METHTACULAR! Opens Off-Broadway 9/2

Kef theatrical productions presents the New York premiere of Steven Strafford's METHTACULAR!, directed by kef theatrical productions' Artistic Director Adam Fitzgerald, with music Supervision and Arrangements by Grammy and two-time Emmy Award winner John McDaniel. Preview performances of METHTACULAR! begin Off-Broadway on August 30th prior to an official press opening of Sunday, September 2nd at the Playroom Theatre (151 West 46th Street) in Manhattan. 

METHTACULAR! is described as "Mr. Strafford's hilarious and harrowing account of his three year run as a crystal meth addict in Chicago. A roller coaster ride of a play, METHTACULAR! journeys into the depths of Mr. Strafford's drug addled, sex crazed life" through stories, songs and "Facts of Life" references. 

Earlier this season, METHTACULAR! was selected as one of only 37 shows to be a part of the 2012 Cincinnati Fringe Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio – where it was singled out as the "Artists' Pick of the Fringe." Additionally, Mr. Strafford was selected as "Outstanding Solo Performing" of the festival.  The critics raved for METHTACULAR! during the CincyFringe run. Cincinnati, Enquirer's Jackie Demaline said, "What makes this show different from a lot of other navel-gazing to-hell-and-back monologues is the high-energy, fast-paced comic banter of Steven Strafford who keeps "Methtacular!" surprisingly entertaining." City Beat Magazine called METHTACULAR! "80 entertaining and unpredictable minutes," and the Cincinnati Performing Arts Examiner said, "Strafford has an engaging persona, an excellent voice and good comic timing."

Steven Strafford is a Brooklyn-born, Jersey-raised actor and writer. He has been seen in Spamalot (Original Vegas Cast) as Prince Herbert and four other characters (He's the guy who said, "I'm not dead yet," amongst other things) and on the national tour of Peter Pan. Steven has worked regionally at Portland Stage Company, Sacramento Music Circus and Bakerloo Theatre Project and has performed in Europe in Grease! and in Asia in Cinderella (w/ Lea Salonga). Steven has also been featured on UCB TV and audiences can catch his storytelling at The Moth in and around NYC and at www.themoth.org. 

Adam Fitzgerald is the Artistic Director of kef theatrical productions, where he recently directed Killing Women and Lyric is Waiting. Adam was the 2008-09 Directing Resident at Playwrights Horizons assisting Wilson Milam, Bartlett Sher and Kate Whoriskey on plays by Nicky Silver (Three Changes with Maura Tierney), Craig Lucas (Prayer for my Enemy with Victoria Clark and Jonathan Groff) and Christina Anderson (Inked Baby with LaChanze) and served as the 2007-08 Artistic Associate Playhouse West (where his production of Defiance garnered Critics Circle nominations for Director and Production). Adam recently directed Michael I Walker's Letter From Algeria at the Abingdon (with Ground Up Productions), Marc Castle's Friends and Relations (at the Abingdon Theatre Complex) and the 92YTribeca concert of Carner and Gregor's song cycle, Island Song.

John McDaniel - Television: The Rosie O'Donnell Show (2 Emmy Awards), Friar's Roasts '99-'02, Tony Awards '97-'00 as arranger, A Rosie Christmas, A Family is a Family (HBO). Broadway: Catch Me If You Can, Brooklyn (also Producer), Annie Get Your Gun, Taboo, Chicago, Grease, Patti LuPone on Broadway. Recordings as Producer: Annie Get Your Gun (Grammy Award), The Maury Yeston Songbook, Brooklyn, Taboo, The Journey Home (Malcolm Gets), John McDaniel at the Piano (Broadway, Christmas, Compositions and Live at Joe's Pub). Recent: Daughter of the Regiment (Opera Theatre of St. Louis), Robin & The 7 Hoods (Old Globe), Happy Days (National Tour), Bonnie & Clyde (La Jolla Playhouse and Asolo Theatre),Pirates! (Goodspeed, Paper Mill & Huntington Theatre, Boston), Music director/arranger for Tyne Daly nightclub act, NYC and LA, Guest Conductor at Major Symphony Orchestras, including San Francisco and his hometown St. Louis Symphony. www.JohnMcDaniel.com

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