ERIC KREBS
TO PRESENT THE WORLD PREMIERE OFF BROADWAY OF
“RULES OF DESIRE”
A NEW PLAY
BY WILLIAM MASTROSIMONE
DIRECTED BY WILLIAM ROUDEBUSH
FEATURING:
TRISTAN BIBER, McKENNA HARRINGTON, CHRISTOPHER SUTTON
PERFORMANCES BEGIN TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
OPENING NIGHT IS SET FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020
PERFORMANCES CONTINUE THROUGH MARCH 21, 2020
THE PLAYROOM THEATER
(151 WEST 46th STREET – JUST EAST OF BROADWAY)
TICKETS NOW ON SALE
New York, NY (1/22/2020) – Producer Eric Krebs announced today that Rules of Desire, a new play by award-winning playwright William Mastrosimone (Extremities), will have its world premiere Off Broadway in a limited engagement next month. Performances are set to begin on Tuesday, February 11th at 7:30pm at The Playroom Theatre (151 West 46th Street – just east of Broadway). Opening Night is set for Monday, February 24th, 2020 at 7:30pm. Performances will continue through March 21, 2020.
A startling and timely play by the author of Extremities, Rules of Desire, explores issues of power, self-preservation and profound humanism in the context of a frightening, beautiful drama. Three characters battle for love, lust and survival with stealth and a surprising element of comedy.
Directed by William Roudebush, the cast will feature newcomers Tristan Biber and McKenna Harrington making their New York stage debuts, and Christopher Sutton (God Shows Up, Spamalot).
Tristan Biber 
McKenna Harrington 
Christopher Sutton
“Just when I thought there was nothing new and exciting for me in the theater, I went to a one-night reading of Rules of Desire,” says producer Eric Krebs. “It knocked my head off, and the next day I offered to produce it. It is beautifully written, frightening and profound. We have assembled a first-rate cast of three, two of whom, I am proud to say, will make their New York City debuts in Rules of Desire. Watch out! This play is dangerously provocative.”
The creative team for Rules of Desire includes Rob Wolin (set design), Joseph Shrope (costume design), Joan Racho-Jansen (lighting design) and Andy Evan Cohen (projection and sound design). Michael Tosto is Production Stage Manager.
Rules of Desire will play the following performance schedule: Monday through Saturday at 7:30pm. All tickets are $59 and may be purchased online at www.rulesofdesiretheplay.com.
BIOS
William Mastrosimone (Playwright) made his professional debut with The Woolgatherer in 1981 at Circle Rep in NYC with Peter Weller and in LA with Lauren Hutton (L.A. Drama Critics Best Play 1982). Extremities followed in 1982 at Westside Arts with Susan Sarrandon (Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Play 1982-83). In 1985 the play became a feature film by the same title staring Farrah Fawcett. His play Nanawatai! became a feature film called The Beast (1988) produced by Sir David Puttnam/Columbia. His play Tamer Of Horses appeared at Crossroads Theatre and Los Angeles Theatre Center (NAACP Best Play 1988) staring Joe Morton and Esai Morales. His mini-series Sinatra aired in 1992 (Golden Globe Award for Best Mini Series 1992). In 1994, his spec movie With Honors was performed by Joe Pesce. His film The Burning Season was the final work of the late Raul Julia. (Humanitas Award 1995 for Best Teleplay and Best Director, the late great John Frankenheimer, 3 Golden Globes, and 2 Emmys). In 1998 his play Bang Bang You’re Dead became the most performed high school play in the USA, and in 2002 became a Showtime cable movie of the same title. (5 Emmy Awards, and the Peabody Award). Benedict Arnold aired on A&E cable in 2003. In 2004 he created, was head writer for, and co-produced Into The West for Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks (16 Emmy nominations). His play Ride The Tiger premiered at the Florida Stage, and later at the Long Wharf. Some of his other plays include A Stone Carver, Cat’s-Paw, Sunshine, The Afghan Women, Like Totally Weird, Proud Flesh, and Oblivion. His life and work are dedicated to his wife Sharon and their 5 children.
