The New York City premiere of Charles Evered’s CLASS, directed by Jeffrey Meek, launching the newly founded Ear Out Playhouse

“Alluring … it is very clear that Mr Evered, a bi-coastal film director and playwright, knows a good deal about celebrity … Elliot is a fabulous character.” —The New York Times

“A lovely piece of theatre … a flawless experience that makes you realize just how much value theatre has in our lives … Evered’s CLASS truly is a class act … thoroughly absorbing entertainment.” —Broadway World

Written by
​CHARLES EVERED

Starring
​TAYLOR HENNINGS, ERIC OLSSON

Directed by JEFFREY MEEK

TWO-WEEK LIMITED ENGAGEMENT
​NOVEMBER 10 – 22, 2026 AT EAR INN

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

EAR OUT PLAYHOUSE is pleased to announce the New York City premiere of Charles Evered’s CLASS, directed by Jeffrey Meek, launching the newly founded theater company with its inaugural production. The play will have a limited engagement upstairs at the historic Ear Inn (326 Spring St.), one of New York City’s most storied landmarks and a space rarely accessible to the public. For the first time in the Ear Inn’s more than 200-year history, its upstairs will open to the public for a theatrical production, giving audiences unprecedented access to a remarkable piece of New York history. Audiences are encouraged to arrive early to explore the space, take in its history, and experience the landmark before the performance begins. Performances run Tuesday, November 10 through Sunday, November 22; doors open at 6:15 p.m. for a 7:00 p.m. performance. Tickets are $70 and available here. ​ Press are invited to all performances.

CLASS is a witty, intimate drama about two artists who meet as they question whether their art, and their lives, still have meaning. Elliot, a celebrated but disillusioned acting teacher, meets Sarah, a mysterious young actress searching for something she can no longer name. What begins as a clash of wills becomes an unexpected, deeply personal connection as they challenge each other to risk, tell the truth, and remember why they became artists in the first place. As the boundaries between teacher and student, art and life, desire and devotion begin to blur, CLASS becomes a moving exploration of what happens when two lost souls find, in each other, a reason to keep creating, and perhaps to keep loving.

Ear Out Playhouse has named acclaimed playwright Charles Evered its Playwright in Residence, with the residency running from September 2026 through June 2027. The partnership supports the development and presentation of bold, actor-driven theater, beginning with CLASS.

The production stars Taylor Hennings (FBI:Most Wanted, All Too Well short film) as Sarah and Eric Olsson (Law & Order SVU, Masquerade) as Elliot.

The production features costume design by Gayle Bindman, and lighting design by Henry Mont. Paul Geluso is the sound designer and Chloe Chin is the stage manager. Casting was consulted by Lisa Donadio. Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.

BIOGRAPHIES

CHARLES EVERED (Playwright) has a catalog of plays, including Adopt a Sailor, first produced in 2002 at Town Hall with a rotating cast including Sam Waterson, Amy Irving, Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson and Neil Patrick Harris. It was later adapted into a feature film starring Bebe Neuwirth and Peter Coyote. Other plays include The Size of the World, (World premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre with Liev Schreiber), Running Funny, (World premiere at Williamstown Theatre Festival with Paul Giamatti, An Actor’s Carol and The Shoreham, (World premiere at The Black Dahlia Theatre with Eric Stoltz. Evered has also authored a spy trilogy consisting of the plays Wilderness of Mirrors, Clouds Hill, and Celadine.

He has penned screenplays for Hollywood studios as well as for television, including one of the most popular episodes of the series Monk, starring Tony Shalhoub. Evered earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Yale University and completed his undergraduate degree in English at Rutgers–Newark. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserve for eight years, reaching the rank of Lieutenant.

In 2023, his plays were added to the Permanent Public History Collection at the Massachusetts Historical Society. In 2024, he was named Artist in Residence at the George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Colonial Beach, Virginia. In 2025, he was a Research Fellow at the American Revolution Institute at the Society of the Cincinnati in Washington, D.C. In 2026, he was Artist in Residence at the Arvo Pärt Centre in Laulasmaa, Estonia. He is the proud father of Margaret Evered and John O’Hara Evered, both of whom grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. He splits his time between Shenandoah, Virginia and Bath, Maine."

