Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Press Kit

Vanya and Sonia and Mashachristopherdurang and Spike by

trinity repertory company THE STATE THEATER OF RHODE ISLAND

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TRINITY REP Photos | For Immediate Release: 11/22/13 Thumbnails are for your reference only. HTML links are to Hi-resolution photos.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang November 21- December 22 Dowling Theater, Trinity Rep Trinity Rep continues their 50 th anniversary season with the New England premiere of Christopher Durang’s smash-hit comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Directed by The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director Curt Columbus, the show beings in previews November 21st in the intimate Dowling Theater and runs through December 22nd. Taking takes his cue from some of Anton Chekhov's most recognizable characters, Durang wickedly adds more than a dash of pop culture, a huge helping of dark humor and then lets the characters stew in a pressure cooker of their own devising. The result is a whirlwind weekend of classic Durang barbs, over the top tirades and ridiculously hysterical situations hailed. Tickets on sale now through the box office at 201 Washington St., by phone at (401) 351-4242 and online at www.trinityrep.com.

http://www.trinityrep.com/DownloadDocs/VSMS_8149.jpg Left to Right - Masha (Phyllis Kay), Vanya (Brian McEleney) and Sonia (Janice Duclos) in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang. Now playing through December 22nd. Tickets on sale through the box office at 201 Washington, by phone at (401) 351-4242 and online at www.trinityrep.com. Directed by Curt Columbus, set design by Michael McGarty, lighting design by Josh Epstein, costume design by Olivera Gajic (photo: Mark Turek)

http://www.trinityrep.com/DownloadDocs/VSMS_5821.jpg Left to Right - Masha (Phyllis Kay), Spike (Mark Larson), Sonia (Janice Duclos) and Vanya (Brian McEleney) in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang. Now playing through December 22nd. Tickets on sale through the box office at 201 Washington, by phone at (401) 351-4242 and online at www.trinityrep.com. Directed by Curt Columbus, set design by Michael McGarty, lighting design by Josh Epstein, costume design by Olivera Gajic (photo: Mark Turek)

http://www.trinityrep.com/DownloadDocs/VSMS_8382.jpg Masha (Phyllis Kay) and Spike (Mark Larson) in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang. Now playing through December 22nd. Tickets on sale through the box office at 201 Washington, by phone at (401) 351-4242 and online at www.trinityrep.com.

Directed by Curt Columbus, set design by Michael McGarty, lighting design by Josh Epstein, costume design by Olivera Gajic (photo: Mark Turek)

http://www.trinityrep.com/DownloadDocs/VSMS_5716.jpg Nina (Sylvia Kates) and Vanya (Brian McEleney) in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang. Now playing through December 22nd. Tickets on sale through the box office at 201 Washington, by phone at (401) 351-4242 and online at www.trinityrep.com.

Directed by Curt Columbus, set design by Michael McGarty, lighting design by Josh Epstein, costume design by Olivera Gajic (photo: Mark Turek)

http://www.trinityrep.com/DownloadDocs/VSMS_6348.jpg Left to Right - Vanya (Brian McEleney), Masha (Phyllis Kay), Cassandra (Tangela Large) and Spike (Mark Larson) in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang. Now playing through December 22nd. Tickets on sale through the box office at 201 Washington, by phone at (401) 351-4242 and online at www.trinityrep.com. Directed by Curt Columbus, set design by Michael McGarty, lighting design by Josh Epstein, costume design by Olivera Gajic (photo: Mark Turek)

Curt Columbus, Artistic Director Michael Gennaro, Executive Director 201 Washington Street Providence Rhode Island 02903 www.trinityrep.com 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 30, 2013 CONTACT: Marilyn Busch, Director of Marketing & PR (401) 453-9228 mbusch@trinityrep.com Myah Shein, Public Relations & Advertising Manager, (401) 521-1100 ext. 226 mshein@trinityrep.com

VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE AT TRINITY REP

NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE OF DURANG'S TONY AWARD-WINNING COMEDY | Nov. 21 - Dec. 22 PROVIDENCE, RI: Fresh on the heels of their sold out run of season opener The Grapes of Wrath, Trinity Rep continues their 50th anniversary season with the New England premiere of Christopher Durang’s smash-hit comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Directed by The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director Curt Columbus, the show beings in previews November 21st in the intimate Dowling Theater and runs through December 22nd. Taking takes his cue from some of Anton Chekhov's most recognizable characters, Durang wickedly adds more than a dash of pop culture, a huge helping of dark humor and then lets the characters stew in a pressure cooker of their own devising. The result is a whirlwind weekend of classic Durang barbs, over the top tirades and ridiculously hysterical situations hailed as “Terrifically kooky!” by Entertainment Weekly. For those that are not familiar with Uncle Vanya or Cherry Orchard, Critics agree that "Even if you’ve never read a word of Chekhov, you’re likely to find plenty to make you laugh…" (The New York Times.) Tickets on sale now through the box office at 201 Washington, by phone at (401) 351-4242 and online at www.trinityrep.com.

Siblings Vanya and Sonia (Brian McEleney and Janice Duclos) have never left the comfortable confines of their sprawling childhood home in Bucks County, PA. Eldest sister Masha (Phyllis Kay) has gone off to become a wildly successful movie star and keeps the bills paid from her posh Hollywood home. Their routinely banal existence is whipped into a sudden frenzy with the dramatic arrival of superstar Masha, who arrives with much younger "boy toy" Spike (Mark Larson) in tow. Masha's re-entry into their otherwise bucolic existence brings with it the resurgence of sibling rivalry, buried emotions and the looming possibility of the sudden end to their idyllic lifestyle.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike first premiered at the McCarter Theatre and subsequently at Lincoln Center Theatre before its 2013 transfer to Broadway. The crowd-pleasing comedy captured many of that year's notable awards for Best Play, including a Tony Award, a Drama Critics' Circle Award, as well as Drama League and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Play.