William Roudebush (Director) A current member of the Playwright/Director Unit at The Actors Studio where Rules of Desire was first read. He lives in New York City with his wife, actress Terri Garber, and teaches a weekly acting class based on his book “Acting By Mistake.” Since (retiring) a few years ago his primary focus has been developing new works. Bill has been directing for over forty years in the “regions”: Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Cleveland Playhouse and, later, producing and directing at Cleveland’s Hanna Theatre. He’s directed 14 productions at Philadelphia’s historic Walnut Street Theatre where he spent an additional four years developing far reaching, award winning theatre outreach programs as well as enrolling over five hundred students in Walnut’s professional development programs. He was presented with a Barrymore Award for Best Director of the Mumpuppettheatre production of Peter Shaffer’s Equus. Most recently he directed Austin Pendleton in a Cleveland revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross (Voted #2 in Cleveland’s top ten for 2019). Rule of Desire marks Bill’s return to the New York theatre scene after a 23 year absence, during which time he taught at seven different universities including: The University of the Arts, Temple University, The New World School of the Arts and the University of Miami while continuing his freelance directing at such theatres as: Syracuse Stage Company, Delaware Theatre Company, The Barter Theatre and The Fulton…well over 200 productions in all. In 1990 he had the distinct pleasure of directing a reading series entitled Ten More By Noonan produced at the John Houseman Theatre by none other than Eric Krebs. Bill also directed and taught in the early days of the Mint Theatre genesis as well as the American Academy Of Dramatic Arts. In April, Bill will produce and direct a showcase production of Tony DiMurro’s new play 1-2-3 Manhunt at Theatre For A The New City. All of this information and too much more can be found on his website at www.williamroudebush.com.
Tristan Biber (Matt) was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, and attended Kenyon College in Gambier Ohio where he double majored in Film and Anthropology. In college, Tristan appeared in All My Sons by Arthur Miller as Chris Keller, and in Marvin’s Room by Scott McPherson as Hank. He is deeply honored to be part of the Rules of Desire cast, and excited to tackle his off-Broadway debut.
McKenna Harrington (Felicia) most recently appeared in The Mountains Look Different with The Mint Company. A member of Fordham Theatre’s Class of 2020, she thanks the ROD team for accommodating her so that she can graduate in May! Previous Fordham credits include Icarus’s Mother, Blasted, and The Way West. She spent the fall of last year in Mexico City at Universidad Iberoamericana and shooting a pilot for the telenovela “La Promesa.” She would like to thank her mom and dad, her brother Griffin, as well as Clay, Ella, and Miles, for their support and Chris, Tristan, Esti, Prayatmi, Eric, and both Bills (Roudebush & Mastrosimone) for this unbelievable opportunity.
Christopher Sutton (Alex) recently created the role of Dr. Rehan in Peter Filichia’s powerful new play God Shows Up. Other New York credits include: Mark Antony in The Harlem Shakespeare Festival’s Antony and Cleopatra, Henry VI, Ancient History, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, and the World Premieres of: Flight of the Lawnchair Man (Outstanding Actor Award), Lissabon, Lola-Lola, Bloodties, ValueVille, Hell Is For Real, The Perfect 36, Battleship Potemkin, Golf, and The It Gir_l, directed by Jerry Zaks. Christopher received an Outstanding Actor Award for Monty Python’s Spamalot under the direction of Mike Nichols, and is a recipient of the Barrymore Award, and the Sudler National Prize in the Arts. Regional credits include: Desire Under the Elms (Eben), Of Mice and Men (George), Odet’s Golden Boy (Joe), T_he Sea Gull (Treplyev), Memphis (Huey), Blood Brothers (Mickey), The Full Monty (Jerry), Carousel (Billy), Henry IV Pt 1 (Prince Harry), As You Like It (Orlando), Richard III (Richard, Duke of Gloucester.) www.ChristopherSutton.net
Eric Krebs (Producer) In a theatrical career of more than 40 years, Eric Krebs has worked as a producer, a theater founder in 1974 of the George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick, New Jersey and a builder and operator for 23 years of the John Houseman Theater on Theater Row. He is in his 50th year as a professor, 37 years at Rutgers, where he is professor emeritus and currently at Baruch College of the City University of New York. He has also performed his one actor adaptation of King Lear and most recently My Fathers Voice-Letters from the Ellis Island Prison and the War in the Pacific. Broadway: Bill Maher: Victory Begins At Home, Neil Simon’s The Dinner Party, It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues, Electra, Avery Brooks in Paul Robeson. Current Off-Broadway productions: That Physics Show (2016 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience) and That Chemistry Show. Also Off-Broadway, Sam Shepard’s Fool For Love, Kenneth Lonergan’s This Is Our Youth, Neil LaBute’s Bash, Sing: A South African and American Celebration, A Class Act, Greed: A Musical for Our Times, I Spy a Spy, Laughing Liberally, Romeo & Bernadette: A Musical Tale of Verona & Brooklyn, and many more. www.erickrebs.com.
