Rachel Christiansen and The Brewing Dept. Present MEET MURASAKI SHIKIBU FOLLOWED BY BOOK SIGNING, AND OTHER THINGS

The up-and-coming artists of The Brewing Dept. (TBD) are presenting their show Meet Murasaki Shikibu Followed by Book-Signing, and Other Things at this year's FringeNYC. This is the first full production of the show following a workshop production last fall as part of TBD's innovative development process and a presentation at the 2016 Great Plains Theatre Conference.

The event is more than a millennium late, but Lady Murasaki Shikibu, the ancient Japanese author, makes up for lost time with stories of her life mixed with razor sharp wit and commentary on modern American culture. As the hapless bookstore manager tries to lead a formal discussion, Murasaki waxes poetic (and sometimes not-so-poetic) on her novel, her position serving the second Empress, and how things have changed over the years. As the evening continues, Murasaki must confront her artistic and personal agency, and cultural legacy.

Julia Izumi (Author, "Murasaki Shikibu") is an NYC-based playwright and performer. Her plays have been performed and developed with New Ohio Theater, HB Studio, Habitat Theatre Company, Dixon Place, Martin E. Segal Center, New York Society Library, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Chicago Dramatists, Ugly Rhino Productions, ESPA at Primary Stages, and Tufts University, where she earned her B.A. in Drama. Starting this fall she will be attending Brown University's MFA Playwriting Program.

Grace Oberhofer ("Bookstore Manager") is a performer/composer/Sound Designer originally from Tacoma, Washington. After graduating from Tufts University (B.A. Music '15), Grace has since collaborated with the Adirondack Theatre Festival, Fresh Ground Pepper, and The Tank, among others. Next up: a concert presentation of her original work, A Doll's House: A New Opera at Central Square Theater in Boston.

The play is directed by Ann Noling, whose work on new plays has been seen at the Brick Theater, Dixon Place, The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, The 4th Street Theatre and the Chain Theatre. Ann was a 2014-2015 Robert Moss Directing Fellow at Playwrights Horizons.

Producer Rachel Christiansen's collaborations on new work have been seen at the 4th Street Theatre, The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, The Invisible Dog Art Center, The HB Studio Theatre, HERE Arts Center, and Ars Nova.

The Brewing Dept. has developed and produced work at HERE Arts Center, FringeNYC, The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, The New York Society Library, The Nuyorican Poets Café, Dixon Place, and outdoors in Riverside Park.

Performance Schedule:

Friday, August 12 at 5:00

Sunday, August 14 at 7:00

Wednesday, August 17 at 4:45

Saturday, August 20 at 9:45

Tuesday, August 23 at 2:15

All performances are located at WOW Cafe Theater (Venue #8), 59-61 E 4th St, #4 (between 2nd Avenue & Bowery).

For more information visit: MeetMurasakiShikibu.com, and for tickets visit FringeNYC.org