The Permanent Night

THANK YOU from the Cast & Production Team of The Permanent Night!!!

2008-09-03T11:19:00.001-04:00

Hello!

On behalf of the Cast & Production Team of The Permanent Night, I would like to take the time to say a big THANK YOU!

It's been a week since our last show and it is beginning to sink in on what a wonderful experience it was. Thank you for all your support and for coming to the show to share in the laughs and tears. All the accolades would not have been as precious without all of you.

We are currently in the process of rolling up our sleeves and working towards having an extended run. So stay tuned...First on the agenda is establishing the Performing Arts Company that Kari and I have wanted to start when this journey all began.

If you are interested in helping out, getting involved, or joining the team, please feel free to contact me.

Many thanks again.

Romina
Producer of The Permanent Night
thepermanentnight@gmail.com

CurtainUp.com Review

2008-08-19T14:18:00.005-04:00

The Permanent Night
Review by Julia Furay
Friday 15 August 2008

New York City's famous blackout of 2003 is the setting for this excellent new play, written by Kari Bentley-Quinn and performed by a very talented cast of four. As the lights go out on the city, well-to-do and picture-perfect husband and wife Spencer and Heather (Dave Beagle and Vina Less) are waiting for his rebellious, bitter young sister Jane (Kat Garson, who's a terrific find) to visit. When she arrives, it doesn't take long before alcohol, the heat and the darkness bring out latent familial tensions. We watch the disintegration of Spencer and Heather's relationship concurrently with Jane's budding romance with jocular and newly wealthy neighbor Justin (Cory Whitfield). The play is, of course, set just two years after 9/11, and its effect still looms large on the characters as they come to grips with old grudges, open wounds and unspoken problems. Bentley-Quinn and director Heather Arnson have lightened the pathos with some nice moments of humor (Ms. Less in particular makes for a very funny, manic young socialite), which makes the show even more enjoyable. All in all, a standout production.

TIME OUT REVIEW...***** 5 Stars

2008-08-18T19:03:00.019-04:00

Reviewed by Quinn Marquardt
Friday 15 August 2008

***** (five stars) Set in the Upper East Side during the 2003 blackout, The Permanent Night focuses on the tumultuous relationship between Spencer and his wife, Heather, as they wait in their darkened apartment for his troubled little sister to arrive. A deeply satisfying emotional roller coaster, with peaks of gut-wrenching laughter and lows that bring you close to tears, The Permanent Night bridges the harsh realities of a helter-skelter world with the intimately personal struggles of coping with death, betrayal and shame. “Everything that happens to you leaves an indelible mark—a tattoo, if you will,” notes playwright Kari Bentley-Quinn in the program, but her play more intriguingly suggests that impermanence gives life its value and meaning. (The inseparability of love and loss empowers each of them: If something lasts forever, can it still be precious?) Are the intoxicating effects of this play indelible? It’s too early to say, but they stay with you long after the closing scene.

One of the MOST POPULAR Shows at Fringe NYC

2008-08-13T14:03:00.010-04:00

The Permanent Night is one of the
TOP 10 Shows at Fringe NYC...

Check out who has made the list at NYTHEATRE.com

NYTHEATRE.com Review...

2008-08-10T00:08:00.009-04:00

The Permanent Night

reviewed by Josephine Cashman

Aug 9, 2008

It's the New York blackout of 2003, and Spencer and his wife Heather are waiting for his wayward sister Jane to arrive so they can drive out to Montauk to see their mother. Spencer and Heather have a deceptively charming, shallow, and perfect life, complete with high social standing and wealth. As the lights go out, Spencer and Heather shine their flashlights and candles on the wreck of their marriage, and Jane flirts with a handsome young law student. Before the lights come back on, everyone has changed and nothing can ever be the same.

Written by Kari Bentley-Quinn, directed by Heather Arnson, and produced by Maria Romina Talabucon, this original play is having its theatrical debut at FringeNYC, and it is a surprisingly honest and appealing new work. After a slow start, the first act is well-paced and darkly comical as tensions and betrayals come into view, but the second act still feels a bit rough and unfinished. Nevertheless, the characters Bentley-Quinn has created are vibrant, flawed, and fully realized.