Director Curt Columbus explains selecting the comedy to be part of Trinity Rep's 50th Season due in part to its unparalleled theatrical lineage. “This new play is a marriage of two playwrights that Trinity Rep audiences have had a love affair with for many years - Christopher Durang and Anton Chekhov both geniuses of presenting humor amid pathos.”

Trinity Rep's inaugural seasons at the Trinity Square Church included both Uncle Vanya and Three Sisters, and Adrian Hall and Columbus have each directed Chekhov's hallmark Cherry Orchard for Trinity Rep audiences. The list of Durang plays seen onstage at Trinity Rep throughout the 1980s is equally impressive, including Beyond Therapy, Marriage of Better and Boo, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You and The Actor’s Nightmare.

Columbus points out that while the two writers may seem incompatible, they actually both seek to engage their audiences through comedy. “Like Chekhov, Durang is a writer who is intensely interested in the current moment, a writer who doesn’t set out to write a political play, but one who can’t help examining the world around him. Working within the frame of the familiar family play, he subtly directs our attention to the larger issues in our culture, all by showing us ordinary detail of everyday life.”

A stellar design team has been assembled to create the faded Bucks County "estate" that the characters call home. Production design includes the team of scenic designer Michael McGarty, lighting designer Josh Epstein, costume designer Olivera Gajic and sound designer Peter Sasha Hurowitz.

Curt Columbus (Richard L. Bready Artistic Director) joined Trinity Rep in January 2006. His directing credits for Trinity Rep include last season's world premiere of Social Creatures, The Merchant of Venice, His Girl Friday, Camelot, Cabaret, The Odd Couple, The Secret Rapture, The Receptionist, A Christmas Carol, Memory House, Blithe Spirit, Cherry Orchard. Curt directed the world premiere of Stephen Thorne's The Completely Fictional – Utterly True – Final Strange Tale of Edgar Allan Poe at Trinity Rep as well as the 2012 production at Baltimore's Centerstage. His plays Paris by Night, The Dreams of Antigone and Sparrow Grass all had their premieres at Trinity Rep, and his adaptation of Crime and Punishment with writing partner Marilyn Campbell was staged last season at Trinity Rep. His plays and translations are published by Dramatists' Play Service, Ivan R. Dee, and Broadway Play Publishing. Curt lives in Pawtucket with his husband, Nathan Watson.

Continuing Trinity Rep’s tradition of offering affordable tickets for all, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike will have discounted previews from November 21st through the 23rd at 7:30pm. Friday November 22nd is a Pay What You Can (PWYC) performance with tickets on sale at 6:30pm that evening, limit one per person. Additionally, talkbacks will be held after every performance of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Audiences are invited to share their response to the production and themes for approximately twenty minutes following the performance. Trinity Rep’s 50th Anniversary season is sponsored by NBC 10, with supporting sponsors Cox Media, Rhode Island Monthly and RISCA.

The State Theater of Rhode Island, Trinity Repertory Company is now celebrating its 50th Anniversary Season. Since its founding in 1963, Trinity Repertory Company has been one of the most respected regional theaters in the country. Featuring the last permanent resident acting company in America, Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works for an estimated annual audience of approximately 145,000. In its 50-year history, the theater has produced 62 world premieres, mounted national and international tours, and, through its MFA program, trained hundreds of new actors and directors. This season marks the 46th year of Project Discovery, Trinity Rep's

pioneering educational outreach program. Last season, Trinity Rep’s educational programs reached nearly 15,000 Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut students through matinees as well as inschool residencies and workshops. Brown University/Trinity Rep offers professional training for actors and directors in a three-year MFA program. Trinity Rep's 50th Anniversary season continues with the return of Richard Jenkins to direct Lionel Bart’s Oliver!, the Rhode Island premiere of Intimate Apparel by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, the world premiere of Veronica Meadows by Stephen Thorne and A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard. For more information, call the box office at (401) 3514242 or visit Trinity Rep's website at www.trinityrep.com.

DETAILS AT A GLANCE

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang November 21- December 22 This Tony Award-winning hit comedy turns Chekhov on its head to hysterical results.

“Terrifically kooky!” Entertainment Weekly "Even if you’ve never read a word of Chekhov, you’re likely to find plenty to make you laugh…" The New York Times Director

Curt Columbus

Set Design

Michael McGarty

Lighting Design

Josh Epstein

Costume Design

Olivera Gajic

Sound Design

Peter Sasha Hurowitz

Stage Manager

Christopher Michael Borg

Cast:

Resident acting company members Janice Duclos, Phyllis Kay and Brian McEleney with Brown/Trinity Rep MFA students Sylvia Kates, Tangela Large and Mark Larson.

