Genesis: The Torchbearer.

It carries the torch for the ideologies that were an integral part of the Federal Theater movement of the 1930s and the off and off-off Broadway movements that reached its zenith in the 1980s.

Genesis honors the original text of the classics but merges these words with new locations and casting choices thereby making these works accessible to a new audience who can now take ownership of the works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries and even of works of antiquity.

Genesis opened its doors in 1999 with Hamlet. The production created what would become a trademark of Genesis – Shakespeare set in a unique time and place, while still remaining true to the original text. Hamlet was set in Washington 1963 and became known as The Kennedy Hamlet.

Genesis exemplified this trademark with other classical works including:

• Romeo & Juliet in a trailer park; Othello in a colorless world; The Merchant of Venice on the eve of Kristalnaught; Macbeth in 1940s Argentina; A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Central Park turn-of-the-millennium; Faustus as a tribute to Orson Welles; The Merry Wives of Windsor in a disco 1976; a Fellini-esque Richard III utilizing puppetry with live action; the first Folio edition of Hamlet; Arias & Sonnets (an on-going series of Shakespeare scenes and soliloquies combined with their musical and operatic adaptations); The Tempest set on a Forbidden Planet; A Yorkshire Tragedy (from the fourth folio of Shakespeare) at LaMama; The Spanish Tragedy tributing Hammer Films and Lâ Theatre Du Grand Guignol; and many others.

Genesis explored classical themes in new works as well.

• Genesis helped inaugurate G.A.i.A.: Girl Artists Innovating Art and their productions of Medea and Lysistrata;
• The Genesis Opera the brainchild of Mary E. MiCari, founder of The Chelsea Opera with productions of The Pirates of Penzance, Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Ariadne Auf Naxos;
• Anne & Fay’s House named for Genesis most prominent trustees, the late Anne Berman and the late Fay Tomick with updated versions of children’s classics like The Three Little Pigs, Czech Winter Tales, and two art symposiums one modern, one comic books and graphic novels.
• The King Series, Genesis new plays division named for Anthony King, another respected Genesis trustee  presented new and original plays by leading playwrights such as Luigi Jannuzzi and Robert Liebowitz. The division turned out award-winning original works at The Samuel French Festival, Spotlight-On Festivals, and the New York International Fringe Festival.

Genesis collaborated with other organizations to bring quality entertainment to audiences.

• With Spotlight-On Productions, Genesis presented War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast Of 1938 with special guest Ruth Warrick, the original Mrs. Kane in Citizen Kane;
• with Cypreco of America it presented Oedipus and The Bacchae at the HBO Summer Stage;
• with Neil Kleid and On The Spot, they fostered a touring Improv troupe, Straight-Jacket Required;
• and served as a sponsor for The Taming of the Shrew at Fordham University; A Yorkshire Tragedy at Yeshiva University; and Cradle Will Rock at Kingsborough College.

The company was founded by a large group of dedicated artisans.

Today, the original vision is maintained by founding members Mary Elizabeth MiCari, artistic director; Jay Michaels, managing producer

Past members of our repertory include:

Jelena Alonso • Sheldon Aptekar • Tania Asnes • David Arthur Bachrach • Josh Blumenfeld • Larry Brenner • Julian Broughton • Tim Browning • Bridget Burke • Russ Camarda • (The Acting Gym) • Vicki Baum Camarda • Tamara Cashour • Heather Connolly • Sarah Dandridge • Milda DeVoe • Eric Fitzgerald • Michael Fortunato • Mitchell Ganem • Rodney Hakim • Sid Hammond • Sarah Hankins • Amy Harper • Gina Haver • Cliff Hesse • Vit Horejs • Luigi Jannuzzi • Amanda Jones • Eric K. Johnston • Jason Kendall • Neil Kleid • Marko Lampas & Barbara Miller • Robert Liebowitz • Mitch Poulos • Mark Metevier • Artie Mezzo • Kevin Myers • Paul Nicholas • James Oligney • Michael Raver • Jason Ramirez • Maggie Ridge • Mary Riley • Jennifer Rosen • Robert Saunders • Gina Seghi • Aliza Shane • Josh Silverman • Brad Thomas • Ian Tomaschik • Lorenzo Valoy • Shawn Watson