| NY Premiere of William Cameron’s TRUTH BE TOLD, directed by Kim T. Sharp, starring Francesca Ravera and Michelle Park | |
| Last Edit: Official_Press_Release 04:57 pm EST 02/07/25 | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 04:57 pm EST 02/07/25 | |
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| A powerful two-hander about the manipulation of objective truth and our obsession with true crime "A masterful examination of the complexities of truth and the unwavering spirit of maternal love."-Toni Tresca, OnStage Colorado Stanley Drama Award Winner (2020, William Cameron) TRUTH BE TOLD Written by WILLIAM CAMERON Directed by KIM T. SHARP Starring FRANCESCA RAVERA and MICHELLE PARK A THREE-WEEK ENGAGEMENT FEBRUARY 19 – MARCH 9 2025 AT THE GENE FRANKEL THEATRE TICKETS ON SALE NOW THE GENE FRANKEL THEATRE and ARA THEATER are pleased to announce the NY Premiere of William Cameron's TRUTH BE TOLD, directed by Kim T. Sharp (THE HUMMINGBIRDS by Garret Jon Groenveld at Chain Theatre) and starring Francesca Ravera and Michelle Park. A powerful two-hander about the manipulation of objective truth and our obsession with true crime, TRUTH BE TOLD will play for three weeks at The Gene Frankel Theatre (24 Bond St, New York, NY, 10012). Performances begin Wednesday, February 19, and continue through Sunday, March 9. Tickets are $37 and available at https://our.show/truthbetold. TRUTH BE TOLD is a gripping psychological drama that unravels the aftermath of an unspeakable tragedy through the eyes of two mothers on opposite sides of a devastating event. When true-crime writer Jo Hunter visits Kathleen Abedon—a grieving mother whose teenage son, Julian, allegedly carried out a mass shooting that left fourteen dead, including himself—she expects to uncover the cold, hard facts. But Kathleen insists her son was framed, forcing Jo to navigate a minefield of grief, denial, and conflicting narratives. As their tense encounter unfolds, TRUTH BE TOLD challenges our understanding of justice, media influence, and the elusive nature of truth itself. In a world where facts are constantly questioned and reality is shaped by those who tell the story, how do we decide what to believe "Playing Jo in TRUTH BE TOLD has been an incredibly challenging and deeply personal experience," reflects Ravera. "This role is important because it forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about grief, justice, and the narratives we choose to believe. Jo is relentless in her pursuit of the facts, but throughout her journey, uncovering the truth proves to be more challenging than she had anticipated. As an actor, stepping into her shoes means grappling with my own biases and preconceptions, and that's both terrifying and exhilarating. What I love most about this play is how it doesn't give easy answers—it asks the audience to sit in discomfort and really examine how we shape and consume tragedy. I hope people walk away from it questioning not just what they think they know, but why they believe it." "At the heart of TRUTH BE TOLD is a relentless battle between two women, each fighting for their version of the truth," comments director Sharp. "This is not just another crime story—it's a gripping exploration of mass violence, social media, childhood trauma, and the search for healing, all brought to life by fearless, captivating performances. Few plays offer such an intimate and powerful confrontation where the stakes are this high, and the questions linger long after the curtain falls. This is theater at its most urgent—raw, thought-provoking, and impossible to look away from." The production stars Francesca Ravera (THE HUMMINGBIRDS, CONSTELLATIONS, BLACKBIRD, THE WAY WE GET BY, ESPRESSO) as Jo and Michelle Park (VINO VERITAS, AL GORA RHYTHM) as Kathleen TRUTH BE TOLD features scenic and costume design by Elena Vannoni and lighting design by Zee Hanna. The stage manager for TRUTH BE TOLD is Jo Calhoun. Publicity Consulting by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR. TRUTH BE TOLD plays the following regular schedule through March 9: Wednesdays at 7:30 pm Thursdays at 7:30 pm Fridays at 7:30 pm Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm Sundays at 2:00 pm Tickets are $37 and are now available online at https://our.show/truthbetold. Student and senior discounts are available for $26 with valid ID. Running Time: 100 minutes, no intermission BIOGRAPHIES FRANCESCA RAVERA (Jo) is a New York-based, award-winning actress. She starred in THE HUMMINGBIRDS by Garret Jon Groenveld at Chain Theatre, a dystopian play that also toured Italy following its successful New York premiere. Her Off-Broadway credits include lead roles in CONSTELLATIONS by Nick Payne at The Gene Frankel Theatre, which also toured Italy, BLACKBIRD by David Harrower at the New Ohio Theater, TWO ROOMS by Lee Blessing at Access Theater, NORTH OF PROVIDENCE by Edward Allan Baker, and THE NINA VARIATIONS by Steven Dietz at Chain Theatre. She also starred in productions at Urban Stages Theatre, including ESPRESSO by Lucia Frangione and THE WAY TO GET BY by Neil LaBute, which toured Europe. Francesca has appeared in the