Press Night

Sunday, November 24 at 7:30pm; seating is limited Critics please rsvp by email to rsvp@trinityrep.com

Discounted Previews

Thursday November 21 at 7:30pm, Friday November 22 at 7:30 pm and Saturday November 23 at 7:30

Pay-What-You-Can

Friday November 22 at 7:30pm, on sale at 6:30, limit 1 per person

Website

www.trinityrep.com

Box Office

(401)351-4242, 201 Washington Street, Providence, RI 02903

Admission

Ticket $28-68

Season Sponsor

NBC 10

Supporting Sponsors

Cox Media, Rhode Island Monthly and RISCA

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Performance Calendar

Thursday

November 21

7:30 PM

First Look Thursday

Friday

November 22

7:30 PM

Pay-what-you-can

Saturday

November 23

7:30 PM

Sunday

November 24

7:30 PM

Tuesday

November 26

7:30 PM

Friday

November 29

7:30 PM

Saturday

November 30

2:00 PM

Saturday

November 30

7:30 PM

Sunday

December 1

2:00 PM

Sunday

December 1

7:30 PM

Tuesday

December 3

7:30 PM

Wednesday

December 4

2:00 PM

Wednesday

December 4

7:30 PM

Thursday

December 5

7:30 PM

Friday

December 6

7:30 PM

Saturday

December 7

7:30 PM

Sunday

December 8

2:00 PM

Sunday

December 8

7:30 PM

Tuesday

December 10

7:30 PM

Wednesday

December 11

7:30 PM

Thursday

December 12

7:30 PM

Friday

December 13

7:30 PM

Saturday

December 14

7:30 PM

Sunday

December 15

2:00 PM

Sunday

December 15

7:30 PM

Tuesday

December 17

7:30 PM

Wednesday

December 18

2:00 PM

Wednesday

December 18

7:30 PM

Thursday

December 19

7:30 PM

Friday

December 20

7:30 PM

Saturday

December 21

2:00 PM

Saturday

December 21

7:30 PM

Sunday

December 22

2:00 PM

SOLD OUT

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2013–2014 Season at the Lederer Theater Center under the direction of Curt Columbus and Michael Gennaro Executive Director The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director

trinity repertory

Vanya and Sonia and Mashachristopherdurang and Spike

company

by

THE artistic team Directed by Curt Columbus Set design by Michael McGarty Costume design by Olivera Gajic Lighting design by Josh Epstein Sound design by Peter Sasha Hurowitz Speech & voice direction by Thom Jones Production stage managed by Christopher Michael Borg*

THE CAST Vanya Brian McEleney* Sonia Janice Duclos* Masha Phyllis Kay* Spike Mark Larson Cassandra Tangela Large Nina Sylvia Kates*

November 21 – December 22, 2013 in the Sarah and Joseph Dowling, Jr. Theater

Production Director Laura E. Smith

Trinity Rep’s 50th season is sponsored by

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is performed with one intermission.

* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.

Trinity Rep gratefully acknowledges the support of the B.B. Lederer Sons Foundation, the State of Rhode Island, and the City of Providence.

Originally produced on Broadway by Joey Parnes, Larry Hirschhorn, Joan Raffe/Jhett Tolentino, Martin Platt & David Elliot, Pat Flicker Addiss, Catherine Adler, John O’Boyle, Joshua Goodman, Jamie deRoy/ Richard Winkler, Cricket Hooper, Jiranek/Michael Palitz, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Radio Mouse Entertainment, Shawdowcatcher Entertainment, Mary Cossette/Barbara Manocherian, Megan Savage/ Meredith Lynsey Schade, Hugh Hysell/Richard Jordan, Cheryl Wiesenfeld/ Ron Simons, S. D. Wagner, John Johnson in association with McCarter Theater Center and Lincoln Center Theater.

Many thanks to Rustigian Rugs for their assistance on this production.

Originally commissioned and produced by McCarter Theater, Princeton, N.J. Emily Mann, Artistic Director; Timothy J. Shields, Managing Director; Mara Isaacs, Producing Director.

This activity is made possible in part by a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through an appropriation by the Rhode Island General Assembly and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

PLEASE NOTE: Audience members are requested to turn off all cell phones, beepers, pagers, and watch alarms during the performance. Texting and other cell phone use is limited to intermission, outside the theater. Photography is not allowed during the show.

And produced by Lincoln Center Theater, New York City under the direction of Andre Bishop and Bernard Gersten in 2012.

“Here Comes the Sun”, written by George Harrison Published by Harrisongs, Ltd. (ASCAP) Used by permission. All rights reserved.

on the cover: phyllis kay & mark larson; photo by michael guy

TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY • 201 WASHINGTON STREET • PROVIDENCE • RHODE ISLAND • (401) 351-4242 • WWW.TRINITYREP.COM

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FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,

It gives me great pleasure to share Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike with you. (Indeed, there is a pleasure in simply saying the title in that sentence!) Our production of this Tony Award-winning play brings us back to two playwrights whose work we’ve loved at Trinity Rep for years: Anton Chekhov and Christopher Durang.

Durang is, of course, the actual writer of the play, but Chekhov’s presence is felt throughout the show, sometimes directly invoked, sometimes hovering in the background.

Now, let’s get this out in the open right away. Durang’s comedy is not the same sort as the wry, wistful, Chekhovian variety. It is a very American brand of comedy, hearty and direct, and there is a lot of pleasure in that. And yet, it is no less insightful or less well observed than Chekhov’s; it would truly be a misreading of Durang to assume that his comic impulse comes at the expense of serious intention.

Like Chekhov, Durang is a writer who is intensely interested in the current moment, a writer who doesn’t set out to write a political play, but one who can’t help examining the world around him. Working within the frame of the familiar family play, he subtly directs our attention to the larger issues in our culture, all by showing us ordinary detail of everyday life. A sister’s homecoming, a long held family property, the encounter of “artistic people” and “ordinary people” — all well-played Chekhovian tropes — turn our attention, not to the past, but to our current culture, in all of its fame-obsessed and selfobsessed glory.

