TLab Shares Hosts:
Steady Hand Studios Presents:
Tender Napalm
Written by Philip Ridley
Directed by Rory McGregor
Featuring Ben Ahlers and Victoria Pedretti
In Tender Napalm, a young couple grapples with the aftermath of a devastating tragedy. Struggling to rebuild their fractured relationship, they engage in a fierce emotional battle, using vivid fantasies to confront their pain, desire, and anger. The dance of their relationship blurs the lines of tenderness and brutality, blending reality and imagination as they try to make sense of their trauma. Directed by Rory McGregor, this production stars Victoria Pedretti (Netflix’s You) and Ben Ahlers (The Gilded Age). Performances run from November 27 to December 16 in New York City. Produced by Steady Hand Studios.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Ben Ahlers is best known for his breakout role in HBO’s Emmy-nominated THE GILDED AGE, where he starred alongside some of New York’s most iconic theatre legends, including Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, and Nathan Lane. The ensemble cast was recognized with a SAG Award nomination last season for ‘Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.’ Ahlers will next be seen in HBO’s highly anticipated hit drama THE LAST OF US.
Ahlers graduated from the prestigious University of Michigan’s Musical Theater department. He left school a semester early when he was cast in NBC’s THE VILLAGE. He followed that with a role in Netflix’s hit series THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA. He also starred in Quibi’s WHEN THE STREETLIGHTS GO ON, starring opposite Queen Latifah and Tony Hale.
On stage, Ahlers starred alongisde Matthew Broderick in THE CLOSET at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. He led Roberto Aguirre Sacasa’s GOOD BOYS at the Pasadena Playhouse, opposite Betsy Brandt. This spring, Ahlers will tackle the role of John Wilkes Booth in JOHN WILKES BOOTH: ONE NIGHT ONLY!, a play written by MAD MEN creator Matthew Weiner at Baltimore Center Stage.
He’s a lifetime member of the Actors Studio.
Victoria Pedretti just finished production on Rachel Rose’s feature debut THE LAST DAY, a story loosely adapted from Virginia Woolf’s MRS. DALLOWAY. She stars opposite Alicia Vikander, with Killer Films producing.
Shortly after graduating from Carnegie Mellon, Victoria garnered international attention for her performance as Nell Crain in the 2018 hit Netflix original series THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. Based on Shirley Jackson’s iconic novel, the series follows siblings who grew up in what became one of the most famous haunted houses in America.
In 2019, she joined another hit Netflix original series – YOU – for two seasons as Love Quinn, opposite Penn Badgley.
Due to the widespread success of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, Pedretti returned to headline the second installment of the Netflix anthology series, THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR, which premiered in 2020. The new season was inspired by Henry James’ psychological gothic horror novella THE TURN OF THE SCREW.
On the big screen, Victoria has appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (where she played Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie) and Ava DuVernay’s ORIGIN opposite Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Niecy Nash. The film is based on the life of Isabel Wilkerson and her novel Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents and had its world premiere at Venice in 2023.
Upcoming, she is in Esteban Arango’s PONYBOI (which premiered at Sundance in 2024) alongside writer/star River Gallo and Dylan O’Brien.
Victoria made her Broadway debut this year in Amy Herzog’s adaptation of AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE opposite Jeremy Strong. Tony Award winner Sam Gold directed.
Rory McGregor is a British theatre director based in New York City. He most recently was the West End Director for the five-star revival of The Lehman Trilogy in London, and earlier this year directed the International Tour of The Lehman Trilogy. Before this, he directed the world premiere of Christina Masciotti’s No Good Things Dwell in the Flesh (ART/NY) which was selected as a New York Times Critics Pick. He also recently directed the U.S. premiere of Josh Azouz’s Buggy Baby (APAC) and the world premiere of Interior by Nick Payne (59E59 Theaters). He has written and directed Ransom (Arts on Site), Vigil and Conway (Both theaterlab). Previous directing credits include The Great Divide (Finborough Theatre, UK), Building Pain (First Irish Festival, Origin Theatre), Macbeth (Connelly Theatre). He has served as Associate Director for the world’s leading theatre directors including Sam Mendes, Julie Taymor, Rupert Goold and Carrie Cracknell. Recent credits include The Lehman Trilogy (Broadway, Ahmason Theatre in LA and London’s West End), Ink (Broadway), Sea Wall/A Life (The Public Theater & Broadway) and M. Butterfly (Broadway). He has developed work at NYTW, Waterwell Theater Company, La MaMa E.T.C and Rattlestick. Rory has taught at Columbia University, Bucks County Playhouse, Broadway Teaching Group, Irondale and mentored undergraduate directing students at NYU/Playwright’s Horizons Theatre School. He was previously a Directing Fellow at Manhattan Theatre Club, an Artistic Representative on the Young Partner’s Board at the Public Theater, a script reader at Roundabout Theatre Company, the Artistic Associate of Classic Stage Company and an Artistic Apprentice at Roundabout.
COVID-19 policy: In guidance with the city and state COVID-19 policies, we will no longer be requiring masks, but strongly recommend them.