The Flying Karamazov Brothers are landing at the Minetta Lane Theatre from February 8th through March 7th for a limited run of their non-stop hit show 4PLAY, a unique blend of music, comedy, dance, theater and juggling that is sure to dazzle young and old alike.
The audience is invited to bring objects to the theater for Karamazov's Champ to juggle, making each show unique. Come watch The Flying Karamazovs as they prove with each performance that chaos and unexpected events in our lives are the best part of being human.
This exuberant and hilarious off-Broadway event is full of charming, fast-paced virtuosity and fun as the four brothers, master practitioners of cheap theatrics, juggle ‘til they drop. Their method combines skills of considerable breadth and depth in a work that is kaleidoscopic and passionate. The objects, the musical instruments (traditional and invented) and their own bodies are combined in a fresh and compelling performance.
4PLAY features Paul Magid, Mark Ettinger, Rod Kimball, and Stephen Bent. Written by Paul Magid and The Flying Karamazov Brothers, Directed by Paul Magid, Choreographed by Doug Elkins, Music Direction by Mark Ettinger, Costumes by Susan Hilferty, Lighting Design by David Hutson, Set Design by The Flying Karamazov Brothers, Original Music by Mark Ettinger, Doug Wieselman, and Howard Patterson.
THE Flying Karamazov Brothers were born on April 23, 1973 at a renaissance fair in northern California. They went on to play in legit theatres and in 1980 won an Obie award. Their first show Juggling & Cheap Theatrics was presented in 1981 at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago and the Arena Stage, Washington D.C. They ran in London's West End at the Mayfair Theatre in 1981. In 1982, they played the BAM Next Wave Festival. Their first Broadway run was at the Walter Kerr in 1983 and later that year they shot a Showtime special of Juggling and Cheap Theatrics at the Ed Sullivan Theatre. In 1983, they performed at the Goodman Theatre in Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, directed by RoBert Woodruff. In 1984, they performed at the Goodman Theatre in Paul Magid's The Three Moscowteers, directed by RoBert Woodruff. Also, in 1984 they represented America for classic theatre at the Olympic games in Los Angeles with The Comedy of Errors. In 1985, they starred in the hit film The Jewel of Nile. In 1986, they returned to BAM with Paul Magid's and Len Jenkin's L'Historie du Soldat. Also in 1986, they reopened the Vivian Beamont Theatre with Juggling and Cheap Theatrics. In 1986, they premiered their new show Juggle and Hyde at the Lincoln Center Theatre's Mitzi Newhouse theater. In 1987, they returned to the Vivian Beaumont with The Comedy Errors which was later viewed on PBS' "Great Performances" The following years they performed at the St. Louis Repertory Theatre, The Guthrie, Minneapolis, the Wilbur, Boston, the Hasty Pudding, Cambridge, MA., ACT, Seattle, the Apollo, Chicago, to name a few. In 1992, they premiered Paul Magid's Le Petomane, directed by RoBert Woodruff at the La Jolla Playhouse and again in 1994 at ACT, Seattle. In 1993, they premiered Paul Magid's The Brothers Karamazov directed by Daniel Sullivan at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, Arena Stage, Washington, DC. In 1994, they ran The Flying Karamazov Brothers Do The Impossible on the West End at the Criterion Theatre and on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre and that same year premiered Sharps, Flats and Accidentals at ACT, Seattle. In 1996, they premiered Club Sandwich at ACT, Seattle. In 1996, they performed Sharps, Flats and Accidentals at the New Victory Theatre, New York. In 1997, they premiered Paul Magid's adaptation of Room Service directed by RoBert Woodruff at ACT, Seattle and at the Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles. In 2000, they collaborated with MIT's Media Lab and premiered Paul Magid's L'Universe directed by Gordon Edelstein at ACT, Seattle, the Arizona Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and at the Carré in Amsterdam. In 2004, they premiered Paul Magid's Life: A Guide for the Perplexed, directed by Michael Preston at ACT, Seattle, the Lensic, Santa Fé and at ART in Cambridge, MA and in 2005, at San Diego Repertory Theatre. In 2007, they premiered Paul Magid's Don Quijote at the San Diego Repertory Theatre, directed by Sam Woodhouse. In 2008, they premiered 4PLAY, directed by Paul Magid. In 2009, they premiered Paul Magid's Flings & Eros at the Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Lowell, MA. The Flying Karamazov Brothers have been playing with orchestras for the last 15 years including the Cleveland Orchestra, the NSO, the St. Louis Symphony, the San Francsico Symphony, The Seattle Symphony, The Canadian National Symphony, the Toronto Symphony and many, many more. They have been seen on many TV shows nationwide including "Seinfeld", "Ellen", "The Tonight Show", "The Today Show", "MR. Rogers' Neighborhood", to name a few. They have shared many stages and screens collaborating with: Frank Sinatra, Placido Domingo, The Grateful Dead, The Who, Dolly Parton, Robin Williams, Patrick Dempsey, Danny DeVito, Michael Douglas, Cathleen Turner, Ken Kesey, Allen Ginsberg, Kenny Rogers, Los Lobos, The Smothers Brothers, Click and Clack the Tappett Brothers, Joyce Brothers and many, many, more.
