Jeffrey Altshuler

West Coast premiere of Riding the Midnight Express with Billy Hayes - Billy Hayes recounts the true story of his arrest in 1970 at the Istanbul airport with two kilos of hashish taped to his body, his time in Turkish prisons and his brazen, harrowing escape from Imrali Island prison in the dead of night.

The hit Off-Broadway show Riding the Midnight Express with Billy Hayes, directed by Jeffrey Altshuler, ends its run in New York at The Barrow Street Theatre today, November 30, 2014 as it prepares for an international tour in 2015.

?The hit Off-Broadway show, which the NY Times called 'Sensational... Engrossing' and the Daily News says the show "is intriguing and harrowing with the flashes of beauty," Riding the Midnight Express with Billy Hayes directed by Jeffrey Altshuler, will end its run in New York at The Barrow Street Theatre on November 30, 2014 as it prepares for an international tour in 2015.

After captivating audiences in London, New York and Edinburgh, RIDING THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS with BILLY HAYES, directed by Jeffrey Altshuler, is back for a Fall engagement at Barrow Street Theatre; it opened on October 2, 2014 -- the 39th anniversary of Billy's escape from Imrali Island Prison. Click below to go behind the scenes and watch highlights!

At the St. Luke's Theatre (until March 23), Billy Hayes relives his full range of emotions and psychological traumas in this taut, tense, and terrific re-telling of his escape from a Turkish prison, first revealed in his 1977 book Midnight Express, and then in 1978 through the Oliver Stone film version.

RIDING THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS With BILLY HAYES, written and performed by Bill Hayes, directed by John Gould Rubin, opened last night at St. Luke's Theatre. FIRST he wrote the best-selling book. THEN came the OSCAR-winning movie. NOW Billy Hayes comes to the New York stage with his powerful one-man show, RIDING THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS with BILLY HAYES,directed by John Gould Rubin. Check out photos from opening night below!

Pulitzer Prize winning author and journalist William Kennedy was the guest of honor at a special toast at popular Theater District eatery, Trattoria Dopo Teatro. Longtime friend and noted film and theater producer Barbara Ligeti along with Trattoria Dopo Teatro owners architect Emilio Barletta & Giuseppe Manica hosted the reception to salute the author on the release of his eagerly anticipated new novel, 'Chango's Beads and Two Toned Shoes'.