O TIME – written and performed by David Zellnik and directed by Danilo Gambini. Perhaps our personal favorite of any of the world premieres we’ve presented here at BST is David Zellnik’s heartbreaking The Letters, which we produced in 2019. This new solo show, which David himself wrote and performs, is based on an actual experience from his own life. When his musical YANK! was produced down in Rio de Janeiro, David found himself part of a passionate community of theatre makers—including a vibrant young producer named George. Two years later, George was dead. David returns to Brazil but the more he digs into George’s personal life, the more he’s forced to wrestle with his own feelings and fears and the true source of his desire to understand George’s life and death. Structured as an investigation, O Time explores the space between countries and cultures, language and translation, past and present.
Bios
DAVID ZELLNIK (Author, Performer) is the author of numerous plays and musicals. His work includes Yank! with composer Joseph Zellnik (Off Broadway 2010: 7 Drama Desk nominations, Best Musical nominations from the Outer Critics’ Circle and Lucille Lortel Foundation) It has received productions in London’s West End, Rio de Janeiro (Winner of CENYM Best Musical of Brazil, 2017), Brisbane, as well as Chicago, Columbus, Richmond, and Louisville. Broadway Workshops directed by David Cromer. A Portuguese-language graphic novelization (“Yank: Diario de Guerra”) will be on sale on soon! His plays include The Letters (World Premiere, Bridge Theatre 2019); The Udmurts (Winner: Equity Library Theatre Competition 2015, semi-finalist O’Neill; World Premiere, Defunkt Theatre Co, Portland, OR); Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom (New Ensemble, Defunkt). www.davidzellnik.net
DANILO GAMBINI (Director) is a director of theater, musicals and opera, the Associate Artistic Director at Studio Theatre, and a graduate of the Yale School of Drama. Recent credits include Ni Mi Madre by Aturo Luís Soria at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (Obie Award Winner; Drama Desk Nom., Drama League Nom., Outer Critics Nom., NYT Critic’s Pick, TheaterMania Editor’s Pick); and the new musical Sabina, by Willy Holtzman, with music by Louise Beach and lyrics by Darrah Cloud, co-directed with Daniella Topol at Portland Stage in Maine. Prior to Yale, Danilo worked as an opera and musical theater director in Brazil. Directing credits include Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Ariadne Auf Naxos by Strauss, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, and the rock-opera TOMMY by Pete Townshend. Before Studio Theatre, he was the Associate Artistic Director at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, as well as part of the 20/21/22 Roundabout Director’s Group. https://www.danilogambini.com/
More info about O Time
One of United Solo Festival’s top-selling shows in its Spring 2024 line-up , this is O TIME’s Regional Premiere, written and performed by David Zellnik (Yank!) and directed by Danilo Gambini, Associate Artistic Director at Studio Theatre (Ni Mi Madre).
When his musical Yank! was produced in Rio, David found himself part of a passionate community of theatre makers—including the vibrant young producer, George. Two years later, George was dead. In O TIME, David returns to Brazil to reckon with his friend’s life and death, how musicals connect queer people around the globe… and with his own demons. Structured as an investigation combining documentary theatre with personal memoir, O TIME lives in the space between countries and cultures, language and translation, past and present.