The actors are all quite good, and Kat Garson as Jane and Vina Less as her sister-in-law Heather do marvelous work as they struggle with their secrets and their shame, and the failings that have left their marks on them, even as they work to get past them. Their relationships with the ambitious and cocky Spencer (Dave Beagle) and sweetly straightforward Justin (Cory Whitfield) are taut, filled with hurt and betrayal, but also love and hope, and the possible specter of forgiveness.

The lighting design by Teresa Hull is amazing, using flashlights and candles to cast both shadows and light that is eerie and makes the audience truly feel that they are in a blackout. Arnson works with her actors well, but she could have used the stage a little more inventively, and the actors did not need to mime opening and closing the apartment door; the unnecessary action did not serve the play and indeed took away some of the punch of the dramatic action.

One of the pleasures of FringeNYC is discovering new plays. I look forward to seeing Bentley-Quinn further develop and refine The Permanent Night, as it packs an emotional and gently humorous wallop.

Written/created by: Kari Bentley-Quinn
Directed by Heather Arnson
Presented by Imago Film Productions, Inc.

Production Photos of TPN

2008-08-08T12:40:00.008-04:00

Thank you to our talented Lighting Design Team:
Teresa Hull & Bradley Clements
and also for Teresa Hull who took these
beautiful production photos...

Checkout Press & Publicity...

2008-08-07T12:17:00.042-04:00

We've OPENED!!
You can catch up and read about us at the following:

BOBOO Blog

Joey in Astoria

NewYorkCool.com

OffOffOff.com

OffOffOnline.com

Packawallop Productions

The Advocate (Stamford, CT)

The Record (North Jersey)

The Village Voice

ZEVENTS.com

And don't forget to get your tickets!
The Wednesday 8/20 is SOLD OUT,
so if that's the day you want, you should get them now!

Thanks for Partying with The Permanent Night

2008-07-18T16:36:00.017-04:00

Thank you to everyone who came to our fundraisers.
Both fundraisers were a success and great fun!
Looking forward to seeing all of you at the show...

Special Thanks goes to
Theresa McLoughlin, Michael Quinn
and the
12th Street Ale House
who was our fantastic host!

The October Crisis - also premiering at Fringe!

2008-07-18T14:21:00.005-04:00

Just taking a moment out of our self promotion to plug our friends at Packawallop Productions. the october crisis is Alejandro Morales' newest play, and we got a "sneak preview" this fall when Act One was read at New Dramatists. Suffice to say you are all in for a treat!

Packawallop Productions presents

the october crisis (to laura)

a new play by Alejandro Morales
directed by Scott Ebersold

1962. A cryptic telegram sends singer Marguerite Stone on a journey back to herself.

featuring:
Gayton Scott*
Caroline Tamas
Julian Stetkevych*
Polly Lee*
Timothy Davis*

scenic design by Ann Bartek
lighting design by Ban Kato
costume design by Kate Rusek
sound design by Ryan Maeker
arrangements by Masataka Odaka
production stage manager Arienne Pelletier*
stage manager Catherine Taft
photography by Greg Emetaz

Players' Theater
150 MacDougal Street (south of W. 3rd)

Friday, August 8 9:30
Sunday, August 10 12:00
Thursday, August 14 6:45
Sunday, August 17 4:30
Monday, August 18 3:00

www.packawallop.org
packawallop.wordpress.org

* Equity Approved Showcase

For tickets and information - go to www.fringenyc.org

The Permanent Night Publicity Photos

2008-07-05T00:36:00.024-04:00

On Wednesday 2 July 2008
in Carl Schurz Park on the Upper East Side (NYC),
Ka-Man Tse photographed the Cast of The Permanent Night.

The result was the following beautiful publicity photos...

All photos © Ka-Man Tse 2008 and should not be reproduced without express permission. If you are someone who would like to use these photos for press, please e-mail us at thepermanentnight@gmail.com.

