOBR Award). Film credits include Eat Me and DelanoCelli Productions’ award-winning Brooklyn in July. Bob trained with the Stella Adler Conservatory at the Tisch School of the Arts and is a member of the United Solo Academy, SAG-AFTRA and the Dramatists Guild. www.BobBrader.com

JMTC Theatre is an award-winning, independent, international, artist-driven NYC-based theatre company that transforms personal stories into powerful theatre. JMTC combines Art and Advocacy, partnering with nonprofit organizations to raise both funds and awareness and invite engagement and social change. www.JMTCTheatre.com

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Photo: CIRCLE stars Bob Brader and Anna Bridgforth