by THERESA REBECK
directed by MORITZ VON STUELPNAGEL

“Drop everything and see SEARED!”

-THE DAILY BEAST

 

“An impeccably built comedy. Destined to please crowds!”

– THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

 

“If there has been a more fired-up ensemble on the New York stage this year, I haven’t seen it.”

– THE WRAP

“A welcome reminder what sharp-as-hell writing can achieve!”

– THE DAILY BEAST

 

“A fast-paced comedy even non-foodies will find hilarious!”

– THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

SEARED is a new comedy by critically-acclaimed playwright THERESA REBECK (BERNHARDT/HAMLET) directed by Tony® nominee MORITZ VON STUELPNAGEL (MCC’s HAND TO GOD).

 

Brilliant, hot-headed chef Harry scores a mention in a food magazine with his signature scallops, and his business partner Mike finally sees profits within reach. The only problem, Harry refuses to recreate his masterpiece for the masses. Mix in a shrewd restaurant consultant and a waiter with dreams of his own and it all goes to hell in this hilarious and insightful new play that asks us to consider where art ends and commerce begins. Audiences will be up close to the action as MCC’s flexible Frankel Theater is transformed into the intimate kitchen of a New York City restaurant.

The east coast premiere of SEARED was produced by the Williamstown Theatre Festival in July 2018, Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director.

Originally commissioned and produced by San Francisco Playhouse/Bill English, Artistic Director
Susi Damilano, Producing Director. San Francisco, California

Susan & Ronald Frankel Theater at
THE ROBERT W. WILSON
MCC THEATER SPACE
511 W 52 ST
NY, NY 10019

GET TIX

BOX OFFICE HOURS
MON – SUN 12PM – Curtain
(unless otherwise noted)

Production Info
Run Time 2 hrs + 15 mins / WITH INTERMISSION

Please Note
All tickets will incur a $2 facilities fee. An additional $5 service fee will apply to orders made online or over the phone.
Our box office is cashless. All purchases must be made by credit/debit card.

Got Questions?
Please contact us
(646) 506-9393 or
audienceservices@mcctheater.org

 

Trouble logging in?

CAST

W. TRÉ DAVIS

Rodney

W. TRÉ DAVIS

Rodney

Tré is truly pleased to make his MCC debut. His work has been seen at The Public (Hamlet), Signature (Zooman and the Sign), Black Labs Theatre/Ars Nova (Crude), 59e59 (Glenburn 12WP) , Poetic Theatre Co. (Paradox of the Urban Cliche), National Black Theatre (Carnaval AUDELCO Award, SWEET) The Movement Theatre Co. (Look Upon Our Lowliness). Regionally he has been seen at Williamstown (Seared), Shakespeare Theatre of NJ, Virginia Stage Co., St. Louis Rep, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and many more. Television credits include “Valor,” “Shades of Blue,” “Orange is the New Black,” and “Chicago PD.” Film credits include Premature (Sundance 2019), Didn’t I Ask For Tea, No Alternative, and the forthcoming Violet (featuring Olivia Munn). A big thank you to my entire team! For Ro and Richard.

JESSICA DIGIOVANNI

Emily Understudy

JESSICA DIGIOVANNI

Emily Understudy

Jessica DiGiovanni (Understudy) is thrilled to be making her MCC debut! Off-Broadway: Close Up Space (MTC), Of Good Stock (MTC), Bike America (Ma-Yi Theatre Co.), Training Wisteria (Cherry Lane Theatre), Terms of Endearment (59E59), A Better Place (The Duke), and more. Regional: Time Stands Still (The Public Theatre of Maine – Broadway World Nom.), Bike America (The Alliance Theatre), The Fox on the Fairway (Flat Rock Playhouse) and more. Select Film & TV: Forever (ABC)Twenty Five (Indie Series Awards Nom. – Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy), The NarcissistsThe Resort (Best Actress – Zimbabwe International Film Festival) A Stand Up GuySleepwalkers, Switch, A Crime to Remember. Jessica’s voice can also be heard in multiple commercials and cartoons nationwide. Training: Fordham University at Lincoln Center, Moscow Art Theatre (MXAT) and LAMDA. www.jessicadigiovanni.com @thejessdigi

