HUNTINGTON AVENUE THEATRE THE NICETIES SHERLOCK’S LAST CASE MAN IN THE RING EDUCATION IN DEVELOPMENT UPCOMING EVENTS & NEWS PERFORMANCE CALENDARS WHAT DOES THE HUNTINGTON MEAN TO YOU?
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FALL 2018-2019
SPOTLIGHT JUST ANNOUNCED: The hilarious musical spoof Spamilton: An American Parody joins the 2018-2019 season
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Kyle Vincent Terry and John Douglas Thompson will appear in the incredible true story of world champion boxer Emile Griffith, Man in the Ring
Draft rendering of the Huntington Avenue redevelopment project
The Huntington Theatre Company is now officially the sole owner of the Huntington Avenue Theatre! In May 2018, our commercial development partner QMG Huntington LLC gave us a remarkable gift — the deed to the theatre — donating our home to us on a permanent basis and fulfilling a long-held aspiration to control our own theatre space. July, 1986
1982
Huntington Theatre Company founded by Boston University; Managing Director Michael Maso joins Producing Director Peter Altman to lead the company
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Huntington creates an independent Board of Trustees & Council of Overseers, separate from, but in residence at BU
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Fall, 1986
The Huntington’s longstanding relationship with August Wilson begins with a production of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Ownership of the theatre is an astounding milestone on our remarkable journey. We are now embarking on a process to create a magnificently restored and expanded Huntington Avenue Theatre in order to greatly enhance our services to our audiences, artists, and the community. Notable milestones of the past year paved the way for our future: full separation from Boston University, the opening of our new state-of-the-art Huntington Production Center in Everett, and receiving the city of Boston’s approval on plans to renovate our theatre complex that includes our beautiful proscenium auditorium and support wing, as well as a new 14,000 square foot welcome center in the adjacent QMG Huntington LLC residential building, which will provide a new fully accessible entrance and lobby, modern audience amenities, a new performance venue and firstclass event space for patrons and community members.
2004
Huntington builds & opens the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts
2000
Nicholas Martin becomes our second Artistic Director
2013
Huntington receives the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre
2008
Peter DuBois becomes our third Artistic Director
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IT’S OFFICIAL: THE THEATRE IS OURS!
TRANSFORMATIONAL SPACES
COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN
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Our new theatre complex will beckon visitors through a soaring entrance that will be activated throughout the day welcoming the entire community to participate in programs, enjoy a café, and avail themselves of our new box office along with other visitor amenities. The expansive second floor will create flexible spaces for audiences to gather, for students and the community to engage in education programs and multi-disciplinary activities, and to invite visitors and artists to converse together, realizing our vision to be “Boston’s Living Room” with an open configuration that includes an intimate performance venue, lobby, and veranda overlooking Huntington Avenue. And, of course, both floors will have plenty of restrooms! Known for their award-winning designs that celebrate the heritage and craftmanship of the past while also creating vibrant, new social spaces, Bruner/Cott & Associates, the Huntington’s architects for the project, have begun the design schematics for the theatre renovation and lobby space build-out.
Draft rendering of the proposed “Boston’s Living Room” second floor lobby of the Huntington Avenue Theatre
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Another important milestone was last year’s kickoff of our comprehensive fundraising campaign, Empowering Passion, a five-year initiative designed to fund the renovation and expansion of our Huntington Avenue theatre complex, grow and diversify our program and offerings, increase the Annual Fund, and enhance our reserve and endowment funds. We are currently in the leadership phase of the Campaign. At the conclusion of the Campaign in 2022, generous donors to this effort will have provided the Huntington with the strongest possible foundation with which to serve and thrive as a vital part of the cultural fabric of Boston and beyond for generations to come. You are an important part of the Huntington’s new future! Planning is underway and we invite you to learn about the transformation by visiting our website, attending upcoming events, and by contributing to the Huntington in the coming years. For the latest news and information about the Huntington Avenue Theatre, please visit huntingtontheatre.org or contact Elisabeth Saxe, Chief Development Officer, esaxe@huntingtontheatre.org or 617 273 1579.
July, 2017
2015
BU puts the Huntington Avenue Theatre complex up for sale
2016
2019 (Projected)
Huntington’s 35 year relationship with BU is officially ended; the Huntington Production Center is created in Everett
With the help of Mayor Martin J. Walsh & the city of Boston, commercial developers QMG agree to give the theatre to the Huntington
Draft rendering of the proposed first floor lobby of the Huntington Avenue Theatre
Commercial developers QMG begin the demolition of 252-254 Huntington Avenue buildings & the construction of new apartment building
2018
Huntington receives the deed to the Huntington Avenue Theatre!
Fall, 2021 (Projected)
2020-2021 Season (Projected)
Huntington will begin renovation of the Huntington Avenue Theatre & produce shows at the Calderwood and in other venues for our “travelling year”
Huntington will open renovated & expanded HUNTINGTON AVENUE THEATRE COMPLEX
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“A BARNBURNER! One of the best plays about who gets to tell the story of America.”
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In this explosive story, a black student and a white professor — both brilliant, both liberal — meet to discuss a paper about slavery’s role in the American Revolution. A polite conversation becomes a powder keg of race, history, and power, and neither woman will ever be the same. An entertaining and provocative nail-biter, written by Boston native Eleanor Burgess and directed by Broadway veteran Kimberly Senior (Disgraced), that everyone will be talking about.
“Eleanor Burgess has created a work that does what the finest, best-written plays do — it demands engagement from an audience and practically compels them to talk about it afterwards. Seeing this in the Wimberly is going to up the stakes for audiences and actors alike; I expect a crackling energy will be built at every single performance.” – ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PETER DuBOIS Playwright Eleanor Burgess
Director Kimberly Senior
REVEALING AMERICA:
ELEANOR BURGESS’ THE NICETIES JANINE: You may be right. You’re probably right. About feelings that were there. It’s possible you’re right about the effects those feelings had. But that isn’t history. ZOE: Yes, it is history. It’s a part of American history. In playwright Eleanor Burgess’ The Niceties, a student sits down with her professor during office hours; their lives are about to change. Through their intense conversation, Burgess brings intellectual might and refreshing nuance to discussing race, history, and power in America. The play has become a breakout hit for Burgess, a Brookline native and alumna of the Huntington Playwriting Fellows program. Critic Peter Marks of The Washington Post named a developmental staging as one of his favorite productions of 2017, describing The Niceties as “a nail-biter of a play that leaves you wrung out and reassessing your own pieties.” In the play, Zoe is a junior at an “elite university in the Northeast” with a high GPA and a focus on social activism. She is meeting to discuss her research paper with Janine, a published expert in comparative revolutionary history. They geek out about grammar and style, but soon a disagreement is sparked. “Zoe’s thesis is that the American Revolution could never have been a successful revolution without — and was the most successful revolution in history because of — the institution of slavery,” playwright Eleanor Burgess says. “Janine does not agree.” Zoe is black, and Janine is white; from different generations, they are both part of the well-educated elite, and consider themselves left-wing politically. Initially, Janine is receptive and even encouraging toward Zoe’s resistance to change her thesis. “So many of your classmates, […] they’re so eager to do what I tell them,” Janine says to Zoe. “When what I want, of course, is debate.” But what begins as a conversation about 18th century history has implications for our 21st century moment, and those differences of opinion reveal an essential gap; ultimately their conversation — fast-paced, clever, intellectually dazzling — concerns the foundational question of who controls the story of America and who will control its future.
