Dean Haspiel's Newsletter #10
I wrote a new play called THE WAR OF WOO. It's a theatrical prequel to my Red Hook/New Brooklyn comix series.
They say "it takes a village" to make these things and it's true. I'm asking you, my tribe, to help us bring THE WAR OF WOO to life. We launched a crowdfund to raise money for the production. Anything you can spare will be greatly appreciated. I hope you can come see the play.
Here are some details about the production from the official press release:
EMMY-WINNING CARTOONIST DEAN HASPIEL DELIVERS “THE WAR OF WOO,” A BOMBASTIC NEW PLAY THAT DOUBLES AS A COMIC-BOOK PREQUEL
Dean Haspiel, brings a never-before-seen comic-book/Neo-Dada hybrid to New York’s Gene Frankel Theatre March 19-April 4. Directed by Philip Cruise, the cast includes Seth Gilliam (The Walking Dead, The Wire) and Stoya (A.I. Rising, Slate’s “How to Do It” column).
The ambitious production, which marks the first time a play has served as a prequel to a graphic-novel series, follows a diverse and dynamic gang of New Yorkers (dubbed “The Bombastic Four”) as they explore the complicated, violent and passionate relationship between Hollywood, Heaven and Hell. Ultimately, this cross-dimensional love story sets in motion the cosmic genesis of New Brooklyn, the setting of Haspiel’s long-running, Ringo Award-winning comic series “The Red Hook.”
Says Haspiel: "My passion for sequential art and the stage finally hit an apex when I realized I’d written a theatrical prequel to my comix series—which makes sense, since THE WAR OF WOO is a play about the unholy merge between the kind and the profane."
THE WAR OF WOO marks Haspiel’s fourth foray into NYC theater and will be produced by Thin Duke/Sparkplug Productions, a theatrical collective created by Cruise, producer/actor Edward Miller and actor/producer Christopher Lee.
“I love working with Dean,” says Stoya. “His scripts are so complicated and bizarre—there's twists everywhere.” Adds Gilliam: “It's provocative and profane. It's probably gonna be about an hour and a half of a gut-punch of entertainment.”
Lighting, sound and props for the production will be managed by Gemini CollisionWorks, the creative team of Ian W. Hill and Berit Johnson. Set design and construction will be led by Joe Kay, with costumes by Holly Pocket McCaffrey.
"Seth, Dean, Ed and I have been friends and colleagues since we met as teenagers at SUNY Purchase, and Stoya has been performing Dean’s work since 2017,” says Cruise. “When the cast has such a deep understanding of the author’s material, the possibility for fireworks onstage is increased exponentially.”
Tickets for THE WAR OF WOO are on sale at warofwoo.brownpapertickets.com. The Gene Frankel Theatre is located at 24 Bond Street (between Bowery and Lafayette).
Please support THE WAR OF WOO.
Thank you.
--Dean
Read THE RED HOOK saga for free at Webtoon:
Season 1: THE RED HOOK
Season 2: WAR CRY
Season 3: STARCROSS
THE RED HOOK vol.1 New Brooklyn is also available at ComiXology
THE RED HOOK print series is published by Image Comics
Listen to SCENE BY SCENE WITH JOSH & DEAN, the podcast that breaks down American Splendor the movie, Josh Neufeld & Dean Haspiel's relationship with the late/great Harvey Pekar, and growing up in NYC learning to make comix in the 1980s & 1990s.
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