Like Chekhov, Durang also finds exqui-

sitely strange details in the everyday, which is part of the enduring fascination of both of these writers. For example, Durang writes in his stage directions that the action takes place in a farmhouse in Bucks County, PA, which sits on a hill with many trees, a barn, and a pond in the near distance. Then, tellingly, he adds, “There used to be a shed for peacocks, but the peacocks are long gone.” This singular, funny, sad, concise description informs the tone of the entire piece. It encapsulates the reality that the characters inhabit through a poetically charged, yet whimsical detail.

There are many comparisons to be made with Durang’s play and Chekhov’s Cherry Orchard — underlined by our casting of Phyllis Kay and Brian McEleney as brother and sister, as they were in our production of that play in 2006 (right). Like any (and all) of Chekhov’s works, Durang has given us a vivid look at characters caught in the grip of nostalgia for what has passed, while being afraid of the future.

So, you can choose to enjoy the connections to the plays of Chekhov (there is a wink and a nod to all of them in this show, and we provide a guide on subsequent pages), or you can just take in the sheer smart funniness of the whole enterprise.

Because Durang lets us do that, too. One final, personal note; the first play I ever directed, in college, was a Durang one-act, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You. That fact, combined with my abiding love for certain Russian writers, makes this a very special production for me. I truly hope you enjoy. I’ll see you at the theater.

—Curt Columbus The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director

I am Trinity Rep. I am 50.

“The idea of a theater in Providence, Rhode Island — for those of us who were theater buffs and went to New York and Boston — to have our own theater was tremendously exciting. And it was hard, it was hard to get going… My contribution, aside from being very involved in the initial stages with my husband Robert M. Kaplan [and the other founders], has to do with my English students and building lifelong theater attendees, theatergoers, theater lovers and theater professionals.”

—Susan Kaplan

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LOOKING BACK/ looking forward L to R: Brian McEleney, Barbara Meek & Phyllis Kay in Cherry Orchard, 2006, translated & directed by Curt Columbus. Set design by Eugene Lee, costumes by William Lane, lighting by Deb Sullivan & photos by Mark Turek.

“Trinity Rep has a tradition of doing theater that moves people and moves the way theater is done in this country.

It is one of the vanguards of the regional theater movement. It’s not just known by the work done in-house, but by the work propagated elsewhere by the people who have come through this place — passing the torch to a new generation of theater makers.”

—Jude Sandy “I am Trinity Rep. I am 50!” Few theaters can boast the intimate relationship Trinity Rep has with patrons, students and artists across the state. Rhode Islanders of all ages have shaped Trinity Rep’s rich history, and we are proud to be your State Theater. You are Trinity Rep — you are 50! Above are two excerpts from stories collected at our 50th Anniversary Open House in August. Visit our YouTube page throughout the season for more memories and tributes.

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onstage AT TRINITY REP

Vanya and Sonia and Brian and Curt and Tangela and Mark The cast of Christopher Durang’s new play talk Chekhov, crazy families and why this comedy is much more than your average satire

by Lauren Ustaszewski Lauren USTASZEWSKI: Durang tips his hat to Russian playwright Anton Chekhov throughout his hilarious new play, beginning with its Chekhovian role call of a title — Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

Curt Columbus (director): I consider this play to be more of a reading of Chekhov. It’s definitely not Chekhov, and Durang is not trying to be Chekhov, but rather it’s a reading of Chekhovian characters and values.

Lauren: Both Chekhov and Durang often write about family bonds. What do you think this play says about those ties?

Curt Columbus (director): All of Chekhov’s plays are about family and extended family — there’s biological kin and then there’s everyone else who is as much kin to you as your biological family, and usually when you put them all together, you have some pretty funny situations! That’s what I would say about both writers’ work and I think it’s very true of this play.

Brian McEleney (Vanya): Like any family, we all love each other but we argue to no end, and yet, who wouldn’t want to be part of a family, no matter how difficult it may be.

Curt: And that’s what this play is really about, the struggle and opportunity that is family. And here we have both Tangela and Mark who play outsiders who are not in the family.

Tangela LARGE (Cassandra): Cassandra is very connected, though. It’s beautiful how she tries to keep everybody together. She’ll get you your coffee and she’ll also try to keep everyone in check and that’s what families do. At the end of the day we care about each other.

I feel like that’s what Durang is really saying with this play – not just the craziness, but the unity that is family.

Brian: It also takes outsiders to see how crazy a family really is.

Families and relationships fall into patterns, we take things for granted and all of a sudden an outsider comes and turns the mirror on it.

Mark Larson (Spike): It takes those outsiders to elicit a response that happens within the play. There are things that are felt but go unsaid and what happens when those things are finally voiced in the room?

Curt: It really is about how you can’t truly find your way as a family without the people that are not your biological family. The play opens where Vanya and Sonia are sitting in the morning room together, as they do every morning. And they want this routine and comfort, but they also hate it. And both are completely true. When I first read the play, it seemed like it was a take-off of Chekhov until it became Chekhov. And that’s kind of imperceptible until you come to this moment where you sense the joy, the humor, humanity that is Chekhov.

Mark: It goes from all the overt Chekhovian references to something much deeper. We laugh at how Chekhov is directly referenced, but all of a sudden it actually becomes a Chekhov play. continued on next page

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11/5/13 7:32 AM

onstage AT TRINITY REP Brian: And this playwright, Christopher Durang, always does that. But people sometimes dismiss him as a parodist because his plays start as parody, but always move into something much deeper and shocking and truer. And his way into allowing you to go there is by laughing at its essence as a parody.