Burgess started the play out of an interest in how a seemingly straightforward disagreement can blow up to the proportions of a cultural divide. One example of this phenomenon for Burgess was a 2015 controversy at Yale: child development professor Erika Christakis objected to a campus advisory that pre-emptively discouraged Halloween costumes that borrowed from other cultures. Christakis felt that the function of college was trying out adult responsibilities, and opined in an email that Halloween was a time when students could be allowed to be “a little bit inappropriate or provocative or, yes, offensive.” The email went viral. The response from students was that her point of view reinforced white supremacist notions that other cultures can be appropriated freely, and that her comments contributed to a hostile learning environment; students led protests and called for Christakis’ immediate dismissal and disavowal. What interested Burgess was that, when discussing the incident with friends, both sides dismissed any legitimacy to the opposing argument. “My friends are really spread across a pretty broad political spectrum, from quite conservative to quite liberal,” Burgess explains. “Both groups believed that the other side was not fighting for anything valid. No one wanted to explore that both academic freedom of speech and the psychological safety of students of color were important, or acknowledge that the disagreement was difficult but necessary. That was too complicated. No one wanted to have a discussion.” For Burgess and director Kimberly Senior, the play is both an exorcism for the entrenched polarization that has gripped America and an attempt to ask whether we can find a way forward. In Senior’s words, “The debate in this play is one that threatens to rip apart the gorgeous fabric of our country — that disparate voices and opinions and religions and races and genders and beliefs could all possibly share this country, and find empathy, goodness at our core. Will our play solve these problems? Likely not. But it is a prescient warning bell. It is a rallying cry that we must find a way to reach across the aisle, bridge the divide, and find a way to be good neighbors — and maybe, just maybe, we will do a little better next time we are facing someone we might consider an opponent.” – CHARLES HAUGLAND HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG
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A rendering of The Niceties set by scenic designer Cameron Anderson.
AN INTERVIEW WITH
PLAYWRIGHT ELEANOR BURGESS & DIRECTOR KIMBERLY SENIOR
IN ELEANOR BURGESS’ THE NICETIES, JANINE, A PROFESSOR OF GLOBAL REVOLUTIONS, MEETS TO DISCUSS A TERM PAPER WITH ZOE, A STUDENT WHO WANTS TO START A REVOLUTION HERE AND NOW. THROUGH THEIR CONVERSATION, BURGESS CREATES AN ELECTRIFYING DEBATE BETWEEN THE TWO WOMEN. PRIOR TO WHEN REHEARSALS BEGAN, BURGESS AND THE NICETIES DIRECTOR KIMBERLY SENIOR SPOKE ABOUT WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE IN THE AUDIENCE FOR THE PLAY AND WHAT CONVERSATIONS THEY HOPE IT SPARKS.
What does it feel like to be in the audience of this play? Kimberly Senior: The exciting thing to experience with this play is that, when you watch these two women have a conversation, they are both right and they are both wrong. You’re in a gladiatorial arena where the upper hand changes moment to moment. Eleanor Burgess: Boston is my hometown, and this is a very Boston play. All plays are about being in a room with other people in an audience — but this play especially is about having a conversation that is both right now and very challenging. Hearing other people react to it is part of the experience, and it starts a conversation that lasts long after you’ve seen the play. There’s no point in this play that isn’t, “let’s all use this as a jumping off point to go further and talk,” and I am looking forward to having a conversation with Boston about these issues. Eleanor, what does it mean to see this play produced at the Huntington? EB: The first time I came to a play at the Huntington, I was 14. The Huntington is where I went to most of the plays that I saw until I was 20. The Huntington has shaped my understanding of what theatre is, and has meant so much to me long before I knew I wanted to write plays. On top of that, the Huntington is also the place that gave me my first “yes” as a professional playwright. Becoming a Huntington Playwriting Fellow was the
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first time that a real theatre said, “yeah we like what you’re doing,” and that fellowship was the kickstarter that made me pursue theatre more seriously. Can you talk about the play’s setting in 2016? What interested you about that moment? EB: It is set during the primaries of the Republican and Democratic parties. It’s partly set there because that was when I wrote the first draft — but also ever since the election, I’ve wondered about updating it, and that would be wrong. One thing I like about the timing of the play is that the characters onstage don’t know what’s coming in this country, and we in the audience know very well. We know the stakes of liberals not agreeing with each other and not being enthusiastic about the same things. We know the consequences of a white woman failing to win over people who aren’t white and the consequences of a woman in her 60s failing to win over a millennial. We also know more than they do about how far Americans are willing to go to defend their beliefs about America and their understanding of race in America. There is a dramatic irony present in the play; we have a fear of where the conversation is going that neither of them knows or sees. We also know how much they’re going to lose and how dangerous the world is going to get for both of them. KS: And there are some really good groaner jokes. EB: Yes, there’s a joke about Jeb Bush that gets a good laugh. What questions do you hope audiences will ask themselves after seeing it? EB: What is the story of America? What has happened in this country? What is this country supposed to be? What has it never been? Both of these women in the play want to change the world and would call themselves good liberals: Janine would call herself an excellent liberal, and Zoe would say “ugh, liberalism, I’m further left than that.” KS: She’s post-liberalism. EB: But they’re both on the left wing of American politics and can’t agree. That divide is something that — both in this country and very specifically in the city of Boston — is highly relevant right now. KS: The questions of the play start on a college campus: who should be teaching what to whom? How is American culture being taught to students? How is that content being determined? EB: Can we ever know something for certain? How do we know? KS: Then the questions get bigger: how is history written? EB: How do you prove that you experienced something? How do you prove that something happened in this country? Can you ever prove it? Does feeling something make it true? KS: The play takes these questions and explores them through an explosive and dynamic conversation. EB: We hope the play will shake people’s beliefs. KS: And that’s what we’re supposed to do in the theatre. EB: Yes, that’s what theatre should do.