RAÚL ESPARZA

Harry

RAÚL ESPARZA

Harry

Television: “Law & Order: SVU,” “Hannibal,” “The Path,” “Suspicion,” “Bojack Horseman,” “Pushing Daisies.” Film: Find Me Guilty, Custody, Ferdinand, My Soul to Take, Elian.  Broadway: Leap of FaithArcadiaSpeed-the-PlowThe HomecomingCompanyChitty Chitty Bang BangTabooCabaret, The Rocky Horror Show.  Off-Broadway: The Resistible Rise of Arturo UiThe Normal Heart, Comedians, tick, tick… BOOM! ENCORES!: Anyone Can Whistle, The Cradle Will Rock, Road Show. Shakespeare in the Park’s Twelfth NightCymbeline.  Kennedy Center: Chess, 2002 Sondheim Celebration: Sunday in the Park with George and Merrily We Roll Along.  Regional: Cry, The Beloved CountrySlaughterhouse-FiveFur, What the Butler Saw, Arcadia.  Four-time Tony Award nominee in every acting category and recipient of the OBIE, the New York Outer Critics Award, the Barrymore, the LA Ovation Award, the Jose Ferrer Award, three Drama Desk Awards, and the Theater World Award.

DAVID MASON

Mike

DAVID MASON

Mike

MCC debut. Off-Broadway: Trick or Treat at 59E59, opposite Gordon Clapp. Other NYC: Ensemble Studio Theatre, Civilian Studios, Primary Stages, Present Company, NativeAliens, Red Fern Theatre, Circle East. Regional credits include: The world premiere of two Theresa Rebeck plays, The Nest at Denver Center and Dig at Dorset Theatre Festival; Chapter Two directed by Marsha Mason at Arizona Theatre Co.; numerous productions at Northern Stage, Dorset Theatre Festival, Cape Playhouse, Geva Theatre Center, TheatreSquared, Portland Stage, Weston Playhouse, Syracuse Stage, New Century Theatre, Public Theater, Shadowland Stages, Foothills Theatre, Opera House Arts. TV: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon), “The Leftovers” (HBO), “House of Cards” (Netflix), “Law & Order: SVU,” “All My Children.” www.davidmason.info

ANDY LUCIEN

Understudy for Harry, Rodney and Mike

ANDY LUCIEN

Understudy for Harry, Rodney and Mike

Andy Lucien:  New York City credits include The Qualms (Playwrights Horizons), City of Conversation (Lincoln Center), On Every Link A Heart Does Dangle (The Lark), The Last Seder (Theatre Three). Regional Theater: Queen of Basel (Studio Theater), Cry Old Kingdom and 27 Ways I Didn’t Say Hi to Laurence Fishburne at the Actors Theatre of Louisville and The Last Tiger in Haiti at Berkeley Repertory Theater/La Jolla. Film work: Seven Lovers, Believin (Upcoming) TV: The Blacklist (NBC), Daredevil (Netflix),Madam Secretary (CBS), Elementary (CBS) and the upcoming Vows: The Series (TBA)

KRYSTA RODRIGUEZ

Emily

KRYSTA RODRIGUEZ

Emily

Krysta will next be seen starring as “Meg” in the Public Works musical adaptation of Disney’s Hercules at the Delacorte Theater. On television, Krysta will be seen opposite Matthew Broderick the upcoming Netflix series “Daybreak.” Other Television: “Trial & Error” (NBC); “Indoor Boys” (2019 Indie Series Award for Best Guest Actress in a Comedy); “Smash” (NBC); “Quantico” (ABC); “Younger” (TV Land); “Chasing Life” (ABC Family); “The Mysteries of Laura” (NBC); “Married” (FX); “Inside Amy Schumer” (Comedy Central); and “Gossip Girl” (CW).  Broadway: First DateThe Addams FamilyA Chorus Line,In The Heights, Spring Awakening, Good Vibrations. Off-Broadway: What We’re Up Against (The Women’s Project). Regional highlights: West Side Story (The Kennedy Center/National Symphony Orchestra); Seared (Williamstown Theater Festival); A Chorus Line (Hollywood Bowl). Upcoming solo appearance: Feinstein’s/54 Below debut September 10th -14th.

CREATIVE TEAM

THERESA REBECK

playwright

THERESA REBECK

playwright

Theresa Rebeck is a prolific and widely produced playwright, whose work can be seen and read throughout the United States and abroad. Last season, her fourth Broadway play premiered, making Rebeck the most Broadway-produced female playwright of our time. Other Broadway works include Dead AccountsSeminar and Mauritius. Other notable NY and regional plays include: Downstairs (Primary Stages), The Scene, The Water’s Edge, Loose Knit, The Family of Mann and Spike Heels (Second Stage), Bad DatesThe Butterfly Collection and Our House (Playwrights Horizons), The Understudy (Roundabout), View of the Dome (NYTW), What We’re Up Against (Women’s Project), Omnium Gatherum (Pulitzer Prize finalist). As a director, her work has been seen at The Alley Theatre (Houston), the REP Company (Delaware); Dorset Theatre Festival, the Orchard Project & the Folger Theatre. Major film and television projects include “Trouble,” starring Anjelica Huston, Bill Pullman and David Morse (writer and director), “NYPD Blue,” the NBC series “Smash” (creator), and the upcoming female spy thriller 355 (for Jessica Chastain’s production company). As a novelist, Rebeck’s books include Three Girls and Their Brother and I’m Glad About You. Rebeck is the recipient of the William Inge New Voices Playwriting Award, the PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award, a Lilly Award and more.

