PLEADING SOFTLY on a Roll

No, that isn't the description of a new kind of runny cheese sandwich. It's the state of my improv team, Pleading Softly.  We're packing in three big shows over the next two weeks. The biggest of these will be on Friday July 26th at 10:30pm at Under St. Marks Theater, when we'll be kicking off our monthly run at this improv hotspot.

Please see the lion below for details! Check out http://pleadingsoftly.improvteams.com/ to see our full roster of shows.

It's Back.

I went on vacation. That should be obvious from the picture of the 17th-century royal crest I found in the subterranean crypt of an Irish Protestant church. I know it screams "kickin' back."

I'm in this play:

I'm currently in this play, which just started previews on Broadway: One Man, Two Guvnors.

It just came over from London, where it played to sold out crowds at The National Theater and where it is now running in the West End. It will open on Broadway on April 18th with most of the original cast, plus me.

It's a truly wonderful cast, directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner. And I'm living out a lifelong fantasy of being in a British farce set in the 1960's. Perhaps the candid backstage photo below will demonstrate just how British, how farcical and how 60's the whole thing is.

Pictures of Willy (William and the Tradesmen)

These are production shots taken during the last staging of my play William and the Tradesmen, at The Drilling Company Theater in New York City, May 2011.

These were shot with film, and taken by my good friend Curran Bell.

Look for new "William and the Tradesmen" dates coming this fall!

Photos by Curran.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyenowrite/

Photos by Curran Bell.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyenowrite/

Nice one.

Photo by Isaiah Singer

"William and the Tradesmen" just enjoyed an incredible run at The Drilling Company with Project: Theater. Like a flame, the run burned hot and all too brief.

PICTURES and MOVIES to come! Please stay tuned.

As ever, no show is ever brought to life by one person. William and all the Tradesmen would like to thank the following people for making this show a reality: Director Craig Wroe, Producer Joe Jung, Lighting Designer Alex Goldberg, Stage Manager Carmen Torres, as well as Project: Theater co-founder Jessi Blue Gormezano, whose solo show, "Mark My Words," ran in rep with "William and the Tradesmen," and lent our show not just its stage and many props, but also some much-needed inspiration!!

Special thanks also to Ted Cahn and Curran Bell, whose documentation will surely win prizes and bring more people to know who William and the Tradesmen really are.

Thank you all.

Eli James.