NAME Jordan Boatman ROLE Zoe HOMETOWN I was born in Los Angeles but grew up mostly in Ossining, New York, about 45 minutes away from Manhattan. HOW ARE YOU LIKE YOUR CHARACTER ZOE? I think I’m like Zoe in the way that I throw myself head-first behind my beliefs. Sometimes that fervor can get away from me, and it’s not always so easy to get me to see things in a different light either. WHY IS THIS PLAY IMPORTANT FOR BOSTON AUDIENCES? The Niceties takes topics that aren’t always easy to discuss and really breaks them down from every angle. I think people will identify with both Janine and Zoe, which will spark conversation about the merits of each woman’s stance on the issues brought up in the play. WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS DO YOU HOPE THIS PLAY WILL PROVOKE? I hope this play can help to start a conversation between people who might be dealing with a generational divide. I hope people leave the show more open to hearing different opinions and to working towards a middle ground. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PERIOD OF HISTORY? The Elizabethan era. NAME Lisa Banes ROLE Janine HOMETOWN Colorado Springs, Colorado HOW ARE YOU LIKE YOUR CHARACTER JANINE? We are both incredibly opinionated and love to express our opinions. WHY IS THIS PLAY IMPORTANT FOR BOSTON AUDIENCES? The Niceties is important for ALL audiences. It’s about as timely as a play can be — it is necessary. It’s about how we are going forward as a country, how we can talk to each other and remember that we love each other, and how we can form a more perfect union. WHO WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE PROFESSOR IN COLLEGE? I studied drama at Juilliard, and my professor Marian Seldes made a huge impression on me. After we had been torn apart for the first two years of school, she patched us back together and inspired us. She was a great lady and a great mentor. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PERIOD OF HISTORY? I have always been obsessed with the Civil War and have read a lot about it. My grandfather had a photograph of Abraham Lincoln — it was the first era of photographs and some of those photos haunted me.
SEE PAGE 22 FOR SHOW PERFORMANCE CALENDAR & EVENT LISTINGS
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Take a trip to Baker Street with the legendary Sherlock Holmes and his trusted sidekick Dr. Watson, to solve the seemingly perfect crime. When a threat is made against Holmes’ life by the son of his longtime nemesis, Moriarty, not everything is as it appears. The game’s afoot with equal parts hilarity and intrigue in the longoverdue Boston premiere of this murderously funny comedy-thriller, directed by Huntington favorite Maria Aitken (Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Bedroom Farce).
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“A clever spoof with fabulously over-the-top twists and turns.” — BACKSTAGE
“Huntington favorite Maria Aitken brought this sly comedy-thriller to our attention — promising the same sense of fun, surprise, and suspense as her hit production of Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps.” – ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PETER DuBOIS
Playwright Charles Marowitz
Director Maria Aitken
FATAL SOLUTION: OUTSMARTING THE WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE In the parlor at 221B Baker Street, the home of the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes, Holmes and Watson are celebrating another case solved by Holmes’ ingenious logic — when a mysterious letter arrives. The letter claims to be written by the son of Sherlock’s greatest nemesis Moriarty, and contains a mysterious riddle: “If you would know the hornet’s sting Seek the insect in his nest. But do not dare to cut his wing Or never shall your heart know rest.” From the obscure poem, Sherlock immediately senses that an attempt is going to be made on his life, so he and Watson embark on a wild journey to catch the killer before the killer catches up with them in the Huntington’s new staging of Charles Marowitz’s Sherlock’s Last Case. Part send-up, part thriller, the play marks a return to the Huntington stage for Maria Aitken, director of Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Private Lives, and Betrayal, among others. For Aitken, the appeal of the play is in how it brings a new twist to one of the world’s best-known characters. “I didn’t know much about Sherlock before directing this play, except for the ordinary things you know about Sherlock when you are young,” Aitken says. “I had read the Arthur Conan Doyle stories, and slightly forgotten some. Doing my homework for this play was a great pleasure; I read everything by Conan Doyle.” In addition, Aitken looked to other authors that had put an original spin on the legendary character. “Reading authors like Michael Dibdin — who wrote a very good pastiche novel that distilled Sherlock — was very handy because you saw the things that had caught other people’s imaginations. It’s extraordinary how much about Sherlock had gone into my mind subconsciously because it is so iconic.” Between 1887 and 1927, Arthur Conan Doyle published 56 Holmes stories and four novels that have become the basis for countless adaptations, movies, and plays. Part of the enduring appeal lies in
how Conan Doyle revolutionized the detective genre. Mirroring the scientific discoveries of the era, the Holmes stories popularized the convention of introducing forensic science — like blood tests and fingerprinting — into detective stories. Conan Doyle’s skill at mixing practical knowledge and literary flair came from his background as a practicing doctor. The deductive method of a doctor diagnosing a disease inspired Conan Doyle’s method for Sherlock sleuthing out the truth behind a crime. Sherlock’s Last Case also puts a new spin on the bond between Holmes and his partner John Watson. In your classic Holmes story, critic John Sutherland says, Watson represents “the so-called ‘idiot friend’, who must have everything explained to him — thus informing, as well, the idiot reader.” In the hands of playwright Charles Marowitz, this friendship is examined to have deeper and unexpected dimensions. Sherlock has captured readers’ imaginations for over a century because of his knack for discovering the truth behind even the most devious schemes. As actor Simon Callow writes, Holmes’ charm is that “he restores logic to an unruly, disturbingly incomprehensible world. Initial chaos — the crime — appears to be without meaning. The great detective, inhumanly brilliant, makes sense of things again.” In Sherlock’s Last Case, Holmes’ certainty ultimately falters, leading audiences to wonder whether the detective has finally met his match. “It’s kind of irresistible because it turns some of the legend on its head, and then it treats some of it quite slavishly,” Aitken says. “As a result, Sherlock’s Last Case takes you by surprise, and I believe it’s quite clever.” For Aitken’s recent staging of the play at England’s Watermill Theatre, the critics agreed with The Telegraph’s Dominic Cavendish, calling the play “ingenious, strange, and satisfying.” – CHARLES HAUGLAND HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG
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NAME Rufus Collins ROLE Sherlock Holmes HOMETOWN New York City. I was born and raised in Manhattan but I currently live in Brooklyn. HOW ARE YOU LIKE YOUR CHARACTER? I am observant like [Sherlock] as well as curious, studious, vigilant, self-dramatizing, and obsessive. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SHERLOCK STORY? I love A Study in Scarlet, the first work in which Holmes and Watson appear. Like most of the stories, it is written in Watson’s voice. Watson describes meeting Holmes and taking rooms with him at a 221B Baker Street. It is the origin story of their relationship and the establishment of the headquarters from which their legendary adventures unfold. WHAT MYSTERY WOULD YOU LIKE TO SOLVE? The mystery of Shakespeare’s genius has been investigated for centuries. I firmly believe that he was the “Man from Stratford” but settling that dispute once and for all would be deeply satisfying. NAME Malcolm Ingram ROLE Inspector Lestrade HOMETOWN Gloucester, Massachusetts HOW ARE YOU LIKE YOUR CHARACTER? Desperate insecurity is not unfamiliar to me, and I have been known to have my officious moments. WOULD YOU SAY YOU ARE MORE OF A SHERLOCK OR A WATSON? More like Watson I think. I’m perhaps more empathetic and certainly less analytically brilliant than Sherlock. WHAT IS THE BEST ADVENTURE YOU’VE EVER BEEN ON? I was 18 and on a hiking trip in Norway with three friends. We’d been walking and camping for a couple of weeks, and in order to reach a particular village we had to embark on a journey through the mountains. The walking became more difficult, and at one point our only option to go forward was to negotiate a narrow, outward sloping, very slippery ledge. I had 80 lbs on my back and there was a drop of hundreds of feet below. I grabbed the rock face with my hands and started to work my way across. I remember the fear, but panicking wasn’t really an option. The only thing to do was to stay in the moment and inch my way, very slowly across, which I did. Two days later we reached the village and were told that the Red Cross had been sending out search parties for us. NAME Jane Ridley ROLE Mrs. Hudson HOMETOWN I was born in Orpington, Kent in the United Kingdom. My family moved all over the South East of London in my early years except for the two years we lived in the United States when I was eight and nine. Perhaps that is how this country got into my bones.