Curt: This play is in our season because re-engages Durang and re-engages Chekhov, who is a passion for a lot of us.

And we get both of those great playwrights with one great play. A lot of the plays in our season are about how you have a dream, and then you pursue that dream…and when you get there it’s not at all what you expected. Plus it has amazing parts for these actors. There’s not a single role in this play that isn’t like something you would kill for.

T angela : O f course! To be sassy, to be emotional, to be heart-felt, to be relentless, and a little mysterious and creepy at the same time. It’s great!

M ark : T h e r e ’s a large amount of freedom involved with my character,

Chekhov 101: a Glossary of Basics

Spike, but at the same time that’s a tricky thing to navigate. I don’t want to go too far with any sort of behavior that takes me out of the realm of believability. Because there’s a real potential to shoot past what a real person is and what a real person would do.

Brian: One of the things that characterize all Chekhov characters is that incredible narcissism. The concept that they are the center of the universe and that their problems and their issues exist without relation to anyone else’s.

Lauren: What do you think the play says about the characters’ staunch inaction?

Curt: Even though Vanya, Sonia and Masha are more recognizably Chekhovian, Cassandra and Spike are equally so. Like in Chekhov, left to their own devices, the characters in the family will do nothing. It’s

the people that come in from the outside that always make them do something.

Brian: The inaction doesn’t come because they’re lazy. It comes because change is hard. We want things to stay the same and the world goes on. And unless we keep changing, we get left behind. Vanya and Sonia have been left behind because they have resisted change and part of what happens is these young people come in and they make them change. And they resist it until they can resist no more and they have to change.

Curt: It’s a poem to change in a lot of ways.

Lauren: Do you think it’s necessary for people to be familiar with Chekhov in order to fully appreciate this play?

Curt: There are pleasures for people who know Chekhov, but I think the story is very relatable.

Tangela: People are going to gravitate towards these characters and the relationships they have.

That’s why Durang is one of the masters of contemporary satire. He’ll tease you with this familiar story but then change it when you least expect it.

L to R: Anne Scurria, richard ferrone, barbara orson & becca lish in Christopher Durang’s The Marriage of bette and boo, 1985, directed by adrian hall, set by eugene lee, Costumes

by William lane, lighting by john F. custer & photo by ron manville

by Lexi Diamond Themes of nostalgia and regret: Throughout out all of Chekhov’s works, there exists a common thread of melancholic characters, pining for unattainable love or lost youth.

Chekhov’s major works: Seagull (1886): A misunderstood playwright with unconventional works struggles to be accepted both artistically and romantically among his family and contemporaries.

Uncle Vanya (1897): A professor and his young, new wife pay a visit to their family’s country home, disrupting the stasis of the home’s caretaker, duty-bound Sonya, and her elderly uncle.

Three Sisters (1901): Witnessing the ongoing decay of their family’s wealth and nobility decay, a trio of siblings desperately clings to the hope of escaping the family house and go, famously, “to Moscow.”

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Cherry Orchard (1904): Witnessing the ongoing decay of their family’s wealth and nobility decay, a trio of siblings desperately clings to the hope of escaping the family house and go, famously, “to Moscow.”

Characters: Vanya: The eponymous character from Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. A misanthropic old man who continually laments his wasted youth and yearns for what could have been.

Sonya/Sonia: Described as a young but “plain” woman in Uncle Vanya, Sonya has dedicated her life to caring for her aging uncle and maintaining the family estate. Like her uncle, she longs for love as her youth is slowly slipping away. Durang’s Sonia languishes after her parents deaths, unable to leave the family homestead.

Masha: Chekhov’s works feature two major characters named Masha: the middle child in the Three Sisters, as well as the muchcourted, ever-depressed young woman in Seagull. Both of Chekhov’s Mashas are caught in love triangles and mourn for their self-proclaimed miserable lives. Durang’s

Masha declares a desire to play the young Masha of Three Sisters, despite evoking a strong comparison to Madame Arkadina, the vain, aging actress in Chekhov’s Seagull.

Nina: The naïve, beautiful neighbor and love interest to the playwright Treplev in Seagull. A hopeless romantic, Chekhov’s Nina hopes to become an actress and pursues a friendship with the seasoned actress Madame Arkadina, only to later have an affair with the older woman’s lover.

Spike: not a Chekhovian character.

Plus, more non-Chekhovian references…

Cassandra: In Greek mythology, a mortal given the power of prophesy, but cursed so that nobody would believe her predictions.

WaWa: Perhaps not as mythically or literarily significant as the other references in the play, WaWa is a large chain of convenience stores located in the Mid-Atlantic states (a bit like a cross between Dunkin’ Donuts and 7-Eleven) whose name earns a mention in this play.

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THE artistic team christopher durang Playwright Select plays include A History of the American Film (Tony nomination, Best Book of a Musical, 1978), The Actor’s Nightmare, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You (Obie award; off-Broadway run 1981-83), Beyond Therapy (on Broadway in 1982), Baby with the Bathwater (Playwrights Horizons, 1983), The Marriage of Bette and Boo (Public Theater, 1985; Obie award, Dramatists Guild Hull Warriner Award), Durang/Durang (Manhattan Theatre Club, 1994), and Betty’s Summer Vacation (Playwrights Horizons, 1999; Obie award). Since 1994 he has been co-chair with Marsha Norman of the Playwriting Program at the Juilliard School in Manhattan. He has a BA from Harvard College, and an MFA in Playwriting from Yale School of Drama.

