Experiments 19: Trivial Pursuit
Written by Yael Haskal
Directed by Irene Lazaridis
Trivial Pursuit is a love story set in the throes of the current opioid epidemic, where life and death are a numbers game.
Cast:
Samantha Rago
Noah Anderson
Scott Gordon
Yvette Segan
Norah Elise Johnson
Jack Eubanks
Yael Haskal is a playwright and performer based in New York. Her work has been performed at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, the Midtown International Theatre Festival, G45 Productions (NYC); the Ivoryton Playhouse, Trinity College, the Warner Theatre (CT); Theatre Simpson (IN); the InspiraTO Festival (Toronto, CA); and other venues across the U.S. She is the winner of the Marilyn Swartz Seven ’69 Playwriting Award, and the creator of the comedic webseries “Fun Moms!” Yael will graduate from Vassar College with a B.A. in Drama and English in 2019, and is a proud member of the New York Neo-Futurists. www.yaelhaskal.com.
Irene Lazaridis is a director/deviser, experiential designer, and producer born and based in Astoria, Queens. She has led dozens of theatrical productions and multi-disciplinary happenings throughout New York City and has been the assistant director to Mikhael Tara Garver on several experiential projects. Irene has directed theatrical productions at the Tank, Paradise Factory, IRT Theater, the Baumann, Robert Moss Theater, Tisch Studio Theater, and the Stella Adler Studio. She has been an associate artist with the Phoenix Theater Ensemble, the Triple 9 Festival, G45 Productions, Playwrights Downtown, and Waterwell. Currently, Irene is the Associate Experiential Director at Super Awesome Friends and Head of Creative Projects at 13EXP. She is also the co-founder and artistic director of Make/Shift, a community that fosters makers in the shift from muse to making. She received her BFA in Drama at NYU/Tisch.
Experiments Play Reading Series
For the 23rd season of La MaMa Experiments we will focus on theatrical works in progress addressing mental health issues. No one is more familiar with the need to create greater access to mental healthcare than our New York audience, who come face to face with this crisis on a daily basis. After 3 years of a global pandemic, all of us are feeling the upsurge of anxiety and depression, but these trends have been on the rise long before Covid-19. The works this season shed light on important, personal stories and deal with this subject matter in many different and unique ways. From tongue in cheek comedies to absurdist tragedies, Experiments hopes to create a season that will destigmaify, enlighten and, yes, even entertain.