(BORDENTOWN, NJ) -- Pegasus Theatre Company comes roaring back to the stage with Yasmina Reza’s scathing hit comedy God of Carnage, running October 7-23. Reza, known for cleverly turning mundane social situations into riotous comedies, quickly strips away all social niceties in God of Carnage to expose two couples trapped in the chaos of marriage and parenthood. Peter Bisgaier directs Christopher Hampton’s translation of this savagely funny examination of parenting and marriage.
In the Broadway and international sensation God of Carnage, two sets of parents meet to discuss how to handle a playground physical altercation between their sons. Over the course of the afternoon, tensions rise, biases are revealed, and the parents’ true humanity (or lack thereof) rises to the surface, resulting in what The New York Times called “ninety minutes of laughter that comes from the gut.”
“This is the perfect show to open our residency in Bordentown. It’s quick, sharp, and will show off what we do as a company,” said Director Peter Bisgaier. “God of Carnage is the kind of play we see our friends and neighbors reflected in, but not ourselves. Definitely not ourselves.”
God of Carnage lets the actors loose on stage to do their thing. It requires four fearless actors to fill these roles and battle it out in true ensemble style, while having the time of their lives. The quartet of actors in this production include:
Righteous Jolly (Michael Novak) is an alumnus of Circle in the Square Theatre School, and has been acting and performing for over 20 years. God of Carnage marks his Pegasus debut. He was most recently seen as the Plague Doctor in the premier of Bleeding in Black and White (Phillips Mill), Chris Albertson in the premier of Blues in my Soul (City Theater), and Guy in the musical Once (City Theater). In addition to acting, Jolly is a vocalist and singer-songwriter who has fronted the bands Syrrah and The Jolly Tinkers. He will have his first solo album out in spring 2023.
Mary Tomson (Veronica Novak) is making her Pegasus debut. Most recently she appeared as Jo March in Little Women with Riverwards Theater Company. Other previous roles include Margot Frank (The Diary of Anne Frank), the Baker's Wife (Into the Woods), and a delightful stint as a gender-bent Hamlet. As a vocalist she has performed everything from big bands to sacred music.
David Nikolas (Alan Raleigh) is a Philadelphia-based actor, last seen on the Pegasus stage in their 2017 production of Yasmina Reza’s ART. Also in 2017, David made his off-Broadway debut in the lead role of Fran in a revival of Gemini (Theatre Row). On screen, he co-produced, wrote, and directed In His Pocket, which took home several laurels on the 2021 film festival circuit. Other screen credits include Army of the Dead (Netflix), Dispatches from Elsewhere (AMC), the independent feature film The Finders.
Jennifer Nasta Zefutie (Annette Raleigh) is also the company’s Managing Artistic Director. An award-winning actress, Jennifer has appeared in plays, independent films, and corporate videos and industrials across the country. Favorite past roles include Linda in Fiction (Pegasus Theatre Company), Claire in Proof (Hudson Theatre Company and Pegasus Theatre Company), Anne Sullivan in The Miracle Worker, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Jo in A Few Good Men, and the title role in Tom Stoppard’s Hapgood.
God of Carnage is directed by Peter Bisgaier, who is also Producing Artistic Director of the company. An award-winning director, Peter has directed over thirty productions, most recently Fiction and Bakersfield Mist (Pegasus Theatre Company), Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and Unnecessary Farce. In addition to directing, Peter is a prolific actor, playwright, and screenwriter.
God of Carnage features scenic design by Bordentown City resident Jennifer Szeto; costume design by Bordentown City resident Chrissy Johnson; lighting design by Robert Rutt; and sound design by Darren Sussman. Bordentown City resident Jonathan Martin serves as dramaturge, and the stage manager is Victoria Kaiser.
Pegasus Theatre Company is a non-profit, professional theatre company in its fifth season, making its Bordentown debut. Pegasus’s mission is to illuminate and elevate human experiences through courageous and imaginative theatrical storytelling. Known for their thought-provoking and entertaining productions, Pegasus was nominated for 2020 Best Small Theatre in the JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Awards.
God of Carnage, written by Yazmina Reza, translation by Christopher Hampton, and direction by Peter Bisgaier runs October 7-23, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm. Pegasus Theatre at St. Mary’s School, 45 Crosswicks St., Bordentown, NJ. Tickets are $24-28 and can be purchased online at www.pegasustheatrenj.org or by calling 609.759.0045.