Curt Columbus Director Curt Columbus joined Trinity Rep as artistic director in January 2006. His directing credits for Trinity Rep include His Girl Friday, The Merchant of Venice, Camelot, Cabaret, The Odd Couple, The Secret Rapture, The Receptionist, A Christmas Carol, Memory House, Blithe Spirit, Cherry Orchard and the world premiere of Stephen Thorne’s The Completely Fictional — Utterly True — Final Strange Tale of Edgar Allan Poe and Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Social Creatures. Three of his plays — Paris by Night, The Dreams of Antigone, and Sparrow Grass — premiered at Trinity Rep. His adaptation of Crime and Punishment (with Marilyn Campbell) is published by Dramatists’ Play Service.

Curt’s translations of Chekhov’s plays are published by Ivan R. Dee, and include a collection, Chekhov: The Four Major Plays. The Dreams of Antigone and Sparrow Grass are published

by Broadway Play Publishing. Curt lives in Pawtucket with his husband, Nathan Watson.

Michael McGarty Set Designer Trinity Rep: 30 years, including The Grapes of Wrath, King Lear, Three by Three in Rep, Steel Magnolias, It’s a Wonderful Life, Absurd Person Singular, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Cabaret, A Christmas Carol, A Raisin in the Sun and The Importance of Being Earnest. Broadway: Master Class, Wait Until Dark, and God Said “Ha.” Other Theaters: NY Shakespeare Festival, Old Globe Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, NY City Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Opera Pacific, Wilma Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Seattle Rep, Geffen

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Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, Philadelphia Theater Company, Pasadena Playhouse, Williamstown Theater Festival, Bay Street Theater and the Kennedy Center. He teaches design at Brown University and RISD. olivera gajic Costume Designer Trinity Rep: Social Creatures, Crime and Punishment, The How and the Why, The Merchant of Venice, Clybourne Park. Other Theaters: Jederman, Salzburg Festival, Austria; God’s Ear, Vineyard Theatre; Clybourne Park, Henry V, Americans, The Greeks, Edward II, Juilliard School/Drama; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Le Comte Ory, Juilliard School/ Opera; Red Fly/Blue Bottle, Here; Chekhov Lizardbrain, Pig Iron; Seagull, Ivanov, Uncle Vanya, Platonov, Lake Lucille; The Necklace, Talking Band Production.

Olivera designs extensively for the Berkshire Theatre Festival and many other regional theaters. Other: US National Exhibit at the 2004 & 2007 Prague Quadrennial. 2004 NEA/ TCG CDP for Designers, 2010 IT Award for Outstanding Costume Design and TDF/ Irene Sharaff Young Master Award 2011.

Josh epstein Lighting Designer Trinity Rep: Social Creatures. Regional Theater: Baltimore Centerstage (with Curt Columbus), Mark Taper Forum, The Guthrie, The Goodman, Long Wharf Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Alliance Theater, Actor’s Theater of Louisville, Playmaker’s Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. New York: New Georges Theater Company, Juilliard School of Drama, Clubbed Thumb, Target Margin Theater, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, La MaMa, Naked Angels. He also designed the lighting for the Macy’s 2006–2008 New York City Holiday Windows. Opera: Minnesota Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Wolf Trap Opera Company, Berkshire Opera, Manhattan School of Music. Education: MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Awards: Recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Designers. www.joshepsteindesign.com.

Peter Sasha Hurowitz Resident Sound Designer Peter Hurowitz has designed the sound for over 75 productions at Trinity Rep. Last season’s designs include Social Creatures, The How and the Why and House & Garden. This is his 18th season with the company, where he serves as sound engineer. Mr. Hurowitz also designed sound for the East Coast premiere of A Long Bridge Over Deep Waters at Emerson College and the world premiere of On the Line at the Cherry Lane Theatre, as well as for Perishable Theatre and the Brown New Play Festival.

Before the show starts…

Audience members are asked to turn off all cell phones, beepers, pagers, and watch alarms during the show. Texting and cell phone use is limited to intermission, outside the theater. Cameras (including cell phone cameras) and recording devices are not permitted.

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If you are having trouble reading this, please see our House Manager for a complimentary pair of Magnivision reading glasses, compliments of FGX International.

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For the comfort of all our patrons, we have designated a smoking area on the east side of the building along Adrian Hall Way.

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If you are not adding this program to your collection, please recycle it in the bin in the lobby!

Trinity Rep Membership

Save money and be on the inside track ! W ith a ta x- de duc tible donation of $50 or more, you save 10% on tickets, and avoid handling fees. For more info, please call Kristen at (401) 453-9235.

For a memorable evening…

Consider making your next group outing a show at Trinity Rep! Affordable group rates are available for parties of 10 or more (20 or more for A Christmas Carol). Contact Group Sales at (401) 351-4242.

