Tony nominee Pascale Armand, recently seen Off-Broadway in JC Lee's Relevance, is set to lead the cast of Liza Birkenmeier's new play Radio Island, the first mainstage production of the 34th Powerhouse Season from Vassar & New York Stage and Film. Armand will play an expert hostage negotiator who is working remotely to free an oil tanker from pirates.
Radio Island, directed by Jaki Bradley, will also star Adina Verson (The Lucky Ones, Indecent), Tony inner Maryann Plunkett (The Apple Family Plays), Stephen Tyrone Williams (Lucky Guy), Kelly AuCoin (Billions), and Obie Award winner Birgit Huppuch (Men on Boats).
In the new play, billed as a "high-stakes thriller," hostage negotiator Ellen is facing her biggest challenge yet while working from her rural childhood home. At the same time, she is balancing her injured mother’s rehab, salvaging her crumbling love life, and tracking down a mysterious visitor from her troubled past.
The production will begin performances June 28 and play a limited engagement through July 8 at the Poughkeepsie, New York, venue.
The creative team is made up of Daniel Zimmerman (set design), Tilly Grimes (costume design), Bradley King (lighting design), and Broken Chord (sound design).
Birkenmeier’s play the hollower is currently playing a limited Off-Broadway engagement at Access Theater, starring Patrena Murray (Venus). The playwright was a finalist for the prestigious Relentless Award and was featured on the 2016 Kilroy's List.
Additional casting of the 2018 Powerhouse season will be announced shortly.