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HOW ARE YOU LIKE YOUR CHARACTER? Mrs. Hudson is a wonderful example of the typical landlady who goes above and beyond her job description. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote somewhat different versions of her in each of the stories and Charles Marowitz gives us a Scottish woman with a wry sense of humor, a tendency to speak her mind, and a true fondness for her eccentric lodger/employer. I have occasionally been known to get myself in hot water through speaking my mind, I have a tremendous fondness for “interesting” people, and I believe I share her wry sense of humor. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SHERLOCK STORY? I rather like “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.” The device of the mistaken goose gives plenty of opportunity for Sherlock’s powers of deduction combined with good, old fashioned detective work. NAME Antoinette Robinson ROLE Liza Moriarty HOMETOWN My lovely hometown is Pflugerville, Texas (The 'pf' gets people EVERY time!) HOW ARE YOU LIKE YOUR CHARACTER? I hope I am as clever and quick as the character I play! It truly is enviable. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SHERLOCK STORY? The Hound of the Baskervilles. Hands down. I’ve read it more than any other and it delivers EVERY time. WHAT IS THE BEST ADVENTURE YOU’VE EVER BEEN ON? I LOVE to hike. And was taken — in the middle of fall — to a wonderful park called Wissahickon. At every turn there was something to fall in love with. The colors of the leaves, the sky, the crisp fall air, the sound of trickling brooks. Ah! I fell in love that day and thus began one of the best adventures I’ve been on to date. NAME Mark Zeisler ROLE Dr. Watson HOMETOWN I was born in New York City and raised for the most part in Dobbs Ferry, New York. HOW ARE YOU LIKE YOUR CHARACTER? I’m a very good “wingman.” WHAT IS THE BEST ADVENTURE YOU’VE EVER BEEN ON? I was an avid hitchhiker in my teenage years and travelled all over the country. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CLASSIC NOVEL? Two of my favorite classics are The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. WHAT MYSTERY WOULD YOU LIKE TO SOLVE? I would like to get the questions to the JFK assassination finally resolved.
SEE PAGE 22 FOR SHOW PERFORMANCE CALENDAR & EVENT LISTINGS
HOLMES & WATSON: DYNAMIC DUO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’VE BEEN IN A SLEUTHING PARTNERSHIP FOR DECADES? SHERLOCK AND WATSON. LIKE GIN AND TONIC OR
PIE AND ICE CREAM. THE ORIGINAL, BELOVED SLEUTHING DUO THAT HAS ENTERTAINED AND THRILLED PEOPLE SINCE THEIR DEBUT IN 1887 ARE MASTERFULLY REIMAGINED IN CHARLES MAROWITZ’S DARKLY COMIC SHERLOCK’S LAST CASE. BUT HOW DO HIS CHARACTERIZATIONS COMPARE TO OTHER SHERLOCK ADAPTATIONS?
“Sherlock”
(BBC 2010-PRESENT) SETTING Present-day London SHERLOCK Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock is a genius, “high-functioning sociopath” complete with a canonical lack of emotional intelligence and superhuman deductive skills cranked up to the tenth degree. WATSON Martin Freeman’s Watson is the kindhearted sidekick and occasional moral compass for Sherlock who is dependable to a fault; Freeman’s Watson is also a war veteran with PTSD, making him a more nuanced character. MYSTERIES & CASES Modern reinventions of classic cases, e.g. A Study in Scarlet (the original Holmes story) becomes “A Study in Pink”
(FOX 2004-2012)
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
SETTING Present-day New York City
SETTING Present-day New Jersey, in a fictional town
(TV-FILM, 1987)
SETTING Present-day Boston
SHERLOCK Jonny Lee Miller’s Sherlock, uncharacteristically, actually has social and emotional skills, making him inherently more relatable and likable than other Sherlocks; he also is a recovering drug addict.
SHERLOCK Hugh Laurie’s Dr. Gregory House is another Sherlock-based leading man who struggles with drug addiction, sharing misanthropic genius qualities with Cumberbatch’s Sherlock; his last name House bolsters his derivation from Sherlock’s canon (House = Home = Holmes).
SHERLOCK Michael Pennington’s Sherlock is out of touch with modern times — literally: after being cryogenically frozen to avoid a bubonic death, he’s unfrozen years later and is an old-timey, very canonical Sherlock (at first).
“Elementary”
(CBS 2012-PRESENT)
WATSON Lucy Liu’s Joan Watson is on equal ground with Miller’s Sherlock and is also his sober-companion; Liu’s Watson is a surgeon whose accidental killing of a patient sent her into an early retirement. MYSTERIES & CASES A procedural drama à la “Law & Order,” every episode covers a new case with overarching stories running throughout
“House”
WATSON Robert Sean Leonard’s Dr. James Wilson (initials J.W.) is House’s critical, yet supportive best friend; he is also the type of charismatic and warm-hearted doctor that “people say thanks to when he tells them they’re dying.” MYSTERIES & CASES A medical drama à la “Grey’s Anatomy,” where every episode has a new medical case that needs to be solved, with an overarching story running throughout the series
Sherlock Holmes (FILM, 2009) SETTING London, 1890 SHERLOCK Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock is a very canonical take on Holmes with eccentricities that get so out of hand that even Watson can’t wait to move out. WATSON Jude Law’s Watson is almost as canonical as Downey Jr.’s Sherlock except that he’s about to be married and can’t wait to move into a new place with his wife, away from Sherlock.
WATSON Margaret Colin’s Jane Watson is a private investigator and descendent of Dr. John Watson; like most other Watsons she is overly empathetic and warm, which brings her to the brink of financial ruin. MYSTERIES & CASES A case featuring stolen money, double identities, and murder that is solved by Holmes
MYSTERIES & CASES The duo is tracking down an occult serial killer who has been killing women and wants to kill men in power to gain more power
– J. SEBASTIÁN ALBERDI HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG
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Man in the Ring is the incredible true story of six-time world champion boxer Emile Griffith and the fatal fight he could never forget. This sweeping tale covers Emile’s humble beginnings in the Virgin Islands, his passionate love affairs, and the infamous, life-changing Madison Square Garden match against his archrival. He searches for redemption and must confront his past in this epic new play from Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cristofer, imbued with warmth and the sounds of the Caribbean. Four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Rent, Next to Normal) directs.
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— CHICAGO SUN TIMES
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“A knockout! Fierce, poetic, and profound. Ready for Broadway!”