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Thom Jones Speech and Voice Director Fourteen seasons with Trinity Rep. He is also the Head of Voice and Speech for Brown/Trinity Rep’s MFA program. Regional credits: Chautauqua Theatre Festival, The Public Theater, New York Shakespeare Festival, Yale Rep, Dallas Theater Center, Huntington Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cleveland Playhouse, McCarter Theatre, Long Wharf, Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Film/Television: Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole (Academy Award nomination for Best Actress), The Paperboy, Grace of Monaco, Just Go with It, Trespass; Emma Watson, The Bling Ring; Sandra Bullock, The Heat; Alan Rickman, Vanessa Redgrave, Robin Williams, Minka Kelly, James Marsden, Alex Pettyfer, The Butler; Ben Mendelsohn, The Place Beyond the Pines, Trespass; Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Edge of Darkness; Brendan Gleeson, Melissa Leo, Black Irish; Brotherhood (Showtime pilot). additional staff Assistant to Costume Designer: Sylvi Re

THE CAST Janice Duclos*

Trinity Rep: In 29 seasons, favorites include: Rose, Dancing at Lughnasa; Sister Mary, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You; Miss Hannigan, Annie; Polonius, Hamlet; Melony, The Cider House Rules; Josie, A Moon for the Misbegotten; Wanda, The Waiting Room; Virginia, The Clean House; Henriette, Paris by Night; Beverly, The Receptionist; Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest; Fraulein Kost, Cabaret; Jean, Dead Man’s Cell Phone; Morgan Le Fay, Camelot; M’Lynn, Steel Magnolias; and One for the Money, which she wrote and directed. Other Theaters: American Repertory Theater, Arena Stage. Other: She is a graduate of CCRI and URI. Sylvia Kates*

Brown/ Trinity Rep: Viktor, The Suicide; The Devil, Jedermann; Daisy, Rhinoceros; Mamillus/ Peridta, The Winter’s Tale; Mother Olive Martext, As You Like It; Paulinka, A Bright Room Called Day. Other Theaters: Innocenzia, The Hunchback of Seville, Brown/ Trinity Playwrights Rep; Olive Ostrovsky, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,

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Heritage Theatre Festival. Other: Sylvia is a 3rd year student in the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Acting Program.

Phyllis Kay*

Trinity Rep: A company member since 1991.

Fa v o r i t e s i n c l u d e : Macbeth, Lend Me a Tenor, One for the Money, Angels in America, We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay!, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, The Cider House Rules, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Cherry Orchard, All the King’s Men, Cabaret, King Lear and House & Garden. Other Theaters: She has worked at several regional theaters. Film: Smithereens, By a Thread, Federal Hill, Brooklyn Rules, Meet Dave, The Proposal, Fairhaven. TV: Miller’s Court, Law & Order, The Sopranos, Body of Proof. Other: Ms. Kay attended Emerson College, L’Université de Lausanne and Brown University. She is a graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse. tangela large

Brown/ Trinity Rep: Cleopatra, The Suicide; The Lover, Jedermann; T h e An g e l, Marisol; Phoebe, As You Like It; Dorcas, The Winter’s Tale; and Leona, Small Craft Warnings. Other Theaters: Francine/ Lena, Clybourne Park and The Abbess, The Comedy of Errors, Chautauqua Theatre; and Horizon Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. Other: Tangela is a third-year student in the Brown/ Trinity Rep MFA acting program. She is excited and eager to share this story, and couldn’t be more thankful for her supportive foundation.

Much love to Mill, Gary, Tamara, and Deriko. mark larson

Brown/ Trinity Rep: Alexander Kalabushkin, The Suicide; Good Fellow, Jedermann; Man with Scar Tissue, Marisol; Clown, The Winter’s Tale; Silvius/Charles the Wrestler, As You Like It; Bobby, Small Craft Warnings. Other Theaters: Horse/Ensemble, Equus (starring Alec Baldwin), Guild Hall; Paul Granger III, The Hot L Baltimore, HB Studios.

Other: Mark is a third-year student in the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Acting program.

He has a BA in American Studies from Yale University. He is delighted to continue his professional career here at Trinity Rep. His favorite color is Blue-Jay Blue. Love and thanks to his middle name-sake and father, Richard.

brian Mceleney* Trinity Rep: Over 75 plays, including King Lear, Richard II, Richard III, …Edgar Allan Poe, The Odd Couple, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Cider House Rules, Angels in America, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Threepenny Opera, Cherry Orchard, Amadeus. Director: over 15 productions as Trinity Rep Associate Director, including The Grapes of Wrath, House & Garden, Absurd Person Singular, The Crucible, Twelfth Night, The Dreams of Antigone, A Raisin in the Sun, All the King’s Men, Our Town, Hamlet, Measure for Measure.

Other: Head of Brown/Trinity Rep’s MFA Acting program. christopher michael borg* Production Stage Manager Trinity Rep: House & Garden. Broadway: Sister Act. Other Theaters: Paper Dolls, Titus Andronicus, The Public Theater; 2013 Directors Lab, Lincoln Center Theater; The Container, The Wiz, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Let There Be Love, Around the World in 80 Days, The Importance of Being Earnest, Souvenir, ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, Fabulation…, Caroline, or Change, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Matchmaker, Center Stage; Heroes, Art, Sondheim Tonight!, Rodgers & Hart, The School for Scandal, Opus, Everyman Theatre. Other: Chris received his BA in Theatre from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. *Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.

This theater operates under agreements with The League of Resident Theatres Actors’ Equity Association (the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States), the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and United Scenic Artists.

Trinity Rep is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for non-profit theater.

Please join us after the show for a 20-minute talkback.

The Civic Center Parking Garage at 165 Washington St. will stay open until the discussion ends.

