RAHWAY – American Theater Group (ATG) has announced the cast of the world premiere of the provocative new play, Canned Goods, by Erik Kahn, running May 9 to 11 at Hamilton Stage in Rahway and May 16 to 19 at the Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge. NYbased Director Charlotte Cohn will helm the production.
Canned Goods is a historical drama about the little-known incident which contributed to the launch of World War II. It is a harrowing account of Hitler’s devious strategy to fake an attack on Germany to justify his invasion of Poland in 1939. Based in part on transcripts from interviews associated with the Nuremberg Trial, the drama focuses on the complex psychological entanglement between prisoners with hours left to live and the SS Major who engages and spars with them.
Leading the cast are Richard Hollis (Broadway: Hangman, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time) as Honiok, Simon Feil ( film: Julie & Julia, Ocean’s 8) as Birnbaum, Ken King ( Sleep No More’s The Lost Supper, McKitterick Hotel) as SS Major, Dalton Gorden ( Goat, Canadian Tuxedo) as Heydrich/ Mulier/ Guard, and Steven Rattazzi (Broadway: Indecent; Public Theater: Henry V w/Liev Schrieber) as Kruger. Jason Williams (DR2, The Pearl Theatre) will cover all roles.
Playwright Erik Kahn is an intellectual property attorney in New York City representing artists, musicians, writers, and corporate clients. Before practicing law, he taught history to gifted high school students in NYC. His other works of fiction include a play entitled Three Years. Mr. Kahn is also an accomplished artist. His work is sold in galleries in East Hampton and Piermont, NY.
Charlotte Cohn is a NY-based director, actor and producer who most recently starred in This Is Not A Time of Peace ( New Light Theater) by Deb Margolin. Her directing highlights include Church & State (Berkshire Theatre Group), The Whole Shebang and Baltimore in Black and White (The Cell Theatre, NYC) and Best Friends (A.C.T.). She has appeared on Broadway in La Boheme and Coram Boy and her producing credits include Here Lies Love (Broadway), Without You (starring Anthony Rapp) and Handle with Care and Church and State with Jason Williams. Ms. Cohn is an Ovation Award Winner and a Bay Area Critics’ Circle Award nominee.
“ Canned Goods is an important new work that illuminates and explores a little known, but important historical event and its psychological effects” noted Producing Artistic Jim Vagias, “and we are confident that this impressive cast under Charlotte’s direction will ensure a very memorable and meaningful theatrical experience.”
Built by the City of Rahway Redevelopment Agency, the Hamilton Stage is located at 360 Hamilton Street in Rahway and is independently operated under the governance of Union County Performing Arts Center. The 199-seat theater was recently renovated. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets are available through the box office by calling (732) 499-8226 or online at: https://ucpac.org/event/ canned-goods/.
The Sieminski Theater is located on the scenic campus of Fellowship Village at 8000 Fellowship Road in Basking Ridge. Performances will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available at https:// sieminskitheater.org/event/ canned-goods/.
American Theater Group (ATG), founded in 2012, produces new and classic works primarily by American playwrights with an emphasis on the development of new works and the rediscovery of undeservedly neglected older ones. It also provides quality arts-in-education initiatives, including its annual DramaFest for students and its PlayLab program for BIPOC and queer playwrights. ATG is in residence at Hamilton Stage and the Sieminski Theater. ATG programming is made possible in part by an American Rescue Plan Act grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support general operating expenses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Made possible by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. More information can be found at www.americantheatergroup.org.
