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About the Event
Romanian Cultural Institute is proud to present, in partnership with The Drama Book Shop and Jay Michaels Global Communications, the launching of Finally Quiet. Four Plays from Bucharest to Washington, D.C., the latest book by prodigious writer, academic, and thespian Cristina A. Bejan. The event consists of a conversation with the multi-faceted Romanian-American author hosted by David Rigano and Mark-Eugene Garcia, which will also be rendered as a live podcast. Finally Quite collects four spirited, imaginative, and provocative plays, which showcase Bejan`s dramatic range and original talent: “To Those Who Haven't Stopped Thinking” - a dystopian investigation of the impact of totalitarianism; “Districtland” - an absurd satire about American ambition; “Finally Quiet In My Mind” - a cry for mental health awareness; and “Life According To Swami Shiva” - a timely critique of Putin's Russia. “Buchenwald”, a play delving into power struggles amidst post-WWII Soviet use of Nazi camps, which echoes today's global threats of fascism and Russian aggression, will also be presented.
Access to the event is by ticket only. More details on the organizers' website and on Eventbrite: TICKETS
Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out Drama Book Shop at rsvp@dramabookshop.com.
Time & Location
Tuesday, June 18 @ 7:30 PM | Drama Book Shop | TICKETS
Meet the Writer
Cristina A. Bejan, PhD, is a multilingual Romanian-American theatre artist, historian, and spoken word poet living in Denver, Colorado. A playwright since age 14, she attended Northwestern University planning to become a Shakespearean actor. She got derailed by the library, which won her a Rhodes scholarship to study at the University of Oxford and a Fulbright to study at the University of Bucharest. The author of two award-winning books (history and poetry), Bejan worked at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC and was a contributor for their “Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos Vol. 3”. Bejan has written 19 plays, and her work has been produced in four countries. More recently her collaboration with James Brunt, “The Scholarship”, appeared at the Baron’s Court Theatre in London as a staged reading, after an online production by Theatre29 Denver and Bucharest Inside the Beltway. Her most successful play, “Districtland”, sold-out DC’s Capital Fringe Festival and was bought for TV development, and her favorite play, “Colombo Calling – a play from Sri Lanka”, had a staged reading at the Kennedy Center. The most unusual thing about her as a playwright is that she was approached by the World Bank to write plays for development when she lived in Vanuatu (South Pacific). Visit cristinaabejan.com and check out her socials to find out more about the writer.
Meet the Actors
Andy McCain (he/him) is honored to be a part of Cristina's anthology reading series tonight. Andy was last seen as Max in The Play That Goes Wrong at Constellation Screen & Stage. You can listen to Andy on Audible with such fun books as What the Frost?!, The Last One Out, It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Raptors and The Amazing Adventures of Risky Roach. Andy was named Broadway World's Best Supporting Performer in Straight White Men, with Wellfleet Harbor Actor's Theatre. Andy is also a Film Director, Fight Choreographer, Puppeteer and Teaching Artist. . Feel free to connect @andymac1985 and https://linktr.ee/AndyMcCain
Ava Eisenson is a New York City based actor (and sometimes a few other things like voiceover artist, coach and content contributor/editor). She holds her BFA from Boston University. For more info about her and current projects, check out www.avaeisenson.com.
Elena Juliano is a Cuban-American actor, musician, and producer based in New York. She has been featured in “Alternatino” on Comedy Central with Arturo Castro, too many independent films to name, and most recently finished an under wraps feature as the lead role, slated to release in 2025. Since graduating from New York University with a Music Theatre degree and Flute Performance minor, she has performed in numerous shows at regional theatres such as, The Iliad with Continuum Theatre Co. My Fair Lady, Merrily We Roll Along, and Once the musical as Girl, to name a few. Thank you Cristina for having me be a part of this special event! It’s an honor to celebrate your work and help bring your words to life.
Yelyzaveta "Lisa" Gurfinkel, having grown up in Ukraine has been performing on stage since the age of 7. Acting has always been her true passion. In 2019 she moved to Israel and continued her education in acting, now on screen as well as on stage. She has been in various original Ukrainian plays and has done a voiceover dubbing project in Israel that got sent to Cannes. In 2024 she graduated NYCDA from Film and TV program.
