Curio Theatre Company Welcomes Audiences to Philadelphia Premiere of Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, April 24-May 11

-Courtesy of Perpetual Motion PR

Curio Theatre Company is thrilled to introduce audiences to the Philadelphia premiere of a hilarious and edgy love story interwoven with a high-energy Klezmer concert. Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story is a unique music/theater hybrid inspired by the true tale of two Jewish Romanian refugees finding love after arriving on the shores of Canada in 1908. This compelling show features themes of hope and of learning to love after being broken by the horrors of war. Wherever it has been performed, this play has been met with delight by both audiences and critics alike spanning Canada, Great Britain, and New York. Old Stock, written by Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch, features songs by Ben Caplan and Christian Barry.  At Curio, Old Stock will be directed by Rachel Gluck with sound and music direction by Damien Figueras. Artistic Director Paul Kuhn will bring his set design talents to the stage, using his well known ability to create detailed worlds using repurposed materials.

“As a Jewish woman, I feel as though Old Stock could be about my ancestors who came to the New World looking for refuge from anti-semitism at the beginning of the 20th century,” says Director Gluck. “Old Stock is a raucous, deeply moving punk-Klezmer musical that challenges us all to see ourselves as a part of a larger narrative that continues to this day. It’s the story of refugees banging on the door, begging to be let into a place where they hope that they might finally be safe. It’s the story of a love that is hard-won between those who have suffered immeasurable heartache. These outsiders struggle to be accepted into a society of people who have, perhaps, forgotten that their ancestors were immigrants as well.”

Gluck returns to Curio after last appearing in Three Sisters, by Rash Dash, After Chekhov in 2018 and co-directing I Heart Alice, Heart I in 2020.  Old Stock features three Curio debut actors: Alana Kopelove (Chaya),  Jack Taylor (Chaim), and Paul Harrold (The Wanderer). Kopelove and Taylor recently served as understudies in The BFG at the Arden and both are graduates of the theatre program at Arcadia University. Harrold has appeared in many local productions, such as Plum Bun at EgoPo and Head Over Heels at Theatre Horizon. Kuhn, who also is designing the set for Beginners at Hedgerow Theatre, has built a wide reputation for creating tangible worlds out of reused material, while leading the local charge for sustainable practices in theatre design. In addition to Gluck, Kuhn, and Figueras, Aetna Gallagher joins the crew as Costume and Prop Designer. Lightning design will be by Siobhan Ehresmann, and Gabriel Rosario will serve as the Intimacy Director. 

Previews of Old Stock run from April 24th – 27th, with ticket prices starting at $20. From opening night on Saturday April 27th through May 11th, prices run from $25 – $30, with discounts for students and seniors available. Show times are 8 pm for evening shows and 2 pm for matinees. Curio Theatre Company is located inside the Calvary Center for Culture and Community at 4740 Baltimore Avenue. Find tickets and more information at www.curiotheatre.org.