Inis Nua Theatre Company Presents American Premiere of Spy Thriller Ciphers by Dawn King

Inis Nua Theatre Company presents the American premiere of Ciphers by Dawn King, running October 8-26, 2014 at the Off-Broad Street Theatre in the First Baptist Church (1636 Sansom Street).  This British espionage tale opens on Friday, October 10 at 8pm, with previews on Wednesday, October 8 and Thursday, October 9 at 7pm. Tickets are on sale for $25 and $30 by visiting inisnuatheatre.org or calling 215-454-9776.

Directed by Tom Reing and starring Isa St. Clair, Felicia Leicht, J. Paul Nicholas and John Morrison, Ciphers is a smart and provocative spy thriller that draws a straight line from today’s terrorist headlines to our age-old struggle to know who we really are. Justine, a new member of the British Security Services, is trapped in a shadow world of surveillance and subterfuge. Identity, personality and values are all on shaky ground with each step away from truth. When she finds herself in one too many double crossing games, it is up to us to decipher her fate.  In England, Ciphers was a co-production between Out Of Joint, Bush Theatre and Exeter Northcott Theatre. It toured the UK in 2013 and played to sold out houses at Bush Theatre in 2014.

Tickets are on sale for $25 and $30 by visiting inisnuatheatre.org or calling 215-454-9776. Opening night is Friday, October 10 at 8pm, with previews on Wednesday, October 8 and Thursday, October 9 at 7pm. Ciphers runs for a total of 16 performances, through October 26.

Ciphers is the first of three productions for the 2014-2015 season which also includes David Leddy’s Long Live the Little Knife running February 4-22, 2015 and Enda Walsh’s Penelope running April 8-26, 2015.

 “This season’s offerings all feature high-stakes gambles for success, fame, love…with plays full of lies, dirty tricks, swindling and subterfuge,” said Founder/Artistic Director Tom Reing.  “What’s behind all the action though, is the search for identity, for uniqueness. Inis Nua means ‘new island’, and we know that our unique place in the theatre world is to bring these provocative, contemporary plays to American audiences.”

In addition to three main stage productions, Inis Nua will present a great lineup of extras, including a reading of Pests by Vivienne Franzmann on Monday, November 17 at 7pm at Off-Broad Street Theatre ($10 admission), Craicdown! Fundraiser on Friday, November 21 at World Café Live, public sharing of one-week workshop Carmilla: Video Nasty on Sunday, November 23 at 6pm at Pig Iron School and Big Fat Quiz of the Year happy hour on Monday, December 15 at 7pm.

Stay tuned for more information about another thought-provoking season that’s good for your heart, mind and soul. Join the conversation by liking Inis Nua Theatre Company on Facebook and following @InisNuaTheatre on Twitter.

ABOUT TOM REING, FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Reing has been directing theatre in Philadelphia since shortly after receiving his MA in Theatre from Villanova University. With Inis Nua, he has presented five American premieres (Tadhg Stray Wandered In, Trad, Skin Deep, The Early Bird and Dublin by Lamplight), as well as six Philadelphia premieres. Apart from Inis Nua, Tom has directed Eugene O’Brien’s Eden (Brat) and Brian Friel’s Molly Sweeney (Amaryllis). An accomplished educator, Reing has worked for the Abbey Theatre in Education and for Rainbow Arts in Belfast. He is the recipient of an Independence Fellowship in the Arts, a MidAtlantic Arts Fellowship and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Playwriting Fellowship. He teaches theatre and arts in learning at Temple University and also directs at La Salle University. Tom received two Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Arts in Education for his past programs at InterAct Theatre.

ABOUT INIS NUA THEATRE COMPANY

Inis Nua’s mission is to produce contemporary, provocative plays from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales which reflect those cultures’ new identities in today’s world.  Inis Nua also seeks to cultivate and produce contemporary, provocative work from American playwrights who deal with the Irish-American, Welsh-American, Scottish-American and Anglo-American experiences.

To date, Inis Nua has produced one world premiere, six American premieres and ten Philadelphia premieres. Inis Nua Theatre Company has been the recipient of grants from the Wyncote Foundation, the Pew Center for Arts and Culture through the Philadelphia Theatre Initiative, the Independence Foundation, the Fels Fund, the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, and the Charlotte Cushman Foundation. Inis Nua Theatre has also had six playwrights visit for their shows. Currently, Inis Nua is nominated for six Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre for Midsummer a play with songs.