The New Theatre Project to present reading of new play, 'The Aleph Complex'

Posted on Mon, Jul 30, 2012 : 2:13 p.m.

As the first official event of Season 3: Reinvention, The New Theatre Project will offer the first of many table, concert, and staged readings of never-before-seen work in its New Work Series. As opposed to previous readings that were scheduled twice yearly, TNTP will offer them year-round in partnership with the Ypsilanti District Library.

The season’s first reading will be "The Aleph Complex" by Deborah Yarchun, in competition for the open TBA slot in the company's main-stage season. The reading will take place on Thursday, August 2 at 8 p.m. at the Mix Studio Theater in Ypsilanti.

In the play, Nicky, to save herself from her chronically obsessive thoughts, converts them into sounds so she can fall asleep to the sound of rain. This works until, during a bout of crippling social anxiety at college, a thought about her mother turns into a vicious storm. Nicky outruns the storm all the way home, where she returns to her old job at the Container Store and to Mom, who hasn’t left the apartment in five years.

While searching for self-help books for her mother at the last Border’s Bookstore on the planet, she meets Borders Guy, the last Border’s employee on the planet, who introduces her to the mysterious Aleph, a Borges-inspired point of overwhelming omniscience he guards in the back of the store. In a chain of self-help, Nicky, her mom, and Border’s Guy smash down the walls that enclose their lives. The reading will feature Peter Giessl, Emily Roll, and Eva Rosenwald.

Readings take places at the Mix Studio Theater, located at 130 W. Michigan Ave. in Ypsilanti. Admission is pay-what-you-can for all readings. More information is also available at the TNTP website.