The Angle Project is dedicated to producing theatre that challenges cultural borders, transfers social and political contexts, and reflects the world of today.
2019
Unpitied Work in Progress Presentation
Written and directed by Irene Kapustina
An original new play, tells the story of Karim, a political prisoner who, after enduring twelve years of severe oppression and torture in a desert prison in Syria, moves to Chicago and meets Bonnie. Together they learn to live and love again. This is a story about East and West, about resiliency and hope, and about how two very different people can fall in love with each other.
2018
Lost and Guided Maine Staged Reading Series
at Portland Museum of Art and Camden Opera House
Written and Directed by Irene Kapustina
Produced by New England Arab American Organization
An original play based on interviews and real life stories of Syrian refugees in the United States
The lives of four young Syrians are changed forever after anti-government protests transpire in the city of Daraa. Throughout the next six years, each of them is forced to undergo a unique and heroic journey, while the turmoil in their country erupts into a full-fledged civil war. From the Middle East to the streets of New Orleans, Lost and Guided is a universal story of love, friendship, and the struggle for happiness. Based on transcripts from writer-director Irene Kapustina’s interviews with Syrian refugees living in the United States.
Starring Olivia Abiassi, Seth Berner, Tom Handel, Andrea Itkin, Jason Lesaldo, Khalil LeSaldo, Salma Shaw*, Emilia Catherine Tagliani
*Denotes member of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the U.S.
Production team: Adam Cuthbért (Sound Designer), Eddy Bolz (Technical Director at Portland Museum of Art), Juniper Purinton (Technical Director at Camden Opera House) .
Lost and Guided
at Goodman Theatre
An original play based on interviews and real life stories of Syrian refugees in the United States
The lives of four young Syrians are changed forever after anti-government protests transpire in the city of Daraa. Throughout the next six years, each of them is forced to undergo a unique and heroic journey, while the turmoil in their country erupts into a full-fledged civil war. From the Middle East to the streets of New Orleans, Lost and Guided is a universal story of love, friendship, and the struggle for happiness. Based on transcripts from writer-director Irene Kapustina’s interviews with Syrian refugees living in the US.
Produced by Syrian Community Network
Starring Sadieh Rifai*, Iris Lieberman*, Rom Barkhordar*, Vahishta Vafadari, Martin Hanna, Amro Salama*, Aidaa Peerzada, Susaan Jamshidi*
*Denotes member of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the U.S
2017
Lost and Guided
at Under St. Marks
An original play based on interviews and real life stories of Syrian refugees in the United States
Produced by Conrad Fischer and The Angle Project
Written and Directed by Irene Kapustina
The lives of four young Syrians are changed forever after anti-government protests transpire in the city of Daraa. Throughout the next six years, each of them is forced to undergo a unique and heroic journey, while the turmoil in their country erupts into a full-fledged civil war. From the Middle East to the streets of New Orleans, Lost and Guided is a universal story of love, friendship, and the struggle for happiness. Based on transcripts from writer-director Irene Kapustina’s interviews with Syrian refugees living in the US.
Starring Doga Celik, Susan Cohen DeStefano, Mischa Ipp, Alexandra Kattan, Mouna R’miki, Shayan Sobhian, and Jarrod Zayas.
Featuring scenic, costume, and lighting design by Wesley Cornwell, sound design by Adam Cuthbért, and digital design by Tasha A.F. Lemley. Sabrina Morabito is the stage manager, Alexandra Kattan is the assistant director, and Isabel Moore is the production assistant.
Lost and Guided played August 3rd through August 27th, Thursday through Sunday, and critics called it “Theatre at its best...” (The Reviews Hub) and a “stunning new play” (Huffington Post), and pointed out that ‘the play text effectively incorporates ordinary details of characters’ lives into the larger political and historical backdrop, which, along with the power of hearing refugees’ own accounts and Kapustina’s expert directing, enables the production to accomplish its stated goal of humanizing the refugee crisis “through the depiction of concrete lives” (Plays To See).
The work was also covered by ABC News and Entertainment Weekly helped spread the word about the importance of creating new narratives around the refugee crisis.
For more production information please visit https://www.lostandguided.com/
2016
Chekhov Study 1.0. Life in Questions and Statements (Workshop)
at The Barrow Group
Created and Directed by Irene Kapustina
Chekhov Study 1.0. Life in Questions and Statements is an original play that depicts the life of Anton Chekhov using the text of his short stories and correspondence. The play tells the writer’s human story while tracing the evolution of his work.
Starring: Erika Lee, Elizabeth Bove, Seth McNeill, and Jarrod Zayas
2015
Poor People at FringeNYC
at The Kraine Theater
Poor People is a free stage adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s epistolary novel and first masterpiece, “Poor Folk.” Russia. 1845. A young orphan flees her abuser to live with an elderly woman. She befriends a struggling clerk living in the corner of a kitchen. Through letters, their friendship blooms. Until an unwanted suitor arrives. The play celebrates the resilience and beauty of the human spirit and is an innovative blend of physical theatre and scripted text.