“I was deeply moved by this incredibly compelling true story. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Michael Cristofer and multiple Tony Award-nominee director Michael Greif collaborate in creating a visually stunning, musically rich, and emotionally powerful piece of theatre — you won’t be able to take your eyes off it.” – ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PETER DuBOIS Playwright Michael Cristofer
RINGSIDE VIEW:
MICHAEL CRISTOFER FINDS SOUL-STIRRING ECHOES IN EMILE GRIFFITH’S LIFE When playwright Michael Cristofer’s Man in the Ring begins, the character of Emile Griffith sits onstage, softly singing a Caribbean children’s rhyme to himself: “Brown boy in the ring, tra la la la la.” Once one of the world’s great boxers, Griffith is now 70; years of hits and knockouts have affected his brain. He needs the help of his caregiver and partner Luis to get his shoes on. The simple tenderness of Emile and Luis’ interaction is the jumping-off point for Cristofer’s visionary new play — one that spans 50 years of Emile’s life. Emile Griffith is an all-time legend in boxing; but as told onstage by Cristofer and director Michael Greif, the dramatic portrait of Griffith is more than a sports story. Following Griffith’s life in and out of the ring, every moment is filled with the boxer’s irrepressible spirit, by turns charming and flirtatious, angry and wounded. Cristofer’s interest in Emile Griffith’s life began when writing the libretto for a biographical jazz opera Champion. Cristofer sensed that a play would allow him to bring in more facets of Griffith’s life than the opera allowed. “I had so much material that I wanted to use,” Cristofer says, “aspects of his life and of his story that I just couldn’t get into the opera. The play has been a really great opportunity for me to finish telling the story of Emile’s life.” The play travels back to Griffith’s earliest years — when he was a young immigrant from the British Virgin Islands, arriving in New York with nothing but “champagne dreams and lime juice money.” Though he is already good at making delicate hats, his powerful physique matches that of a boxer, and he is pushed into amateur boxing competitions by an ambitious manager. Griffith becomes a quick success in prizefighting and a six-time world champion. But the central event of Griffith’s life is an infamous match against
Director Michael Greif
Benny Paret in Madison Square Garden on March 24, 1962; Paret taunted the openly bisexual Griffith with homophobic slurs at the weigh-in, and in the ring, Griffith pummeled Paret, who lapsed into a coma. Paret died 10 days later. Griffith, a sensitive and mild man despite his prowess as a boxer, was never able to come to terms with having played a role in Paret’s death. “ I keep thinking how strange it is ... I kill a man, and most people understand and forgive me. However, I love a man, and to so many people, this is an unforgivable sin; this makes me an evil person. So, even though I never went to jail, I have been in prison almost all my life.” – EMILE GRIFFITH In the outline of Griffith’s life, Cristofer saw a way to explore major themes that still permeate our culture. Griffith was one of the earliest “out” athletes of his caliber, open about his sexuality in a way that would still attract attention today for a professional athlete. In another point of contemporary relevance, Griffith’s life was shaped by the violence that happened in the sporting ring, both physical and psychological. Griffith was diagnosed with dementia pugilistica, a condition now known to be related to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Cristofer found both these themes resonant as a storyteller. “The important thing about doing the play now is that it’s so relevant to what’s still going on in the sports world and the damage that’s been done to athletes,” Cristofer says. “In the world of gay and lesbian rights, this is the story of an athlete who was gay and couldn’t come out in the 1950s and 1960s, and I’m not sure how much different it is now in the boxing world. Although Emile’s story takes place mainly from 1959-1962, there is a real relevance to what’s going on in the world today, and there’s a great opportunity to tell this story now.” Cristofer knew he wanted the play to convey the sense of pleasure that Griffith brought to his life and his buoyant personality. To Cristofer, the play is a tribute that “despite a really difficult life, he was a joyful presence through most of it.” Capturing that sense of delight was important to Cristofer both in how he portrayed Emile’s personality and in how he thought about the whole experience of the play. “Hearing Emile’s story can be a joyful experience for the audience,” Cristofer says. “That’s why we’re using all of these old traditional Caribbean children’s games that have little songs and proverbs. All of those are interwoven into the structure of the play and how we tell the story. I’m hoping that, finally, it will be not only a satisfying theatrical experience, but also a joyful theatrical experience.” – CHARLES HAUGLAND HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG
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“ HE LOOK LIKE A SUGAR IN A PLUM” A LIFE IN PICTURES
photos: joan marcus
“ I came to this country in the 1950s from the Caribbean. I never intended to hurt no one but things happen.” – EMILE GRIFFITH
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When Emile Griffith was 11, he ran away from his aunt’s house to Mandal, a home for wayward and orphaned boys on the island of St. Thomas. He stayed there for three years until, as he put it, “my mother [Emelda], she sent for me and that’s all I wanted to hear, I pack my bag and go [to New York City.]”
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Griffith wanted to design and make hats; his mother wanted him to be a singer. Instead, he would become a six-time world champion boxer. His boss at the hat company, Howie Albert, first discovered his physique and helped him train.
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“My left jab was my peacemaker.” – EMILE GRIFFITH Griffith used the money he made boxing in his first eight fights to bring over his siblings from the Caribbean, and then he bought his mother and family a large house in Queens Village.
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Benny “Kid” Paret is pictured in the white trunks and Emile Griffith in the black. Paret called Griffith a “maricón” (a homophobic slur in Spanish) and taunted him at their weigh-in before their fateful fight.
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“So I says man, you got to be kidding, you don’t even know me.” – MERCEDES (SADIE) DONASTORG
Emile asked Mercedes Donastorg, or Sadie, to marry him on their very first date. At first she really thought he was joking, but then she agreed. Their marriage lasted just two years.
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“I will dance with anybody.” – EMILE GRIFFITH Emile Griffith met Luis Rodrigo while Emile was working as a corrections officer. Emile felt like he had finally found a friend, and they were happy with each other. Later in life, Emile legally adopted Luis.
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Champion. Boxer. Husband. Son. Father. Emile Griffith’s life was more than just that of an ordinary boxer. See it come alive on stage in the Huntington’s production of Man in the Ring.
Michael Greif directed the original productions of the Broadway juggernauts Rent (top) and Dear Evan Hansen (bottom).