Left to Right: Dave Beagle (Spencer), Vina Less (Heather), Kat Garson (Jane) and Cory Whitfield (Justin)

Vina Less (Heather) and Kat Garson (Jane)

Cory Whitfield (Justin) and Kat Garson (Jane)

Dave Beagle (Spencer), Vina Less (Heather), and Kat Garson (Jane)

Dave Beagle (Spencer) and Vina Less (Heather)

Vina Less (Heather) and Kat Garson (Jane)

Vina Less as Heather Lawson

Dave Beagle as Spencer Lawson

Kat Garson as Jane Lawson

Cory Whitfield as Justin Thomas

Outtakes from the photoshoot!

2008-07-04T14:19:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! We had a very successful photoshoot on July 2, thanks to our fantastic photographer Ka-Man Tse. She did a fantastic job for us and we couldn't be thankful enough. The final photo we chose for the postcard is completely amazing.

The photos were taken at Carl Schurz Park, right on the East Side Promenade near the river. The whole area surrounding was the inspiration for the setting of the play, as Kari lived in Yorkville during the blackout of 2003 and spent the good part of that night roaming the neighborhood, taking in the sights and sounds of a city gone dark. It was a beautiful day and everything went off without a hitch.

We're in the process of getting the final photos ready for our various websites, but in the meantime, here are some outtakes that Romina took with her digital camera. We had a blast!

Vina Less (Heather) looking gorgeous!

Kat Garson (Jane) ready for her close-up.

Cory Whitfield (Justin) taking a break by the river.

Dave Beagle (Spencer) posing for his solo shot

Dave Beagle (Spencer) and Vina Less (Heather) sharing a moment in character for the shoot.

The whole cast setting up for what would become the postcard photo
l to r: Dave Beagle (Spencer), Vina Less (Heather), Kat Garson (Jane) and Cory Whitfield (Justin)

The lovely Kat Garson (Jane)

Our preview at NYTheatre.com!

2008-07-01T09:17:00.003-04:00

Well, the press for the show has begun. Check out the preview on NYTheatre.com.

It reads....

"The Permanent Night

Produced by Imago Film Productions, Inc.

Author: Kari Bentley-Quinn

At its core, the play is about relationships — siblings, lovers, spouses, friends. The setting is the big blackout of August 2003. The story unfolds as secrets illuminate the flaws of a wealthy couple's seemingly perfect marriage and how a first encounter sheds light on the scars of a young woman's past. I think the hope of every writer is that people like it and enjoy themselves! I also hope they can walk away from it having learned something about themselves. The best artistic experiences I've had are when I've left a show and felt like I knew more walking out than I did walking in. If even one person will still think about the piece after the house lights come back on, that would be immensely satisfying.

I think all the relationships in the play are relevant and relatable. On a larger thematic level, I examine the idea that we are constantly bombarded with images and news about the major events of the world, but most people's politics and beliefs are governed by what goes on at home, especially at this moment in history. I explore the idea that your beliefs and ideas are shaped by what happens to you in your personal life, and how you perceive the bigger events of the world are influenced by that smaller world view. There are two women in this play with similar backgrounds, yet they have opposing world views because their personal experiences are so different. Also, everyone on the East Coast remembers the blackout of '03 — where they were, what they did that night — so it's a relatable theme as well. The show is for an audience that really wants to care about the characters in the play and take a journey with them, and also an audience that wants to think, feel, and be entertained.

On a simple level, I sent FringeNYC my script, and they said yes. I couldn't be happier that my first production in New York City is in this festival. It's amazing. I've been a fan of FringeNYC for years, and some of the best shows I've seen in the city were born at this festival. I think FringeNYC attracts a huge cross-section of people and provides a wide audience who really love theater. The sense of community was also attractive to me. Its exciting to be in such a diverse group of artists. Everyone brings something unique to the table.

Kari Bentley-Quinn, playwright"

Also, we just found out that tickets go on sale July 27th. Get those credit cards ready!

Dates, times, venue...all the good stuff!

2008-06-30T12:15:00.014-04:00

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW...

The Barrow Street Theatre

27 Barrow Street
New York, NY 10014
(at 7th Avenue, South of Christopher Street)
A, C, E, F, V to West 4th Street
1 to Christopher Street/Sheridan Square

To buy tickets, you can click on one of the links below:

SATURDAY, 9 AUGUST @ 3:45 pm

SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST @ 1:45 pm

FRIDAY, 15 AUGUST @ 9:45 pm

WEDNESDAY, 20 AUGUST @ 7:00 pm
SOLD OUT!!!

