All New Cells Opens Tonight | Playwright Talkback on Saturday

l to r: Kasper Cergol as Nils and Zenaida Rose Smith as Lux. Photos by Kirk Hostetter

For immediate release

The Shattered Glass Project production of All New Cells opens on Friday, June 2, 2023 at Theatre Off Jackson. Centered on the story of Nils, All New Cells is a riveting tale of vampires and digital ghosts and a young trans man striving toward the ultimate goal: becoming himself.

TSGP is excited to offer this production during Pride Month as a co-production with Theatre Off Jackson (409 7th Ave S., Seattle WA 98104.) More information and tickets are available at https://www.shatteredglassproject.org/all-new-cells-june2023. Additional information for the press is available at www.shatteredglassproject.org/press-room-all-new-cells. Questions? Email us at info@shatteredglassproject.org.

TSGP will host a post-show talkback on Saturday, June 3rd with the playwright Aliza Goldstein (she/they) and director Alison Kozar (they/them), moderated by local actor, director and teaching artist Buddy Todd (they/them).

Featuring Kasper Cergol (he/him) as Nils; Zenaida Rose Smith (they/them) as Lux; Jasmine Lomax (they/them) as Aeon; and Kay Taylor Yelinek (they/them) as Moody, All New Cells runs June 2-18, 2023 at Theatre Off Jackson, located at 409 7th Ave. S, Seattle WA 98104. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are available on a sliding scale from $10-$50. A limited number of free community access tickets are available for every performance.

Read more…(below the cut line!)

l to r: Kay Taylor Yelinek as Moody and Jasmine Lomax as Aeon. Photography by Kirk Hostetter.

Our story so far: All New Cells centers on Nils, a young trans man. When Nils's ex-girlfriend dies suddenly, he is dragged back into a toxic online roleplay scene he swore he'd never return to. He'd been doing okay sticking to his seven-year plan for getting over their breakup - but now, everyone either blames him or expects him to have answers, and he's getting nasty anonymous messages that might be coming from beyond the grave. A nuanced examination of identity, trauma, assault, grief, and mental health through an online world. Content Note: All New Cells  contains references to suicide, child sexual abuse and self harm, which are discussed but not depicted; themes include transphobia and online bullying.

Why this show and why now? The Shattered Glass Project is dedicated to bringing stories to the stage that are unique and which have been selected for telling by theatre artists whose voices have been suppressed.  Trans and GNC folks and women are being suppressed like hell right now, all across the United States and the world. Every day, across the US, it is becoming less safe and less legal to simply BE. We as an organization and as members of the theatre community  are not going to let this story go untold.

All New Cells is a powerful story of disconnection and a search for identity contrasting how we live IRL (in real life) and how we present to the online world. The importance of role-play gaming and the construction of new personalities in new bodies is woven through the fabric of Nils’ story and personal development, as is the theme of creating power for and over yourself in a world where people often feel powerless.  As Nils’ story shows, we can find agency for ourselves in a digital world and carry that agency into the life we live in the real world.

TSGP is a theatre company with a mission to amplify the voices of theatre artists who have been marginalized on the basis of their gender or sex by offering unique opportunities to create and grow professionally. Company history and details are available at www.shatteredglassproject.org.

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