MICHAEL GREIF:
BROADWAY LEGEND & CHAMPION OF NEW WORK Four-time Tony Award-nominated director and longtime champion of new works, Michael Greif will make his Huntington debut this fall directing Michael Cristofer’s new play Man in the Ring. Over the last two decades, Greif has emerged as a leading director of groundbreaking new work both on and off Broadway, from his 1996 direction of Rent — which reshaped the world’s understanding of what a musical could be — to his most recent Tony Award-winning smash hit Dear Evan Hansen. His gift for cultivating resonant pieces that define generations of theatre lovers has earned him the distinction of helming not one, but two musicals (Rent and Next to Normal) that went on to earn Pulitzer Prizes — a rarity in the world of musical theatre. “I’ve been very fortunate about being able to pick and choose,” Greif explains of his extraordinary track record of piloting projects that go on to earn critical acclaim. “A lot of great material has passed my way, and it’s been very inspirational.” But how does Greif pick and choose projects from the great throng of plays clamoring for the opportunity to be shaped by his direction? “It’s about the stories you’re drawn to. I’m drawn to stories that tend to involve themselves with struggles of identity, or struggles of less empowered groups of people… I’m interested in outsider stories, and that’s where I tend to come from.” The Huntington is thrilled to welcome Michael Greif this November as he brings his formidable talent to Michael Cristofer’s powerful, epic story about legendary boxer Emile Griffith. – SARAH SCHNEBLY
SEE PAGE 22 FOR SHOW PERFORMANCE CALENDAR & EVENT LISTINGS
– J. SEBASTIÁN ALBERDI HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG
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STUDENT MATINEE SERIES
nile hawver
LEARN MORE: huntingtontheatre.org/studentmatinee
• 6 STUDENT MATINEE PERFORMANCES • 2,837 ATTENDEES • 70 PRE-SHOW WORKSHOPS IN SCHOOLS SERVING 1,288 STUDENTS • 6 POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS WITH ACTORS • 6 CURRICULUM GUIDES CREATED & AVAILABLE TO PERUSE ONLINE
EDUCATION & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
mike ritter
BY THE NUMBERS STRENGTHENING BOSTON’S NEXT GENERATION & ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO THE ARTS
OVER THE PAST 36 YEARS, MORE THAN 500,000 STUDENTS AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS FROM UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE HUNTINGTON’S NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED EDUCATION & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. HERE IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAMS OVER THE 2017-2018 SEASON. DID YOU KNOW that of the 36,000 students from greater Boston and adults from underserved neighborhoods who engage at the Huntington each year, 96% of participation is subsidized or free? You can ensure access to the performing arts for everyone in your community by making a gift today at huntingtontheatre.org/donate.
ACCESS PROGRAMMING
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BOX OFFICE 617 266 0800
Braille
gretchen ertl
• 5 AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCES • 5 ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCES • 256 PATRONS
POETRY OUT LOUD
AUGUST WILSON MONOLOGUE COMPETITION • 8TH YEAR • 19 SCHOOLS* • 33 TEACHERS* • 637 STUDENTS* • 7 TEACHING ARTISTS
david marshall
james kegley
*RECORD-BREAKING NUMBER!
• 13TH YEAR • 90 SCHOOLS* (RANKED 5TH IN THE NATION FOR SCHOOLS) • 614 TEACHERS (RANKED 3RD IN THE NATION FOR TEACHERS) • 22,731 STUDENTS (RANKED 2ND IN THE NATION FOR STUDENTS) • MASSACHUSETTS STATE CHAMPION NAMED ONE OF ONLY 9 NATIONAL FINALISTS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW
2019 REGISTRATION OPENS SEPTEMBER 4 POL: huntingtontheatre.org/pol AWMC: huntingtontheatre.org/awmc
EPIC: EMPOWERED PERFORMERS IN CONVERSATION
david marshall
• 4TH YEAR • 12 STUDENT PLAYWRIGHTS • 6 SCHOOLS • 1 NEW ORIGINAL PLAY, WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY PARTICIPANTS
HUNTINGTON COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP INITIATIVE
paul marotta
Sponsored in part by a grant from Bank of America’s Economic Mobility Initiative
• 235 ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS IN 16 UNDERSERVED GREATER BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS • 3,129 COMMUNITY MEMBERS GETTING THE BEST AVAILABLE SEAT TO ANY SHOW FOR $20 AT THE HUNTINGTON & PARTNER THEATRES SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY & LYRIC STAGE COMPANY • 8 MEMBERSHIP RECEPTIONS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON
HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG
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Patrick Varner, Eden Espinosa, and Maurice Parent perform “Old Friends” from Merrily We Roll Along
Designed by Rafanelli Events, the room is set for the party to begin
Managing Director Michael Maso receives a standing ovation when he announces that the Huntington has just received the deed for the theatre
2018 SPOTLIGHT SPECTACULAR BREAKS FUNDRAISING RECORD! RAISES OVER $1.3 MILLION TO SUPPORT HUNTINGTON PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES, HONORS DIRECTOR LIESL TOMMY & TRUSTEE NEAL BALKOWITSCH The Huntington’s annual Spotlight Spectacular on May 7, 2018 began with a rousing performance of “Old Friends” from Merrily We Roll Along sung by cast members Eden Espinosa, Maurice Parent, and Patrick Varner. This performance was apropos, as we were honoring our long-time friends, director Liesl Tommy and Trustee Neal Balkowitsch, with the Wimberly Award for their remarkable contributions to the Huntington. Artistic Director Peter DuBois and co-chairs Carol Deane, Maria Gerrity, and Annie Hall opened the program with a welcome to the attendees, followed by the presentation of the Gerard and Sherryl Cohen Award, which each year honors two outstanding employees, to Huntington staff members Christine Marr (Wardrobe Supervisor) and Jazzmin Bonner (Company Manager) for their professionalism and service to the Huntington. The evening was punctuated by the late-breaking news that the Huntington officially received the deed to and, thus, is now the sole owner of the Huntington Avenue Theatre, which was announced from the podium by Managing Director Michael Maso and was greeted by an immediate standing ovation by the gala guests. Attendees
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BOX OFFICE 617 266 0800
then participated in an enthusiastic live auction followed by our paddle raiser to “Sponsor-A-Class” in support our Student Matinee Series, which allows thousands of young people to see Huntington productions each year. The night continued with encores from Espinosa, Parent, and Varner, as well as a show-stopping performance of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” by Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom actor Yvette Freeman Hartley. Neal Balkowitsch took the stage to receive the Wimberly Award and used the opportunity to proclaim his confidence in the future of the Huntington, stating, “I watched the Calderwood revitalize my neighborhood, and I know that the Huntington Avenue project will do the same for the Avenue of the Arts. This is exciting for the many young people across the Boston area who are waiting to be introduced to theatre.” Our sold-out event was designed by Rafanelli Events and catered by MAX Ultimate Food. Thank you to all our 2018 Spotlight Spectacular committee members and guests for your support. We hope to see you next year!