FRIDAY, 22 AUGUST @ @ 3:00 pm

Update: We have our venue!

2008-06-27T09:57:00.005-04:00

The Permanent Night is pleased to announce that we will be debuting at The Barrow Street Theatre!

The Barrow Street Theatre is a 199 seat Off-Broadway house, located just off 7th Avenue South in the heart of the West Village. It is convenient to most of the major subway lines in New York City, and is close to a wealth of restaurants, cafes, bars and cultural institutions. Additionally, The Barrow Street Theatre is located inside Greenwich House, which is a landmark building in New York City established in 1902. As you can see from the photo, its a beautiful building with a rich history in a historic area.

Click here for a map of the location!

Soon, we should have a list of restaurants, bars, and the like that you can visit when you come see the show! We are also planning our fundraisers for sometime next month, which will be a great opportunity to meet all of us and have a cocktail (or two!).

On a personal note, this is Kari Bentley-Quinn's absolute favorite neighborhood in New York City, and The Barrow Street Theatre is Kat Garson's favorite theatre. We can't help but wonder how we got so lucky. A big thank you to FringeNYC for giving us such a fantastic home!

A special thanks to those who have donated money so far. Remember, you can make a donation based on the information here, get cool merchandise at our Cafe Press store, or send a gift of any size on PayPal. The address is thepermanentnight@gmail.com.

We should have our dates and times for you by next week, and tickets will go on sale Mid-July. Stay tuned for all the latest! Thanks for all of your support!

Fundraising efforts under way...Please show your support...

2008-06-14T15:10:00.083-04:00

Our fundraising efforts are officially underway!

Become a Supporter of THE PERMANENT NIGHT Production!

Shows like ours require a substantial amount of money to produce, and any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

All proceeds from your contributions will go directly to production costs.

For other ways to show your support or if you would like to send your contribution via mail, please contact the production team directly at:

thepermanentnight@gmail.com

Friend: $25
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition in Program & Websites

Supporter: $50
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition in Program & Websites, and Choice between Tote Bag or Two (2) Tickets to a Performance (while seats are available)

Contributor: $75
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition In Program & Websites, Journal, and Choice between Tote Bag or Two (2) Tickets to a Performance (while seats are available)

Patron: $100
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition In Program & Websites, Journal, Mousepad, and Choice between Tote Bag or Two (2) Tickets to a Performance (while seats are available)

Sponsor: $125
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition In Program & Websites, Journal, Mousepad, Ringer T-Shirt, and Choice between Tote Bag or Two (2) Tickets to a Performance (while seats are available)

Gold Sponsor: $250
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition In Program & Websites, Tote Bag, Journal, Mousepad, Ringer T-Shirt, and Two (2) Tickets to a Performance (while seats are available)

Platinum Sponsor: $500
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition In Program & Websites, Tote Bag, Journal, Mousepad, Ringer T-Shirt, Long Sleeve Dark T-Shirt,
Up to Four (4) Tickets to any Show Performance(s) (while seats are available), and
Two (2) Invitations to a TPN Fundraising Event

Diamond Sponsor: $1,000
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition In Program & Websites, Tote Bag, Journal, Mousepad, Ringer T-Shirt, Long Sleeve Dark T-Shirt,
Messenger Bag, Up to Six (6) Tickets to any Show Performance(s) (while seats are available), Two (2) Invitations to all TPN Fundraising Event(s), and 1/4 Page Ad in Program

Production Sponsor: $2,500
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition In Program & Websites, Tote Bag, Journal, Mousepad, Ringer T-Shirt, Long Sleeve Dark T-Shirt,
Polo Shirt, Messenger Bag, Up to Eight (8)Tickets to any Show Performance(s)
(while seats are available), Four (4) Invitations to all TPN Fundraising Event(s),
and 1/2 Page Ad in Program

Corporate Sponsor: $5,000
Includes: Special Thanks/Recognition In Program & Websites, Tote Bag, Journal, Ringer T-Shirt, Long Sleeve Dark T-Shirt, Polo Shirt, Performance Jacket, Messenger Bag, Up to Ten (10) Tickets to any Show Performance(s)
(while seats are available), Six (6) Invitations to all TPN Fundraising Event(s),
and a Full Page Ad in Program

If you are interested in becoming a Corporate Sponsor, please contact us directly at

thepermanentnight@gmail.com

Meet the cast!

