Photo Flash: Opening Night at The Amoralists' THE BAD AND THE BETTER!

The Amoralists are currently presenting the World Premiere of The Bad and the Better, written by Derek Ahonen, directed by Obie Award winner Daniel Aukin and featuring The Amoralists acting ensemble. The acclaimed downtown theater company moved uptown for this six-week Off-Broadway run that began on June 14, and continues through July 21 at The Peter Jay Sharp Theater, located at 416 West 42 Street between 9 and 10 Avenues in New York City.

The show officially opened on June 19. Check out photos from opening night below!

The Bad and the Better is a riveting detective noir centered around the Lang brothers. One with everything to lose. One with everything to prove. Both in too deep. Set in the basements, balconies and bars where secrets are whispered and revealed, join a group of local anarchists, law enforcement officials and political power players. All are waging war: against injustice, corruption and, ultimately, the people they love the most. A cautionary tale about the hypocrisy of extreme principles, The Bad and the Better explores the dangers of maintaining loyalty and protecting your family, whoever they are, at any cost. When it comes to the bad and the better, what’s the difference?

The cast is comprised of 26 actors and features Amoralists ensemble members ByRon Anthony (HotelMotel), William Apps (Happy in the Poorhouse, The Hallway Trilogy), Selene Beretta (Happy in the Poorhouse), James Kautz (The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, Dedalus Lounge, The Hallway Trilogy), Nick Lawson (The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, Happy in the Poorhouse), Sarah Lemp (The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, The Hallway Trilogy), Sarah Roy (Bring Us the Head of Your Daughter), Anna Stromberg (HotelMotel), Jordan Tisdale (HotelMotel) and Vanessa Vache (HotelMotel). The cast also includes first time Amoralists actors Clyde Baldo (“The Sopranos”), Reuben Barsky, Penny Bittone, Regina Blandon (Lead role of Bibi in Mexican sitcom “La familia P. Luche”), Ugo Chukwu (These Seven Sicknesses), Wade Dunham, Edgar Eguia (She Kills Monsters), Chris Lanceley (The Day Everything Changes Between Us at Cannes), David Lanson, Judy Merrick, David Nash, Cassandra Paras, James Rees, Dan Stern, Kelley Swindall and Chris Wharton.

The creative team includes Alfred Schatz (Set Design), Natalie Robin (Lighting Design), Philip Carluzzo (Sound Design), Moria Clinton (Costume Design), Matthew Pilieci (Assistant Director), Whitney Dearden (Stage Manager), Judy Merrick (Prop Master) and Danica Novgorodoff (Artwork). The production team consists of Kelcie Beene (Producer), Form Theatricals (Anthony Francavilla and Zachary Laks), Sean Bauer (Director of Production), Caroline Hendrix (Director of Development) and Seena Hodges (Director of Marketing).

Derek Ahonen is the Resident Playwright, Co-founder and Associate Artistic Director of the award-winning Amoralists Theatre Company. Ahonen is the author of the full-length plays Like the Fog to the Sun, Pink Knees on Pale Skin, Happy in the Poorhouse, The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, Amerissiah, Pokin’ the Bears in a Zoo, Bring Us the Head of Your Daughter and While Chasing the Fantastic.

Daniel Aukin most recently directed Amy Herzog’s critically lauded 4000 Miles at Lincoln Center. His selected credits include Marius von Mayenburg’s The Ugly One at Soho Rep, Melissa James Gibson’s This at Playwrights Horizons and for Center Theater Group, and Adam Rapp’s Paraffin at Rattlestick. His other credits include Melissa James Gibson’s [sic] (OBIE Award for Direction), Mark Schultz’s Everything Will Be Different, Quincy Long’s The Year of The Baby, Melissa James Gibson’s Suitcase and Brooklyn Bridge, Mac Wellman’s Cat’s-Paw and Maria Irene Fornes’ Molly’s Dream (OBIE Award), all world premieres. He also directed Itamar Moses’ Back Back Back, Elmer Rice’s The Adding Machine and Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge. His work has been seen at Center Theater Group, Rattlestick, Lincoln Center, The La Jolla Playhouse, The Guthrie, Arena Stage, The Children’s Theater of Minneapolis, Manhattan Theater Club, Playwrights Horizons and Woolly Mammoth. From 1998-2006 Daniel was Artistic Director of Soho Rep where he developed, produced and occasionally, directed plays by many of the country’s most iconoclastic playwrights and theater-makers including Richard Maxwell, Adam Bock, The Flying Machine, Anne Washburn, Big Art Group and Young Jean Lee.