paul marotta
Managing Director Michael Maso, co-chair Carol G. Deane, Donald Nelson, co-chair Maria Gerrity, co-chair Ann Hall, and honoree Neal Balkowitsch
Gerry and Sherry Cohen (far left and far right) with this year’s Gerard and Sherryl Cohen Award winners, Christine Marr and Jazzmin Bonner
HUNTINGTON CHOSEN FOR THE BARR FOUNDATION’S GROUNDBREAKING ARTSAMPLIFIED INITIATIVE RA
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“At the Barr Foundation, we believe that great art transforms the way people engage with the world. To present art that is viable and relevant, artists and arts organizations must be nimble, creative, and willing to embrace risk and test new ideas. The ArtsAmplified initiative invests in 15 organizations that reflect these attributes.” IB
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YOU’RE INVITED:
SHERLOCK’S LAST CASE SEASON CELEBRATION
- SAN SAN WONG, DIRECTOR OF ARTS & CREATIVITY, BARR FOUNDATION
The Huntington is thrilled to have been selected as one of 15 arts organizations in Massachusetts to participate in the Barr Foundation’s new ArtsAmplified initiative. Known for its philanthropic vision in contributing to the arts, the Barr Foundation has been a longtime supporter of the Huntington and institutions serving Greater Boston and beyond. Launched in May 2018, ArtsAmplified is a six-year, $30 million initiative bringing together a cohort of major Massachusetts arts institutions to help expand their leadership, strengthening their communities. Helmed by Jim Canales, the Barr Foundation’s President, and San San Wong, Director of Arts & Creativity, ArtsAmplified is centered on four pillars: artistic excellence, relevance, civic leadership, and risk-taking. In addition to generous funding, Barr is working with each cohort member on an ongoing basis to provide assistance with market research, organizational development, and artistic innovation. At this pivotal moment, ArtsAmplified is supporting the Huntington in building our capacity to develop new collaborations and implement more robust audience and community engagement. This preparation will position us for our relaunch when construction of the new Huntington Avenue Theatre complex is complete. We are excited to participate in ArtsAmplified with our cohort fellows who represent the pinnacle of artistic leadership in Massachusetts, including the A.R.T., ArtsEmerson, Celebrity Series, GrubStreet, the ICA, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Jacob’s Pillow, MASS MoCA, Peabody Essex Museum, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, Silkroad, The Theater Offensive, World Music/CRASHarts, and The Yard. We look forward to providing the Huntington community with updates on this extraordinary process.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2018 Huntington Avenue Theatre and Studio 210 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston You are cordially invited to a night of mystery in celebration of the Huntington’s 2018-2019 season! Enjoy pre-performance cocktails and British-inspired “small plates” fare with featured guests Sherlock’s Last Case director Maria Aitken (Ms. Aitken’s availability is subject to change). Revel with the cast post-show and enjoy music, drinks, and sweet and savory snacks. 5:30pm | Pre-Show VIP Reception 7:30pm | Sherlock’s Last Case Curtain Following the performance | After Party For more information, please contact Sam Buntich at 617 273 1513 or events@huntingtontheatre.org.
HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG/CELEBRATION
WELCOME NEW OVERSEERS We are delighted to announce the election of six new members to the Huntington’s Council of Overseers: Ivy B. Cubell, Jon A. Levy, David R. Peeler, Donna J. Robinson, George Ticknor, and Melissa Wylie. Huntington Overseers play a vital role, giving their time and lending their expertise and talents on a wide array of topics including finance, development, investment, and community building. We are grateful for their commitment and welcome these new members to the Huntington family.
HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG
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UPCOMING EVENTS & HUNTINGTON NEWS JUST ANNOUNCED:
HUNTINGTON SUBSCRIBERS GET EXCLUSIVE ACCESS!
STAGE & SCREEN AT THE COOLIDGE CORNER THEATRE A collaboration between the Coolidge Corner Theatre and the Huntington which explores shared themes in Huntington productions and acclaimed films. This fall’s lineup includes:
SPAMILTON: AN AMERICAN PARODY CREATED, WRITTEN, AND DIRECTED BY GERARD ALESSANDRINI FEBRUARY 12 – MARCH 10, 2019 SOUTH END / CALDERWOOD PAVILION AT THE BCA HILARIOUS MUSICAL SPOOF Don’t miss this “convulsively funny” (The New York Times) musical parody from the comic mastermind behind the long-running hit Forbidden Broadway. After tearing it up in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, Spamilton: An American Parody fulfills its manifest destiny by conquering Boston for a limited time only. The Huffington Post raves “you don’t have to see Hamilton to have side-splitting fun at Spamilton.” Tickets to Spamilton are available now to Huntington subscribers and FlexPass holders only and will not go on sale to the general public until later this year. Call 617 266 0800 or visit us online at huntingtontheatre.org to learn more about becoming a Huntington subscriber.
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE • THU., AUG. 23 AT 7PM Join us for a conversation after the film with The Niceties playwright Eleanor Burgess. Dear White People follows the stories of four black students at Winchester University, where a riot breaks out over a popular “African American”-themed party thrown by a white fraternity. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in “post-racial” America while weaving a universal story of forging one’s unique path in the world. Winner of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival’s Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent, Dear White People is a sly, provocative satire of race relations in the age of Obama.
MURDER BY DEATH • MON., OCT. 1 AT 7PM “Smart, silly & convulsively funny!” – THE NEW YORK TIMES
Join us for a conversation after the film with a special guest from the Huntington’s production of Sherlock’s Last Case. Neil Simon pays homage to classic detective films in his parody Murder by Death. Millionaire Lionel Twain invites five famous private eyes to a mysterious dinner at a remote castle. The wise Sidney Wang, the urbane couple Dick and Dora Charleston, the canny Englishwoman Jessica Marbles, the clever Milo Perrier from Belgium, and tough-talking Sam Diamond all arrive wondering why they have been invited. When the private eyes and their guests sit down to dinner, they meet Mr. Twain, who explains that a murder will take place at midnight and that whoever can solve the crime will win a million dollars.
TICKETS: $14.50 ($11.50 for Huntington subscribers) and may
be purchased online at coolidge.org or at the Coolidge Corner Theatre box office, located at 290 Harvard Street, Brookline. Stay tuned for more information about screenings in conjunction with the Huntington’s productions of Romeo & Juliet and Indecent this spring!
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FALL EVENT SCHEDULE
FIND US THIS FALL AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING GREAT EVENTS. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
FOG X FLO: FUJIKO NAKAYA ON THE EMERALD NECKLACE
OPEN HOUSE: HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY
SEPT. 1 – OCT. 31, DAWN TO DUSK 5 LOCATIONS ALONG THE EMERALD NECKLACE
MON., OCT. 8, 10AM – 2PM HUNTINGTON AVENUE THEATRE
Venture out in the fog with Sherlock Holmes, and listen to an original series of free, short audio plays featuring the world’s most famous detective. Written by Huntington Playwriting Fellow Walt McGough, these original audio plays will respond to the environment of each of Fujiko Nakaya’s free public art fog installations and follow an original storyline. Learn more at huntingtontheatre.org/fog.
Go behind the scenes of the Huntington Avenue Theatre and learn more about the plans to revitalize our beautiful performance space. Activities will include special performances, backstage tours, technical demonstrations, giveaways, and more — families welcome! Part of the Fenway Alliance’s Opening Our Doors Day celebration. Learn more at huntingtontheatre.org/openhouse.
BEANTOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL SUN., SEPT. 23, 12 – 6PM COLUMBUS AVENUE, WEST OF MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE The Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival is Boston’s biggest block party — a free, annual, outdoor public concert featuring a host of jazz, Latin, blues, funk, and groove performances.
NEW FOR 2018-2019: OPEN CAPTIONING AT THE HUNTINGTON! We are thrilled to announce that the Huntington has been selected to participate in the Theatre Development SHERLOCK’S LAST CASE Fund’s (TDF) National Thursday, October 11 at 7:30pm Open Captioning Tuesday, October 16 at 7:30pm Initiative! Over our 36 ROMEO AND JULIET years, the Huntington has Wednesday, March 20 at 2pm continuously strengthened Tuesday, March 26 at 7:30pm its commitment to accessible YERMA programming to be more Tuesday, June 18 at 7:30pm inclusive of audiences of all Sunday, June 23 at 2pm abilities. More than 4,500 adults and students with accessibility needs participate in Huntington productions each season. TDF will sponsor open captioning at two performances each of Sherlock’s Last Case, Romeo and Juliet, and Yerma in the 20182019 season, provided by the company c2 (Caption Coalition). The Huntington is excited to join theatres nationwide in offering
2018-2019 OPEN-CAPTIONED PERFORMANCES
BOSTON BOOK FESTIVAL SAT., OCT. 13, 11AM - 5PM COPLEY SQUARE Celebrating the power of words to stimulate, agitate, unite, delight, and inspire, Boston Book Festival’s annual event promotes a culture of reading and ideas and enhances the vibrancy of our city.
