Approaching America July 16, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The Play Approaching America Returns to New York After 10 Years

New York, NY—July 6, 2009— The dramatic comedy Approaching America, written and directed by James Evans, is opening on July 16th as part of New York’s Midtown International Theater Festival.

The play was last performed in New York exactly 10 years ago on the third floor of an old building on the corner of Canal and Varick which has since been torn down. Despite the less than ideal setting, the play was honored with glowing reviews and quickly sold out.

TimeOut New York gave the show a “critic’s pick” and wrote “expert design, confident direction and tremendously watchable performances…The play resonates beautifully.”

TheatreScope wrote “a compelling new play…The actors gave the impression that they had been playing their characters so long, they were not giving performances but simply exposing themselves.”

Approaching America now returns with two of the original three actors, the original director and the original designer.

Original cast member Tom Bartos reprises the role of Florida, the older brother of Toby, played by Erik Saxvik. Each brother is stuck with a desire to escape the routine of their daily lives—stuck in their parents' rarely visited country store, until the arrival of a pretty and flirtatious neighbor, Mary, drastically changes everything. Tate Evans, who ended up marrying writer/director James Evans after they met on the original production, reprises her role of Mary.

Approaching America plays at The Dorothy Strelsin Theatre, 312 West 36th Street.

Performances are July 16th at 6:30 PM, July 18th at 7:00 PM, July 22nd at 8:30 PM, July 24th at 7:30 PM, August 1st at 3:00 PM and August 2nd at noon.

The play runs 90 minutes with no intermission.

Tickets are available at www.midtownfestival.org or by calling 866-811-4111.

Official Website: http://www.midtownfestival.org