feature film ULYSSES: A Dark Odyssey and played the lead in the dramatic short film CLAIRE, earning 'Best Actress' awards from numerous festivals. She has also featured in several short films, including CREATURE OF THE NIGHT directed by Kaya Tone, OSIRIS, directed by Tamara Hansen, and WINDOWS TO NOWHERE, another film by Tamara Hansen. Francesca serves as a jury member for the New York Movie Awards and The Telly Awards. www.francescaravera.com . @francesca_ravera MICHELLE PARK (Kathleen) – started performing on stage at the wee age of 4 as a classical pianist. She graduated from the Juilliard School of Music, Pre-College Division and played concerts at Lincoln Center and concert halls around the world. Michelle went on to get a liberal arts degree in Economics from Dartmouth College, an AAS in Fashion Design from Parsons School of Design and have careers in finance and fashion before finding her way back to the stage and film via intensive training at HB Studios. She continues to study with their legendary and inspiring instructors. Michelle has appeared in over 15 films, TV and theatre productions in both comedic and dramatic roles. @andmichellepark KIM T. SHARP (Director) has directed the New York premiere of THE HUMMINGBIRDS by Garret Jon Groenveld at Chain Theatre, which also toured Italy. Other directing credits include Espresso by Lucia Frangione and THE WAY WE GET BY by Neil LaBute, both at Urban Stages, CONSTELLATIONS by Nick Payne at The Gene Frankel Theatre, and BLACKBIRD by David Harrower at New Ohio Theatre. He also directed the NYC premiere of Will Snider's DEATH OF A DRIVER and Ronan Noone's THE ATHEIST, starring Wolfgang Novogratz, both at Urban Stages. For Break A Leg Productions, he directed several presentations of Lauren Gunderson's THE HALF-LIFE OF MARIE CURIE. Kim also directed THE JUDGE AND HIS DAUGHTER by Ruth Apolonia Zamoyta at Urban Stages and contributed Projection Design for Urban Stages' world premiere of ELEANOR AND ALICE by Ellen Abrams. WILLIAM CAMERON (Playwright) is a playwright, director, actor, and educator. His plays have been performed around the country, including Theatre 40 in Los Angeles, the Harold Clurman Theatre in NYC, and the Curious Theatre Company in Denver. Bill's plays include VIOLET SHARP, a prize-winning drama of the Lindbergh kidnapping (Concord Theatricals); CRIMINAL MISCHIEF (Dramatic Publishing), a romantic comedy; and EVERY LIVIN' SOUL (Winner, Dayton Playhouse FutureFest 2022), a tale of Depression-era crime and redemption. In his 31-year tenure as a professor of theatre and communication arts at Washington & Jefferson College, William founded the College's first academic theatre program and directed over 40 student productions. As an actor, he has appeared in numerous films, including HOFFA, LORENZO'S OIL, and the 1990 remake of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Bill lives in Washington, Pennsylvania with his wife, artist and actress Susan Martinelli. www.williamcameron.net THE GENE FRANKEL THEATRE (Producer) has remained steadfast since Gene Frankel founded the theatre in 1949; finding and cultivating an audience that can share with us the discovery and excitement of theatre. Currently, The Gene Frankel Theatre is operated by Artistic Director Thomas R. Gordon. We are looking to give a home to artists that cultivate a theater that speaks not only of a socio-political change – but a personal change, the only truly manageable change that can lead to a new and better social, political, economic world. The work that has come from this venue for the last seventy-one years has had civil rights and progressive thinking at its core. Today this is more relevant and necessary than ever. We are looking to reach out to our community and invite its people in their whole to celebrate new thinking, new ideas and a deeply emotional positive change. www.genefrenkeltheatre.com ARA THEATER (Producer) is a multidisciplinary theater and production company founded by Drew Valins and Michaela Lind, who have combined 40+ years of experience working as performers and creators. Their work has toured globally (Edinburgh, Israel, Prague, and Sweden) and has been featured in unique venues (Ted Talks, The Swedish and Czech Embassies in DC, The Beijing Children's Opera, to name a few). They have worked with artistic luminaries such as Slava Polounin (of Slava's Snowshow), Bill Irwin, Kendall Cornell, and David Shiner, and they have had the esteemed audiences of the Dalai Lama and Madeline Albright. ARA is developing a new adaptation of Franz Kafka's DER BAU, to be presented at the Czech Embassy in DC in June as part of Kafka's Centennial, and PIFF, PAFF, POOK, a devised theatrical event based on the text of Russian avant-garde absurdist Daniil Kharms is in development for a festival run in 2025. In the fall, LAKEPLAY, Drew's full-length play, will have its world premiere at the Wild Project in NYC. This year ARA will release WHERE IS NOW, a short film and an absurd take on our impending doom, written and directed by Michaela Lind and starring Drew Valins. www.aratheater.com |
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