JEFFREY MEEK (Director) is a director, actor, screenwriter, educator, and the founder of Ravensongs Studio, a film, television, media, and music production company based in San Diego, California. His theater directing credits include Proof by David Auburn, Reasons to be Pretty and Reasons to be Happy by Neil LaBute, Gun Show by E.M. Lewis, An Upset by David Auburn, The Dwarfs by Harold Pinter, On the Porch One Crisp Spring Morning by Alex Dremann, and Apple Season by E.M. Lewis. He has directed staged readings of new plays including Three Views of the Same Object by Henry Murray, It Has to be You by Catherine Butterfield, and The Club by Amy Fox. Jeff previously served as co-artistic director of PlayFest Santa Barbara.

Jeff has served as Professor of Directing and Acting at The Los Angeles Film School and is the founder of Jeffrey Meek Studio. In film and television, he has directed second-unit on Night of the Cyclone, Mortal Kombat: Conquest, Raven, and The Exile. As a screenwriter, he co-wrote Beyond the Sea, the Bobby Darin story. Jeff has starred in over 100 plays and numerous film and television roles. For more information, visit RavensongsStudio.com, JeffreyMeek.net, or his IMDB page at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0576088/.

ERIC OLSSON (Founder/Producer) Eric Olsson is the founder of Ear Out Playhouse and a producer, director, and editor whose work spans theater, film, and television. He is currently producing CLASS by Charles Evered, the inaugural production of Ear Out Playhouse at the historic Ear Inn in New York City.

He has produced and edited for Lionsgate, including trailers and special features, with projects involving legendary producer Howard Kazanjian (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark). He also edited the trailer for a 9x Emmy-nominated film, as well as a Tribeca-premiering short film. His feature film work includes editing Masquerade with Nicholas Tolkien, which The Hollywood Reporter praised as “an outrageous comedy...the last thing you’d expect from the Tolkien gene pool!”

His producing credits include Escanaba in Da Moonlight by Jeff Daniels, Reasons to Be Pretty by Neil LaBute, and Tolkien’s Terezin. His work has screened at major festivals including Tribeca, Sundance, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, and the Los Angeles Film Festival.

KIM WALTRIP (Producer) is an accomplished film producer, director, and community leader whose career spans film, television, public service, and philanthropy. Her producing credits include the critically acclaimed The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigbytrilogy, starring Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy; Hit & Run, starring Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, and Bradley Cooper; Adopt a Sailor, starring Bebe Neuwirth, Peter Coyote, and Ethan Peck; 7 Days to Vegas; Back in the Day; and the PBS special Diahann Carroll: The Lady, The Music, The Legend, among numerous other projects.

A longtime advocate for women in the entertainment industry, Kim is a past president and current board member of Palm Springs Women in Film and Television (PSWIFT) and the founder of the Kim Waltrip Filmmakers Lab which provides emerging filmmakers with opportunities to develop, produce, and showcase their work. In recognition of her contributions to the entertainment industry and her charitable work, Kim recently received her star on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars.

Kim’s commitment to community and philanthropy extends far beyond filmmaking. Throughout her career, she has produced major charitable events, served on nonprofit boards, judged film festivals, moderated industry panels, and led fundraising initiatives supporting cancer research, children and families, survivors of domestic abuse, disaster relief, and numerous other causes.

Her contributions have earned her numerous honors, including the Aide de Camp Award from the Semper Fi Memorial Honor Detail, Broken Glass Award from Palm Springs Women in Film, Woman of Distinction in the Arts from American Pen Women, Congressional Recognition for Service to the Community, the Desert Visionary Award from the Women’s Leaders Forum, the Distinguished Women Award, Entrepreneur of the Year from Palm Springs Life magazine, and the Angel of the Year Award from Olive Crest Homes for Abused and Neglected Children, among many others.

Through her work in entertainment, advocacy, and philanthropy, Kim Waltrip has built a career defined not only by storytelling and creative leadership, but also by her enduring commitment to giving back to the community.

LARISSA DIAS (Producer) is a creative executive and producer focused on developing premium film, television, and emerging media projects at the intersection of entertainment, technology, and purpose-driven storytelling.

Raised in Brazil and Canada, Larissa brings an international perspective to her work. She holds a Master’s degree in Producing and has spent the past decade working professionally across film, television, and voice acting. Her experience both in front of the camera and behind the microphone gives her a deep understanding of performance, character, and storytelling from both the creative and production sides of the industry.

Larissa is passionate about championing bold storytellers and building compelling, globally resonant projects that embrace emerging technology and leave a lasting cultural impact.

EAR OUT PLAYHOUSE aims to create and present exceptional new theatre and music that is bold, intimate, adventurous, and soulful. They support original voices and daring artists in the pursuit of virtuosity.

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