(LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- New Jersey Repertory Company will present the world premiere of Adam Szymkowicz’s Mercy from June 14 through July 15, 2018. This surprisingly funny, dark comedy is directed by Gail Winar, and stars Christopher Daftsios, Dan Grimaldi, Nandita Shenoy, and Jacob A. Ware.

After his wife is killed in a car accident, Orville attempts to move on with his life. His father takes on the responsibility of caring for his new granddaughter, while his boss at work, aggressively tries to comfort him. However, everything changes for Orville when he inadvertently meets Ian, the troubled man responsible for his wife's death.  Will Orville choose redemption or revenge?

Mercy runs June 14 through July 15, 2018. Previews are Thursday and Friday, June 14 and 15 at 8:00pm, and Saturday, June 16 at 3:00pm. Opening night with reception is Saturday, June 16 at 8:00pm. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays at 8:00pm; Saturdays at 3:00pm and 8:00pm; and Sundays at 2:00pm. 

Tickets are $46 (opening night with reception, $60; premium seating + $5). Annual subscriptions are $225 per person. For tickets or additional information call 732-229-3166 or visit www.njrep.org.

New Jersey Repertory Company is located at 179 Broadway in Long Branch, New Jersey.

Adam Szymkowicz (Playwright) Adam’s plays have been produced throughout the U.S., and in Canada, England, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Greece, Mexico, Turkey, South Korea, Slovenia and Lithuania.  Published plays include Deflowering Waldo, Pretty Theft, Food For Fish, Hearts Like Fists, Incendiary, Clown Bar, The Why Overhead, Adventures of Super Margaret, 7 Ways To Say I Love You, Rare Birds, Marian Or The True Tale of Robin Hood, and Nerve.  Adam received a Playwright’s Diploma from The Juilliard School's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program and an MFA from Columbia University.

Christopher Daftsios (Ian Sanders) NJ Rep: The Jag (BWW nominations, published Samuel French), Swimming at the Ritz, (BWW nominations),Substance of Bliss; Off Broadway: Visitor from Forest Hills (Tony Roberts, Louise Lasser), Picture Ourselves in Latvia and Two of Us (NLTP, Samuel French publisher), Urban Stages, Lion Theater, Anne L. Bernstein Theater. Regional: Guild Hall, New Century Theater, Forestburgh Playhouse, Luna Stage, Shadowland Theatre, Gilbert Theater (Pryor Nomination, A Streetcar Named Desire) Film/TV: Royal Pains, Law & Order, Conviction, Incident at Chekhov Creek (David Strathairn), Terry from Ohio (Fox), E Demon (Best director, NY Horror Film Festival).

Dan Grimaldi (Walter Marks) is most notably known for his portrayal of twin mobsters, Patsy and Philly Parisi, on the most highly acclaimed television series, The Sopranos and won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2008. He is proud to be making his third appearance at the prestigious NJ Rep. Last season he played the lead in The Jag and in 2014, he also starred in Lucky Me. In 2017, he played the lead in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot directed by Estelle Parsons at LaMama and The Actors Studio and two new plays in 2016, Visiting Hours andShelia & Angelo.

Nandita Shenoy (Brenda James) is an actor-writer living in New York City.  She recently worked with Adam Szymkowicz’ on his play, Marian, Or the True Tale of Robin Hood with Flux Theatre Ensemble after starring in her own playWasher/Dryer Off-Broadway with Ma-Yi Theater. Washer/Dryer also played in Los Angeles and Chicago.  Her acting credits range from national tours of Broadway musicals to Shakespeare festivals to world premieres of new plays.  Her own plays have been produced domestically and internationally. She is a member of the Ma-Yi Writers’ Lab and the Dramatists’ Guild as well as Actors Equity and SAG-AFTRA. 

Jacob A. Ware (Orville Marks) can be seen on FOX’s Gotham, Law & Order: SVU, Shades of Blue, Blue Bloods, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Boardwalk Empire. He is host of the Xfinity/Comcast series Screen Time as well as the showUnpacking/Unboxing on HuffPost Live. His web series Driver Ed was a selection of Tribeca Film Festival 2018. Most recently on stage performing in Bender and Brian at The Exponential Festival, Jacob returns to NJ Rep having appeared in their productions of & Juliet and Nobody’s Girl.

Gail Winar (Director) is an Artistic Associate at NJ Rep, and has served the company as an actor, director, dramaturg, and education consultant.  Directing credits at NJ Rep include the mainstage musical, Don’t Hug Me; Deliver Me at Theater Brut 2017; and numerous script-in-hand staged readings.  Gail has also directed productions for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, George Street Playhouse, Kean University, LIU/CW Post, Classics on Tour, American Globe Theatre and Shotgun Productions.  She is also a Master Teaching Artist at the Roundabout Theatre Company on Broadway and an Adjunct Professor at Kean University’s Theater Conservatory in Union, NJ.