“ I
had pretty much given up on attending the theatre as my hearing loss has progressively deteriorated, and it has been hard to read about the wonderful performances happening at the Huntington and know that it would be a frustrating experience if I tried attending.... Captioning is so amazing for people who need it. It will be so wonderful to be able to attend Huntington plays; almost like turning back the clock and being able to enjoy theatre like I did before my hearing loss 32 years ago. Thank you again for all you do to help people like me enjoy the pleasures of live theatre again. It is life-changing for us.” - EXCERPT FROM A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO TDF ON BEHALF OF THE HUNTINGTON FROM CAROLYN HILLES-PILANT, MEMBER, HLAA BOSTON
open captioning to audiences, ideal for patrons with hearing loss who may not be fluent in American Sign Language. Open captioning will join ASL interpretation and audio description as services the Huntington is proud to offer to our community. We are grateful to members of Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) chapters across Massachusetts who stepped up to demonstrate their enthusiasm for open captioning at the Huntington with an outpouring of letters of support accompanying our application to TDF (see above).
For more information or to order tickets, please call the Huntington’s access coordinator Meg O’Brien at 617 273 1558 or email mobrien@huntingtontheatre.org. HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG
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PERFORMANCE CALENDARS: AUG. 2018 – DEC. 2018 THE NICETIES
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(h) Humanities Forum
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(o) Open Captioned
(~) Audio-Described
(•) Post-Show Conversations (#) Season Celebration
(d) Actors Forum (c) Huntington Community Membership Initiative Reception
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(f) First Look
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(p) Press Opening Night (s) Student Matinee
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TICKETS PRICES Start at $25
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more, plus groups have access to backstage tours, talks with artists, and space for receptions. Contact 617 273 1657 or groupsales@huntingtontheatre.org.
SUBSCRIBERS Receive $10 off any additional tickets purchased. Prices include a $3 per ticket Capital Enhancement fee.
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STUDENTS (25 AND UNDER) & MILITARY $20
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35 BELOW $30 for those 35 and under at every performance
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THE NICETIES: Saturday, October 6 at 2pm
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Join master conversationalist Robin Abrahams — author of The Boston Globe’s “Miss Conduct” column — for scintillating post-show conversations throughout the Huntington season. She’ll bring her wit and wisdom, along with a PhD in psychology, to explore human behavior and how theatre holds a mirror up to the drama of daily life. Speaking dates included in The Niceties and Man in the Ring performance calendars. MAN IN THE RING: Saturday, December 1 at 2pm
SHERLOCK’S LAST CASE S M T
NEW POST-SHOW SERIES: CONVERSATIONS WITH ROBIN ABRAHAMS
HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG 617 266 0800
WHAT DOES THE HUNTINGTON MEAN TO YOU?
“
I’m involved with the Huntington to support performing
nile hawver
arts, connect with the community, and have a deeper understanding of the world around me.”
Cast and audience members interact at a 35 Below Wrap Party
- MICHELLE RHODES, CHAIR OF THE HUNT, THE HUNTINGTON’S COMMUNITY OF YOUNG DONORS
“
nile hawver
I remember my first real play a very long time ago…
Our Town in New Haven with a very young Kate Mulgrew. I was hooked for life. And I was so happy to bring my teenage son to the Huntington’s Our Town a few years ago. What a pleasure to pass the bug on to him that way.” - KAREN THOMPSON, HUNTINGTON AUDIENCE MEMBER
A future theatre lover explores the orchestra pit at a Huntington open house
“
david marshall
I never knew that I could get up on stage in front of all those people and move on to a national competition. I never knew that I could do that until I started working with the Huntington.”
- CARLA VASQUEZ, 2015 AUGUST WILSON MONOLOGUE COMPETITION BOSTON REGIONAL CHAMPION
Carla Vasquez performs during the August Wilson Monologue Competition
“
david marshall
Every single child in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
deserves an opportunity to participate in the arts, and the Huntington really makes that possible for so many of our young people.” - ANITA WALKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MASS CULTURAL COUNCIL
Poetry Out Loud champion Courtney Stewart celebrates his win
“
mike ritter
We love theatre and adore the Huntington, which creates
a season of plays that truly touch us. The Huntington’s success is, in part, the range of plays it offers and also the incredibly talented creative team it assembles to shape each production.” - KAREN JOHANSEN & GARDNER HENDRIE, HUNTINGTON SUPPORTERS
Master Electrician Kat Herzig leads a backstage tour
“
t. charles erickson
I first encountered the Huntington when I was in high
school. It was an experience that changed my life and opened up my eyes about what theatre could be, what theatre could do.”
Mark Umbers, Eden Espinosa, and Damian Humbley in Merrily We Roll Along
- LIESL TOMMY, TONY AWARD-NOMINATED DIRECTOR
HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG
23
A POWDER KEG OF RACE, HISTORY & POWER
THE NICETIES AUG. 31 – OCT. 6 MURDEROUSLY FUNNY
SHERLOCK’S LAST CASE SEPT. 28 – OCT. 28 AN INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY
MAN IN THE RING NOV. 16 – DEC. 22
BROADWAY HIT COMEDY
A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2 JAN. 4 – FEB. 3
WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS STORY
ROMEO AND JULIET MAR. 1 – 31
SPELLBINDING BROADWAY HIT
INDECENT APR. 26 – MAY 25 SEARING DRAMA WITH MUSIC & HEART
YERMA MAY 31 – JUN. 30
JOIN US FOR A SEASON OF POWERFUL STORIES THAT STAY WITH YOU World-class productions, gorgeous sets and costumes, and an eclectic mix of exciting new work and classics made current. As Boston’s leading professional theatre, the Huntington season features a wide range of theatrical experiences, exceptional quality and artistry, and the most talented artists from Boston, Broadway, and beyond. DESIGN YOUR OWN SEASON: CHOOSE ANY 4 OR MORE SHOWS — INCLUDING SPAMILTON — FROM AS LOW AS $109 AND SAVE UP TO 50%!
HUNTINGTONTHEATRE.ORG/SUBSCRIBE 617 266 0800 JUST ANNOUNCED SPECIAL EVENT: HILARIOUS MUSICAL SPOOF
SPAMILTON: AN AMERICAN PARODY FEB. 12 – MAR. 10 Tickets to Spamilton are available now to Huntington subscribers and FlexPass holders only and will not go on sale to the general public until later this year. Learn more on page 20!
carol rosegg
Director Rebecca Taichman will recreate her Tony Awardwinning production of Indecent for Huntington audiences, the original Broadway production of Indecent pictured