A new play written by Mike Teele

Directed by: Sue Lawless

VITAL THEATRE COMPANY is pleased to announce the final production of its 2003/2004 season. “CEDARWOOD AVENUE” by MIKE TEELE, directed by SUE LAWLESS begins previews on Thursday, May 6th and opens on Monday, May 10th with one matinee Saturday, May 8th at 3:00 pm. Performances continue Wednesday through Sunday at 8:00 pm, May 12th through May 23rd. All tickets are $15.00. $10.00 with a valid student ID. TDF Accepted. For reservations, please log onto www.vitaltheatre.org or call (212) 592-0129. Vital Theatre Company is located at 432 W. 42nd Street, 3rd Floor, between 9th and 10th Avenues on Theater Row.

“CEDARWOOD AVENUE” is a light-hearted look at a gay man’s relationship with his parents and sister, as well as his parents’ relationship with each other. This poignant piece explores the need to accept and cherish these people in our lives. Through this young man we see two interwoven stories, both dealing with tragedy and love within the family. It premiered as a one-act at CAP21’s BlackJack Festival of New Works and Spectrum Stage’s Festival of One Act Originals and christened the National Renaissance League’s 1st Annual Out On the Edge Festival of Gay and Lesbian Theatre at Theatre for the New City. With the addition of Act II, “CEDARWOOD AVENUE” was then developed through readings at Manhattan Theatre Workshop, John Houseman Theatre Center and PS-NBC at HERE.

MIKE TEELE’S plays have been presented at Vital Theatre Company, the Houseman Theater Center, HERE, Theatre for the New City, Miranda Theatre, The Hudson Guild and DiCapo Opera. He is the author of the plays “GOD CREATED BEN HARRIS ON A SUNDAY,” “BABY DUCKS,” “FAMILY VALUE,” “FAIRIES IN TINSELTOWN” and “ABSOLUTION.” Additionally, Teele served as producer, co-writer and co-creator for “The Real Friends,” a popular live sitcom spoof that played numerous clubs around Manhattan.

Director SUE LAWLESS’ professional career has spanned forty years, having directed 500 plays and musicals at venues including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Goodspeed Opera House, Walnut Street Theatre, the Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, the Cleveland Playhouse, George Street Playhouse and the Papermill Playhouse. Lawless directed “THE FIVE O’CLOCK GIRL” on Broadway and the Off-Broadway productions “THE RISE OF DAVID LEVINSKY,” “CUT THE RIBBONS,” “BODY SHOP,” “POTHOLES” and “IN GAY COMPANY,” for which she earned a Drama Desk Best Musical Nomination. She is slated to direct the upcoming Off-Broadway production of “FAN'S MATE,” by Paul Rawlings, starring Jason Bateman and Jeananne Garofolo in 2004-2005.

Featured in the cast are ELLEN BARRY, STACY MELICH, BRIAN MUNN and ROBERT SONDERSKOV. The design team included lights by STEVE SAKOWSKI, sets by SHERRYANN DANNA, costumes by VANESSA LEUCK and sound by SEAD PEREZIC. NICK LEAVENS is the Stage Manager.

Now in its sixth season, VITAL THEATRE COMPANY maintains two intimate spaces on Theatre Row. Vital has mounted 14 full-length MAIN STAGE productions, five short-play series, eight installments of VITAL SIGNS New Works Festival and one VITAL DIRECTIONS program. To date, 12 plays in VITAL SIGNS have gone on to publication. Vital Theatre Company was commissioned by The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation to create and produce “America is My Home: The Immigrant Journey to America” which ran on Ellis Island for seven months. Vital also produces a season of Children’s Theatre that commissions and presents new musicals and plays for young audiences, performed by adults. Vital Theatre Company is a three-time winner of the Off-Off Broadway Review's Award for Excellence for its 2001 – 2002 Children’s Theatre Season, as well as the main stage productions of SHAKING THE MESS OUTTA MISERY by Shay Youngblood (’00) and FUNNY (’03) by Shawn Hirabayashi. The NEW YORK THEATRE EXPERIENCE also named Vital Theatre Company 2002 Theatre Company of the Year. For more information, please visit www.vitaltheatre.org.