Zoetic Stage and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County present the Regional Premiere of TRUST

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1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACTS: Arsht Center Zoetic Stage Suzette Espinosa Fuentes Gino Campodonico Nick Richberg (786) (786) (305) Zoetic Stage and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County present the Regional Premiere of TRUST Off-Broadway s hit dark comedy about the power of human relationships! Written by Paul Weitz, Academy Award-nominated writer and director (American Pie, About a Boy) Funny, crisp and modern, it s solid, provocative theater! Entertainment Weekly Continues Zoetic Stage s Season as part of the Arsht Center s Theater Up Close Series March 5, 2015 Preview March 6, 2015 Opening Night through March 29, 2015 Tickets: $45* Carnival Studio Theater in the Ziff Ballet Opera House MIAMI, FL February 19, Zoetic Stage and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County are proud to present the regional premiere of Paul Weitz s TRUST, a mischievous, laugh-filled exploration of the personal price paid to attain power and wealth. Playing March 5-29, 2015 in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater (Ziff Ballet Opera House), TRUST continues Zoetic Stage s season as part of the Arsht Center s highly acclaimed Theater Up Close Series which features artistic collaborations from stellar local theater ensembles and nationally acclaimed theater companies. Tickets to TRUST are $45* and may be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) or online at

2 Directed by Stuart Meltzer, Zoetic Stage s Carbonell Award-nominated and Silver Palm Awardwinning artistic director, TRUST follows the success story of Harry (Nicholas Richberg, Carbonell Award nominee and Miami New Times Best Actor 2014 ), an unassuming yet savvy guy who has become an overnight internet millionaire with all the lavish trimmings. But beneath Harry s affable and affluent surface lies dissatisfaction. All that begins to change when an impulse sends him to a dominatrix, bringing together two lost souls while setting off a chain of events that leaves Harry questioning everything he knows about love, power and control! Playwright Paul Weitz is an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and director whose film credits include About a Boy, In Good Company, American Dreamz, Little Fockers and the American Pie movies. At Zoetic Stage, we are honored and thrilled by our recent accolades and Carbonell Award nominations, and more dedicated than ever to delivering for our audiences, said Zoetic Stage artistic director Stuart Meltzer. In the vein of our smash hit All New People, TRUST is the kind of funny, sexy, thought-provoking theater that gets people talking. We are excited to be the first to bring it to the region, and equally thrilled to continue our successful, invaluable partnership with the Adrienne Arsht Center. The Arsht Center is delighted to congratulate our creative partners at Zoetic Stage for their announced 16 Carbonell Award nominations. Zoetic Stage at the Arsht Center leads all South Florida theater companies with the most amount of nominations including nominee Nicholas Richberg for Best Actor, said Scott Shiller, executive vice president of the Adrienne Arsht Center. We continue this great partnership with TRUST a clever journey of self-discovery with a wide appeal. Zoetic Stage was founded in 2010 to create fresh, bold interpretations of contemporary plays and musicals, and is dedicated to enhancing South Florida s national artistic profile by producing regional premieres and developing new works to become part of the American stage repertoire. The company will co-present one more exciting production in the season. Zoetic Stage s series will continue with the Miami premiere of BETRAYAL, May 14 May 31, 2015, a stirring look into the complexities of love, guilt and duplicity by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Awardwinning Harold Pinter. The Arsht Center s Theater Up Close Series is generously supported by Adrianne and Jerry L. Cohen, as well as Alan and Diane Lieberman and the Hotel Croydon Miami Beach. TRUST is supported in part by Citizens Interested in Arts, the Miami Salon Group, and Casagio Furniture. ABOUT THE CAST AND CREATIVES ALEX ALVAREZ (Morton) was last seen on stage in New Theatre s production of David Caudle s Visiting Hours, for which he recently received a Carbonell nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Other South Florida theater credits include: The Unseen (Carbonell nomination, Miami New Times Best Supporting Actor); The Motherf**ker with the Hat (Carbonell nomination); and Superior Donuts. He studied acting at California Institute of the Arts and the Larry Moss Studio. NIKI FRIDH (Prudence) is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University and has been working professionally in this region for 10 years. Favorite appearances include: Summer Shorts 2014 at the Arsht Center (City Theatre); Shorts Gone Wild 1 and 2 (City Theatre/Island City Stage);