Starring: Alan Altschuler* Elizabeth Bove* Margaret Catov* Eric Doss* Jennifer Stepanyk Jarrod Zayas
CREW:
Annie Crowley (Dramaturge), Cynthia McDonald (Costume Designer), Aidan Zev Meyer (Sound Designer), Svetlana Surzhikova (Photographer/Videographer), David Givens (Stage Manager), Cecilia Roberts (Logo), Kathleen Powers (Graphic Designer), Noah Micah Wynn (Production Assistant)
Equity approved showcase.*Actors indicated with an asterisk are appearing courtesy of Actors Equity. For more information visit: PoorPeopleThePlay.wordpress.com
Poor People (Workshop)
at The Drama League. Rough Draft Residency
A stage adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel Poor Folk
Written by Lavinia Roberts. Directed by Irene Kapustina
2014
Cock Tales
at Manhattan Repertory Theatre
Written by Lavinia Roberts. Directed by Irene Kapustina
A comedy set in a swanky cocktail bar in the East Village. Maurine, a bar tender generous with dry witticisms and dry martinis, juggles an unstable performance artist admirer, a sexist boss, and befriends a young struggling chef currently working at the bar as a busser.
Starring: Erika Lee, Mike Amato, Lulu Costanzo, and K.J. Adams
2013
Dust and Ash, Future and Past
by RAL Productions Present a Night of Site-Specific Theatre @ the Museum of Sex
Written by Alex Rubin. Directed by Irene Kapustina
The play attempts to examine the possible repercussions of the military conflicts today in the not so distant future.
Starring: Meg Heus, K.J. Adams, and Leah Dietrich
Linda Her
by RAL Productions: a Night of Site-Specific Theatre @ Tallulah Lounge
Written by Harry Kondoleon. Directed by Irene Kapustina
A drama about overcoming a personal crisis and a journey towards a decision to break free.
Starring: Erika Lee, Brandon Morrissey, Brittany Silver, and Melanie Rothman
Eaten Voices
at Dixon Place
Written by Lavinia Roberts. Directed by Irene Kapustina
The play tells the story of a little girl’s journey through a forest where she meets her friends and enemies, loves and fears. Leona is trapped in night. She meets a child, and decides that she must be the Moon’s Child. Together, they travel through night, a place of stories, song, dance, and mystery, heading towards day.
Starring: Rebecca Davis, Sarah Goosmann, Cynthia Loren, Elizabeth Bove, Peej Mele
Reason for Play
at the Arthur Seelen Theater (Downstairs at The Drama Bookshop)
Written by Lavinia Roberts. Directed by Irene Kapustina
A mother attempts to assist her young, pregnant daughter.
Starring: Deirdre Garrett, Sarah Goosmann, and Ginny Venk
The Moment
at TADA!
Written by Lavinia Roberts. Directed by Irene Kapustina
John, a poet, prophet, and drummer living on the streets of New York, offers some disturbing and enlightening observations about life in the big city.
Starring Joey Lozada
Red Flowers in the Snow
at Roy Arias Theaters
Written By Lavinia Roberts. Directed by Irene Kapustina
Three homeless individuals squat in a warehouse turned into an artist’s studio space in Bushwick during a fierce snow storm. The squatters consist of a very religious schizophrenic man, a veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress, and a mail order bride from the Ukraine
Starring Joey Lozada, Lucie Pohl, and Mike Amato
2012
After Dark
at Times Square Arts Center
Written by Lavinia Roberts. Directed by Irene Kapustina
A short drama about a young girl, who stops by her grandmother’s house one late autumn evening. A seemingly light conversation over making dinner reveals the deepest struggles both characters face.
Starring Susan Cohen DeStefano and Lulu Costanzo
The Waiter Project
at Theater for the New City
Written by Elizabeth Swearingen. Directed by Irene Kapustina
The Waiter Project tells the tale of eight down and out waiters who have their lives pulled into focus when a Reality TV Crew shoots a series about their lives as waiters within their NYC Restaurant. The dark comedy features original film projections and explores the duality we experience while working survival jobs while examining the existential concept of “waiting” in general.
Starring: Mike Mizwicki, Lynsey Buckelew, Jarrod Zayas, Katherine Martin, Holly Longmore, Matthew Tully Brown, Stacy Ayn Price, Matthew Shear, Joey Lozada, Elizabeth Swearingen, Micah Parker, Hank Lin
Eternal Flowers
at Times Square Arts Center and The Player’s Theatre
Written by Lavinia Roberts. Directed by Irene Kapustina
A teenage ghost hunter and his older sister, recently returned from active duty, ghost hunt in the home of a deceased elderly woman, only to discover more about themselves than any paranormal activity.
Starring: Holly Longmore and Kory Geller
2011
10 For The Tatas
at The Barrow Group
A 10-Minute play festival to raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer. The festival includes brand new works by Theresa Rebeck, Cindy Chupack, Tony Glazer, Bekah Brunstetter, Lisa Ebersole, and Suzanne Bradbeer. All proceeds go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
“Dr.’s Office”
Written by Theresa Rebeck. Directed by Irene Kapustina
Starring: Rachel Cora Wood, Colin Michael Walker, and Linda Cook
“Love Bites”
Written by Cindy Chupack. Directed by Irene Kapustina
Starring: Jonny Orsini, Rachel Cora Wood, and Belle Caplis
The Angle Project 