On Sunday, October 28, LoNyLa London presents a rehearsed reading /  online broadcast of "Big Sky," a new play by Alexandra Gersten-Vassilaros, directed by Matthew Dunster.

Featuring Leslie Sharp ("Jen"), Nicholas Gleaves ("Jack"), Paul Meston ("Jonathan") and Emily Berrington ("Tessa"). 

Time: 8PM - 10PM BST. Location: Google Campus, 4-5 Bonhill Street, London EC2A 4BX.

"The fates of two pairs of sisters are intertwined across time, in this juxtaposition of a mythic Singaporean fable and a real-life murder case. A lyrical, humorous and tragic exploration of the bonds that connect us to the ones we love."

Alexandra Gersten-Vassilaros is the author of Mean Time (Julliard and Vineyard Theatre workshops, dir. Daniel Aukin), Omnium Gatherum, (Humana Festival, Off-Broadway, BEST PLAYS of 2004, Pulitzer Prize for Drama Finalist 2004), The Argument (w/ Melissa Leo, Vineyard Theatre), Mother of Invention (Williamstown Theatre Festival, dir. Nicholas Martin and Steppenwolf Theatre Co. dir. Anna Shapiro), My Thing of Love (BROADWAY w/ Laurie Metcalf, Steppenwolf Theatre Co., Jefferson Award, dir. Terry Kinney), Supple in Combat (w/ John Mahoney, Steppenwolf Theatre Co).

Her one-acts include: I Never told Anyone (McCarter Theatre commission, dir. BD Wong), The Airport Play (EST Marathon ‘05), and Two Jews in their Seventies and Open Arms, both to be featured on Playing for Air on NPR. She also developed a half hour comedy for HBO with co-writer Carl Capotorto and Executive Producers Will Scheffer and Mark Olsen. She is a graduate of NYU Tisch and member of PEN and Actors Studio. Her work is published by Samuel French and Smith and Kraus.

Matthew Dunster is a director, playwright and actor. He is currently under commission to the Young Vic as a writer, and his production of YOU CAN STILL MAKE A KILLING by Nicholas Pierpan has just opened at Southwark Playhouse to great reviews.

In the summer of 2012 he directed a fabulous ‘Big Fat Gypsy Wedding’ style A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for the Open Air Regents Park Theatre and his production of A SACRED FLAME for The English Touring Theatre Company is still touring the UK. His latest play CHILDREN’S CHILDREN premiered at the Almeida Theatre in April 2012, directed by Jeremy Herrin. Earlier this year he also directed SATURDAY NIGHT SUNDAY MORNING at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, which he also adapted from Alan Sillitoe’s iconic novel. His production of MOGADISHU, which opened at the Royal Exchange, Manchester in February 2011, and later transferred to the Lyric Hammersmith, toured the UK in spring 2012. His reimagining of Hans Christian Anderson’s THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING, a collaboration with The Pet Shop Boys and chorographer Javier de Frutos, opened at Sadler’s Wells in March 2011 and March 2012.

In 2011 Matthew also directed THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, at Royal & Derngate, Northampton and DOCTOR FAUSTUS for The Globe 2011 summer season. His production of Drew Pautz’s play LOVE THE SINNER opened at The National Theatre in May 2010. Directing includes: THE FRONTLINE, The Globe; TESTING THE ECHO, Out of Joint; THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING, SOME VOICES, Young Vic; LOVE AND MONEY, Young Vic and Royal Exchange (nominated for Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre); CRUISING, The Bush; PROJECT D: I’M MEDIOCRE, The Work; PORT AUTHORITY, Liverpool Everyman. Writing for Stage: YOU USED TO, TELL ME, THE GLAZIER, TWO CLOUDS OVER EDEN, THE BAND, YOU CAN SEE THE HILLS. Writing for BBC R4: DEPTH OF FIELD and POOR ECHO. 

A Halloween party for the London audience will take place from 5PM - 8PM. Guests are encouraged to bring ghoulish goodies!

If you can't attend in person, view the broadcast online from anywhere in the world: 
https://new.livestream.com/lonyla-live/bigsky

Registration via Eventbrite: 
http://bigsky-es2.eventbrite.co.uk/?rank=1&ebtv=C

For more information about Velocity Lab's Autumn events, please visit our Broadcast Schedule.

~ LoNyLa grateful for the generosity of our supporters. ~