THE BANANA MONOLOGUES to Begin Off-Broadway at Acorn Theatre, 6/13

Gregory Taft Gerard is presenting "The Banana Monologues" Off Broadway, at the Acorn Theatre (Theatre Row) 410 West 42nd Street. The production will begin performances on Thursday, June 13 and the Opening is Monday, June 24th at 7:00 pm. The 90-minute relationship comedy is written by John Brennan, Mary Cimino, and Jason C. Cooper. The cast and production team will soon be announced for the summer engagement.

"The Banana Monologues" is a sexy comedy inspired by a true love story about a man, a woman, and his "banana," Sergeant Johnson. When the layers of the relationship are peeled back, Gus Weiderman tries to split from his girlfriend Alexis (a way out-of-his league woman), but the sergeant stands firm. How does a man deal with the universal issue of the way guys think?

The Banana Monologues began at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. For the next following years it did very well in festivals throughout the US and Canada, and has been nominated for "Best Show" and "Best Actor", and won for "Best Sound Design".

John R. Brennan (Co-Playwright) is a performer and comedy writer. Before moving here, he lived in Charleston, South Carolina, where he was a member of Theatre 99, an improv comedy theatre. In addition to this show, his improv troupe, The Have Nots! Tour Team, toured the Fringe Festivals in Vancouver and Orlando, and the Los Angeles Comedy Festival. He studied with Second City (Chicago) and graduated from the world famous Uprights Citizens Brigade Theatre.

Jason C. Cooper (Co-Playwright/Author) is the author (a.k.a Gus Weiderman) of the book "Tales From The Relationship" that inspired this show. He performs regularly at Theatre 99 (Charleston, SC) as Johnny Dregg, one half of the rock improv group, Doppelganger. He also plays guitar/keyboards in a popular 80's cover band Weird Science. In his spare time, he is a pharmacist.

Mary Cimino (Co-Playwright) has been working on this show from the beginning. She has written many plays, and her favorite is Lilita, which was critically acclaimed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Piccolo Spoleto Fringe Festival and the New York Fringe Festival. She also writes shows which have been designed for the curriculum and is a playwright, director and artist-in-residence for the SC Arts Commission.

Gregory Taft Gerard (Producer) has many successful shows to his credit. In addition to his involvement with I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Mr. Gerard associate produced the Off-Broadway musical comedy, The Thing About Men, and backed the successful Broadway musical, All Shook Up. During the day he is an investment banker.

Regular performances will be: Monday 8pm; Thursday 8pm; Friday 8pm; Saturday 7pm &10pm; and Sunday 3pm & 7pm. There will be a special shows at 8pm on Wednesday 6/19 & 7/3 and No shows Monday 6/17 and Thursday, July 4th. Tickets will be $69.69 and will be on sale soon for the Off Broadway production.