MORITZ VON STUELPNAGEL

director

MORITZ VON STUELPNAGEL

director

Moritz von Stuelpnagel is a New York based director. Broadway: Theresa Rebeck’s Bernhardt/Hamlet starring Janet McTeer (Roundabout), Noël Coward’s Present Laughter starring Kevin Kline (three Tony Award nominations including Best Revival), Robert Askins’ Hand to God (five Tony Award nominations including Best Play and Best Director). West End: Hand to God (Olivier Award nomination). Off-Broadway: Larissa Fasthorse’s The Thanksgiving Play (Playwrights Horizons), Mike Lew’s Teenage Dick (Ma-Yi/Public Theater), Nick Jones’ Important Hats of the Twentieth Century (Manhattan Theatre Club), Nick Jones’ Verité (Lincoln Center Theatre/LCT3), Mike Lew’s Bike America (Ma-Yi), Nick Jones’ Trevor (Lesser America), Robert Askins’ Love Song of the Albanian Sous Chef (Ensemble Studio Theatre), Mel & El(Ars Nova), Michael Mitnick’s Spacebar (Studio 42), and Adam Szymkowicz’s My Base and Scurvy Heart (Studio 42). Regional: Williamstown Theatre Festival, Huntington Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, and more. Moritz is the former artistic director of Studio 42, NYC’s producer of “unproducible” plays. moritzvs.com

set design by TIM MACKABEE
costume design by TILLY GRIMES
lighting design by DAVID J. WEINER
sound design by PALMER HEFFERAN
prop supervisor ANDREW DIAZ  
production stage manager JOANNA MUHLFELDER

casting by TELSEY + COMPANY / ADAM CALDWELL, CSA, WILL CANTLER, CSA, KARYN CASL, CSA

ONE HELL OF A DEAL IN HELL’S KITCHEN

We’re partnering with some of the amazing local restaurants in our neighborhood to give SEARED audiences the full foodie experience. Bring your ticket, playbill, or email confirmation to any participating restaurant to gain access to these deals. Valid anytime during the run of SEARED!

STARTERS
Ardesia Wine Bar
pop in and get complimentary popcorn

Ousia
get a complimentary spread

Seamore’s
get a complimentary guacamole dip

MAINS
Casellula
10% discount

Empanada Mama
buy one empanada, get one free

Kashkaval Garden
10% discount

MAINS
Landmark Tavern
10% discount

Marseille
10% discount

Nizza
10% discount

Nykkei
buy one featured robata skewer, get one free

The Marshal
50% of any bottle of wine with dinner

DESSERTS
Ample Hills Creamery
two for the price of one scoops

COURTESY OF YOUR FELLOW DINERS AT

LET’S TALK SERIES

Join us for our for post-show TALKBACKS  with artists and AUDIENCES CONVERSATIONS moderated by MCC staff held following select performances and for SPECIAL EVENTS aimed at provoking conversation and public engagement. 

LEARN MORE

TRIGGER WARNINGS

At MCC our mission is to provoke conversations that have never happened and otherwise never would. 

The power of the work we do is often in the unexpected and unpredictable moments that leave audiences talking long after they leave the building.

In this spirit, we make a concerted effort to not give away anything that could detract from the overall experience of discovery.  We understand this is not always ideal for those who prefer to know exactly what to expect before they arrive, particularly if there are themes and content that may cause distress. Our Audience Services team is always happy to discuss the specific themes and topics of any of our productions with you in-depth and one-on-one before you book your tickets. Call us at 212-727-7722 ext 224 or email us at audienceservices@mcctheater.org anytime.

Want access to our full 2024/25 season? 

 

YES! 

 

Click to YES to learn more about all the exclusive benefits for
SUBSCRIBERS & PATRONS

THE ROBERT W. WILSON MCC THEATER SPACE

 

Our new home in Hell’s Kitchen allows us to deepen our mission and encourage greater collaboration among all of our ARTISTS, STUDENTS, and AUDIENCES.

Learn More