(Dallas, Texas)…The Core Theatre’s Artistic Director James Hansen Prince today announced the company plans an off-Broadway run of the original play, Inferno! Fire at the Cocoanut Grove: 1942, at Theatre 80 in New York City, November 21 – December 16, 2018. The play, written by James Hansen Prince, received its world premiere at The Core Theatre in Richardson, Texas, in November 2015, and had a subsequent premiere at the Boston Center for the Arts in February 2016. The off-Broadway run is The Core Theatre’s New York City debut.
Directed by James Hansen Prince, the ensemble cast features Penny Gunther as the Stage Manager/Hilde Grey, Katie Lummus as Goody Goodelle, Kara Rainer as Margaret Wilson, Jake Bowman as Edward Yurkanis/Dan Weiss/Jimmy Jenkins, Matt Gunther as Barney Welanski/Buck Jones, Gabriel Ethridge as Al Willet/Mayor Tobin/Ben Ellis/Angelo Lippi, James Hansen Prince as Lt. Linney/Hewson/Red Grainger, Zoe Settle as Ann Clark, Robin Clayton as Louise Bouvier, Steven Prince as Stanley Tomaszewki/Marshal Cole/Saul Davis, Hannah Matusow as Bunny and Stephanie Oustalet as Pepper Russel/Lynn.
It was November 28, 1942, almost a year since the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Americans were busy with the war effort and praying for their boys “over there.” On this particular night, Boston was alive with excitement as Boston College battled Holy Cross College on the football field. Cocoanut Grove, the popular, swank Boston nightclub was hopping with nearly 1000 diners: students fresh from the game, servicemen on a weekend pass, newlyweds celebrating the beginning of their new lives, and even a Hollywood cowboy making the rounds to promote his upcoming film. In the midst of such gaiety, who could have predicted that a split-second mistake and greed could spark an inferno that would claim 492 lives, changing fire code safety forever!