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FIRST LOOK $25: SEPT 24 & 25
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peerless

Archived Show

Overview

Produced by:
Primary Stages in association with Jamie deRoy
Dates:
September 24 - November 06, 2022
Run Time:
1 Hour, 20 Minutes
Intermission:
No
Theater:
Showing in Theater
Tickets:
$60-$125 (59E59 Member price: $50)

Show Info

By Jiehae Park
Directed by Margot Bordelon

With Marié Botha, Anthony Cason, Sasha Diamond, Benny Wayne Sully, and Shannon Tyo

A darkly comedic twist on Shakespeare’s Macbeth set in the cutthroat world of elite college admissions, Jiehae Park’s clever and incisive adaptation, peerless, is a comedy... until it’s not. This new version of the classic story centers on M and L, twin Asian-American siblings who have given up everything to get into The College. When another classmate claims what they feel is rightfully “their spot,” the twins decide they have only one option: murder. Jiehae Park is a 2019/20 Tow Playwright-in-Residence at Primary Stages.

This play includes discussion of attempted suicide.


Post-performance talkbacks led by a member of Primary Stages artistic staff will be held after the performances on Sunday, October 9 and Thursday, October 27.

Join Primary Stages for a series of FREE panels curated by peerless playwright Jiehae Park and cultural consultant Vickie Ramirez exploring questions of identity, competition, and community:

Identity Commodifications and Scarcity Mindset, Sunday, October 23 at 3:30PM (following the 2:00PM matinee of PEERLESS; show attendance not required)
An intersectional conversation with scholars of Asian, Indigenous, and Black American studies exploring racial and cultural identities, their commodification and performance, and the effects of scarcity frameworks.

Elite Colleges: Rankings, Relevancy, Reevaluation, Sunday, October 30 at 3:30PM (following the 2:00PM matinee of PEERLESS; show attendance not required)
Competition for admission to this country's elite universities is at an all time high. But what exactly are students competing for access to? What is the perceived versus tangible value of an elite education? What are the alternatives?

If you are a current Primary Stages subscriber, please contact the 59E59 Box Office at boxoffice@59e59.org or 646-892-7999 for assistance booking your tickets.

Kristen Robinson,
Scenic Design
Amanda Gladu,
Costume Design
Mextly Couzin,
Lighting Design
Palmer Hefferan,
Sound Design and Composition
Michael Rossmy,
Fight Direction
Sean Sanford,
Props Supervisor
Vickie Ramirez,
Cultural Consultant
Marié
Botha
Anthony
Cason
Sasha
Diamond
Benny Wayne
Sully
Shannon
Tyo
Sasha Diamond and Shannon Tyo in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Sasha Diamond and Shannon Tyo in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Marié Botha and Sasha Diamond in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Marié Botha and Sasha Diamond in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Marié Botha and Sasha Diamond in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Marié Botha and Sasha Diamond in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Sasha Diamond and Anthony Cason in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Sasha Diamond and Anthony Cason in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Sasha Diamond in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Sasha Diamond in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Anthony Cason in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Anthony Cason in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Shannon Tyo in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Shannon Tyo in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Sasha Diamond, Shannon Tyo, and Benny Wayne Sully in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Sasha Diamond, Shannon Tyo, and Benny Wayne Sully in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Shannon Tyo, Benny Wayne Sully, and Sasha Diamond in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Shannon Tyo, Benny Wayne Sully, and Sasha Diamond in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Shannon Tyo, Sasha Diamond, and Benny Wayne Sully in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Shannon Tyo, Sasha Diamond, and Benny Wayne Sully in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Sasha Diamond, Benny Wayne Sully, and Shannon Tyo in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Sasha Diamond, Benny Wayne Sully, and Shannon Tyo in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
Sasha Diamond and Shannon Tyo in PEERLESS
Photo Caption: Sasha Diamond and Shannon Tyo in PEERLESS
Photo: James Leynse
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Producing Company

Primary Stages

Primary Stages is dedicated to inspiring, supporting, producing, and sharing the art of playwriting. We operate on the strongly held belief that the future of American theater relies on nurturing playwrights and giving them the support they need to fully realize their vision. Primary Stages is the Resident Off Broadway Theater Company at 59E59 Theaters.

Read more at: https://primarystages.org/


Reviews

"Sly and polished"– The New York Times

"A richly written, Heathers-esque black comedy"
"Of all the many productions I've seen at 59E59 Theaters, this is the black diamond in the crown."
– The New York Sun

"[Sasha Diamond and Shannon Tyo's] performances are so in tune you'd believe they have twins' telepathy"
"Spare and taut, with not a wasted syllable... the twins practically vibrate with every line
 – Exeunt NYC

"A quirky, modern answer to Shakespeare's lyricism"
"Diamond and Tyo make for a compelling duo"
 – TheaterMania

"A whirlpool of chaotic action"
"The design, direction, and performances create a seamless world"
– Theatrely

"An amusing take on the hyper-competitiveness surrounding elite college admissions."
"Actors Shannon Tyo and Sasha Diamond achieve an impressive synchronicity that makes their 'twin connection' seem real."
– OffOffOnline

"The director, Margot Bordelon, never missed; this show, for Primary Stages, is another of her beautifully performed, pop-literate productions"– The New Yorker

"The dialogue is furiously paced as the twins alternate words and finish each other's sentences at breakneck speed."
"Park takes the intense drive for success to its darkest end point"
 – 8Asians

"A brilliant original production worth the watch."
"Everything is meticulously and cleverly crafted, from the witty dialogue to the set and lighting design, choreography (yes, there is dancing), and even the poster." – Mochi Magazine