2008-06-07T12:11:00.003-04:00

Kat Garson as Jane Lawson

Cory Whitfield as Justin Thomas

Vina Less as Heather Lawson

Dave Beagle as Spencer Lawson

We had our first read-through on Wednesday, and we have an exceptionally talented cast who also happen to be the coolest people on the planet. Pics and details from that night will be up very soon, but suffice to say that alcohol, laughter, and overall awesomeness was involved!

Stay tuned for cast bios!

We have a cast!!

2008-06-02T13:42:00.001-04:00

After long hours of auditions and callbacks, we have found our cast:

Dave Beagle will be playing the role of Spencer Lawson
Vina Less will be playing the role of Heather Lawson
Kat Garson will be playing the role of Jane Lawson
Cory Brandon Whitfield will be playing the role of Justin Thomas

Stay tuned for pics and bios, they are coming soon!

Our sincere thanks to everyone who came to auditions. The talent we saw was immeasurable and it was not an easy decision.

TPN Merchandise available!

2008-05-31T15:35:00.002-04:00

Our fundraising efforts are officially underway!

The Permanent Night has a store on Cafe Press!

Here's where you can buy some super cool merch and contribute to the show at the same time! There's something for everyone, in every price range! We have everything from jackets to buttons to notecards to doggie clothes! Please tell us if there's any other item you'd like to see here, they have tons of options available.

All proceeds from the sale of the merchandise will go directly to production costs. Shows like ours require a substantial amount of money to produce, and any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Soon, we should have more info about other ways you can show your support! Cafe Press is just the start of our fundraising mission.

Our production team!

2008-05-26T17:16:00.009-04:00

I am pleased to introduce the "core" members of our production team. We will be adding to this happy family as the summer progesses...but for now, here we are!

Kari Bentley-Quinn - Playwright (above right)

Romina Talabucon - Producer (above left)

Heather Arnson - Director (above)

Soon enough, we'll have full bios up and all that fun stuff. But for now, you can put faces with names!

A word from the playwright...

2008-05-26T17:00:00.005-04:00

The Permanent Night started out as a random thought walking back from Bryant Park, down 42nd Street, back to my former place of employment. I began thinking to myself about the Big Events that had occurred over the past decade or so, and then began thinking about the Small Events that occur every day. When something big happens to rock the country, even the world, there's a smaller event that's forever changing the life of someone in their own seemingly tiny existence. The sweeping political changes in the United States over the past near decade or so and the minutia of daily life are not necessarily as separate as they seem. The small events in your personal life shape your beliefs and values, beliefs and values shape the national consciousness, and the national consciousness influences the country's actions around the world. This shift from microcosm to macrocosm is fascinating and provided me with endless possibilities for the story that inevitably unfolded.

I got back to my desk and began scribbling furiously. Bursts of inspiration like that are few and far between, but they're totally worth the wait. The young Jane Lawson's voice was as familiar to me as my own. Jane's struggle with trying to make sense of the massive changes in this country, as well as trying to make sense of her own traumatic struggle with a great loss, seemed like something I'd been meant to write about my whole life. It's rare that we, as writers, know a character so well in those early stages. I'm proud to know Jane, whoever or whatever made her known to me. Through Jane, I was introduced to Heather, Spencer, and Justin, all of whom have made me a better person for knowing them. I decided set the piece the night of the big blackout in August of 2003, when the lights of the big city went completely dark. It was an extraordinary night, and provided me with a perfect canvas for the story. The entire mood of the play was determined by the imagery from that night, and the fact that for the first time in my many years here, I was able to see the stars.

The Permanent Night, at its core, is about just that...the idea of permanence. The idea that everything that happens to you leaves an indelible mark - a tattoo, if you will - and the night in question is one that did just that to the characters you will meet. I've lived with this play for two years, and its only now I realize that there could be no other title for it.

I am excited to see that night finally come to life.

-Kari Bentley-Quinn