3 Paradise Motel (Mangrove Creative Collective); Hot Dog (Thinking Cap Theatre); Pool (No Water) (Thinking Cap Theatre); and Secrets of the Trade (Island City Stage). GRETCHEN PORRO s (Aleeza) favorite theater credits include: Emily in Dividing the Estate and Chris in Dancing at Lughnasa at Palm Beach Dramaworks; Julia in The Birds at American Stage; Miss Chasen in Once in a Lifetime at Asolo Repertory Theater; Betty Paris in The Crucible at St. Louis Repertory Theater and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Film credits: Paradise, Florida. Gretchen earned Sarasota Magazine s Critic s Choice for her performance as Steph in reason to be pretty and Lance in Two Gentlemen of Verona. Gretchen holds a master s degree from Florida State University/Asolo Theater Conservatory. NICHOLAS RICHBERG (Harry) is currently nominated for two Carbonell Awards including Best Actor in a Play, for his performance as Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher at the Arsht Center, and Best Actor in a Musical for John Wilkes Booth in Assassins at Zoetic Stage. He was named Best Actor by Miami New Times Best of Also with Zoetic Stage: The Great God Pan (Jamie), Zach Braff s All New People (Charlie, Carbonell Award and Miami New Times Award for Best Ensemble) and the world premiere of Captiva (Luke) by Christopher Demos-Brown. Richberg received a Silver Palm Award and a Carbonell Award nomination for his work in Mike Bartlett s Cock (M) last season at GableStage. Other regional credits include: Michael McKeever s Stuff, Melt, and Wait and See; Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio; Carbonell nomination); Proof (Hal); Jon Robin Baitz s Ten Unknowns (Judd); and Blood Brothers (Mickey; Carbonell nomination). On TV, he played the recurring role of Collier Weiss on The Glades (A&E) and has been the face and voice of various products. Nicholas is a graduate of the University of Miami. STUART MELTZER (Director, Sound Design) is the artistic director and a founding member of Zoetic Stage. He is pleased to return to the Carnival Studio Theater at the Arsht Center after directing Zoetic Stage s highly successful productions of Detroit, The Great God Pan, Clark Gable Slept Here (Carbonell nomination - Best Director of a Play), Assassins (Carbonell nominations Best Director of a Musical & Sound Design), Fear Up Harsh, The Savannah Disputation, All New People, I Am My Own Wife (Carbonell Nomination Best Director), Moscow, The SantaLand Diaries, Captiva (Carbonell Nomination Best Director) and South Beach Babylon. Previously, Stuart served as the artistic director of City Theatre in Miami, where he oversaw and expanded the Summer Shorts Festival. New York and South Florida credits include: Romulus Linney's Gint; Harold Pinter's One for the Road; Aristophanes' Lysistrata; Kiss of the Spider Woman; Painted Alice; Everything Will be Different; and Melt. He is the proud recipient of a Silver Palm Award for his Consistent Outstanding Work as the Resident Director of Zoetic Stage. He received his M.F.A. in directing from the Actors Studio in 2002 and B.F.A. from New World School of the Arts in Miami, where he currently serves as part of the faculty. The play s creative team features scenic design by Elayne Bryan and lighting design by Marcelo Ferreira. CALENDAR LISTING Zoetic Stage and the Adrienne Arsht Center present TRUST by Paul Weitz Regional Premiere! Directed by Stuart Meltzer Preview: March 5, 2015 Opening Night: March 6, 2015 Through March 29, 2015 Carnival Studio Theater Adrienne Arsht Center Tickets: $45* Funny, crisp and modern, it s solid, provocative theater! Entertainment Weekly

4 From Academy Award-nominated writer Paul Weitz, TRUST follows the success story of Harry (Nicholas Richberg, Carbonell Award nominee and Miami New Times Best Actor 2014 ), an unassuming yet savvy guy who has become an overnight internet millionaire. But beneath Harry s affable and affluent surface lies dissatisfaction. All that begins to change when an impulse sends him to a dominatrix, bringing together two lost souls while setting off a chain of events that leaves Harry questioning everything he knows about love, power and control! TRUST receives its regional premiere at Zoetic Stage at the Arsht Center under the direction of Carbonell Award-nominated director and Zoetic Stage co-founder and Artistic Director Stuart Meltzer. The Arsht Center s Theater Up Close Series is generously supported by Adrianne and Jerry L. Cohen, as well as Alan and Diane Lieberman and the Hotel Croydon Miami Beach. TRUST is supported in part by Citizens Interested in Arts, the Miami Salon Group, and Casagio Furniture. *All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Additional fees may apply. Visit for up-to-date information, details and performance. Photos: For High-Resolution Download, Right Click on Photo(s) Below and Select Open Hyperlink. TRUST (Niki Fridh and Nicholas Richberg) Photo Credit: Justin Namon Niki Fridh Nicholas Richberg Alex Alvarez Gretchen Porro

5 Additional high-resolution photos are available at The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations. Zoetic Stage is made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. Trust is supported in part by Citizens Interested in Arts, the Miami Salon Group, and Casagio Furniture. ### About the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County Set in the heart of downtown Miami and designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is one of the world s leading performing arts organizations and venues. Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has emerged as a leader in presenting innovative programming that mirrors South Florida s diversity as well as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area. Spotlighting legends and serving as a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage, the Center presents nearly 500 events each year across its eight flexible, state-of-the-art performance spaces. The Center programs 12 signature series, including the largest jazz series in South Florida, the biggest flamenco festival on the East Coast, and a robust program of new theatrical works as well as free programming for the community and an arts education program that serves nearly 30,000 children each year. As Miami s new Town Square, the Arsht Center also houses Brava!, a fine dining restaurant; the Café at Books & Books in the historic Carnival Tower and a weekly Farmers Market. Visit for more information. About Zoetic Stage Zoetic Stage was founded in 2010 to create fresh, bold interpretations of contemporary plays and musicals, and is dedicated to enhancing South Florida s national artistic profile by producing regional premieres and developing new works to become part of the American stage repertoire. Zoetic Stage was named the Best Theater Company of 2014 by the Miami New Times, and has been nominated for an impressive 37 Carbonell Awards, including five for Best Production of the Year, and won seven of the coveted awards including Best New Work. Zoetic Stage productions have received twelve Silver Palm Awards for Outstanding Achievement. Zoetic Stage is an Associate Member of the National New Play Network and a member of the South Florida Theater League Visit for more information