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up NEXT AT TRINITY REP

Exquisite Lace and Bittersweet Love Revealing Intimate Apparel at Trinity Rep

by Molly Greene

O

n Fifth Avenue, a wealthy white woman tries on expensive lingerie and complains of her neglectful husband. In a working-class rooming house, a prostitute plays a rag on the upright piano in her canopied bedroom. Mr. Marks, a young Orthodox Jewish immigrant, sells exquisite silks and other fabrics from his modest store. A single African-American seamstress named Esther sews intimate apparel for both women, made from fabric sold to her from Mr. Marks. Her life is centered on sewing, building beauty for other women in the form of corsets, chemises, silk, and lace, the secret under-layer of femininity. As she sells her products, her clients in turn share their secrets and their lives with her.

Besides her innocent, dead-end flirtation with Mr. Marks at the fabric store, Esther’s one escape from everyday life is her dream of opening a beauty salon where black women can relax and feel pampered. She saves money from her sewing to begin her own business. But when George Armstrong, a worker in Panama, comes into Esther’s life through a series of letters, an epistolary romance blooms and her dreams change.

Eventually, she accepts his proposal of marriage, but the reality of their life together isn’t quite what she had been expecting.

Intimate Apparel is a bittersweet love story by Lynn Nottage that takes the anonymous suffering of African Americans in the early 1900s and creates rich, sympathetic characters with complex personal stories. The play explores gender, class, race, religion, sex, and sexuality by weaving these big issues into everyday lives. These themes mingle with the universal human experiences of hope, love, and disappointment as the simple, moving story unfolds.

Nottage wrote Intimate Apparel in 2003, and since then the play has been produced at a number of theaters, including Center Stage, Steppenwolf, and off-Broadway at Roundabout. Roundabout’s production won Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel awards,

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as well as a Drama Desk award for Outstanding Actress in a Play. That outstanding actress is Viola Davis, a Rhode Island native who appeared in several Trinity Rep shows from 1988 to 1995, including Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Measure for Measure, and A Christmas Carol, and received Trinity Rep’s 2012 Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Playing Esther in Trinity Rep’s production is new resident acting company member Mia Ellis. A Brown/Trinity Rep MFA alum, Mia previously appeared here in Clybourne Park, A Christmas Carol, and The Grapes of Wrath.

She will appear in Intimate Apparel alongside resident company members Angela Brazil, Barbara Meek, Joe Wilson Jr., and Mauro Hantman. Directing will be another resident acting company member, Janice Duclos, who previously directed (and wrote) One for the Money in 1992 and, more recently, Trinity Rep Radio Theater.

Intimate Apparel is a Pulitzer Prizewinning piece of contemporary theater that covers an important time in history, focusing on a woman of color more than a decade before Congress gave women the right to vote, and long before the civil rights movement came about. The impact of the play speaks both to the timelessness of its themes and the urgency of the piece. This is a story that deserves to be told, and Trinity Rep is proud and excited to tell it this winter.

An Intimate Conversation Janice Duclos, the director of Intimate Apparel, and new resident acting company member Mia Ellis talk about love, independence and the unexpected cost of marriage

by Lauren Ustaszewski Lauren USTASZEWSKI: What does this play say to you about overcoming obstacles that stand in the way of our dreams and desires?

Mia Ellis: There are so many things that come into play when you have a dream, when you have something you truly desire. It is remarkable for Esther to be an unmarried, African American woman in 1905 to have made her own way up from the South to build a life for herself.

But it occurs to her that something is missing in her life, and that is love. And she doesn’t really know what to do about it. There’s a scene when Esther goes to see Mr. Marks and she knows there’s an attraction there, but she doesn’t think she can pursue it.

She’s more willing to entertain advances from someone she’s never met, someone she only knows through letters as opposed to someone she does know… that’s how scary love is for her.

Lauren: What does it say about fear?

Mia: It’s crippling! Sometimes you sacrifice or compromise yourself in a way that’s not in your best interest because of fear. What’s so hard and beautiful about this play is that Esther has everyone telling her not to pursue the relationship with George, but George’s advances fulfill her dream about what love should be.

Janice duclos: Esther has been able to overcome so much as a single AfricanAmerican woman in this time period in New York City.

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no one in the play is from new york city and they’re all converging there and trying to assimilate, become upwardly mobile, and achieve the American dream. All of the women in mrs. Dickson’s boarding house seem to be seeking husbands to that end, and not necessarily for love. Women were expected to marry and have a family. esther has learned the skills to be independent. The intimate apparel she makes is so beautiful; the desire for it cuts across class boundaries, helping all those ladies get and keep their men. esther dreams of marriage for love.

MIA: And that’s a great dream to have. but if you have other dreams, as esther does, to be independent and not have to depend on a man to get what you need, you want to figure out how to have it all.

JANICE: esther sees all these different examples of marriage. With mrs. Dickson having married a man simply because…

MIA: he had stuff (laughter).

JANICE: (laughter) he had means.

MIA: And then mrs. van buren…

JANICE: she’s just unhappy!

MIA: she and her husband don’t even talk to each other!

JANICE: Then mr. marks and the arranged marriage….

M IA: it makes you wonder what marriage really means and what it should mean if it’s something that you want. There is no template for marriage, but i do think there is a way that someone should make you feel. because esther doesn’t have the knowledge or understanding, she jumps into something assuming that george is telling the truth. That’s the hard thing. you communicate with people assuming that they’re always telling the truth and saying what they mean. but when you find out otherwise, what do you do after you’ve made this huge commitment? i am so grateful that i get to play this part because i am from the south and i am young. And many of my classmates from high school are married with kids. i see it all around me but i am determined not to feel like it’s something that i’m required to have. but i definitely feel like there’s still an expectation that you have to get married and have a family in order to have a life. it’s not true of everybody, but i definitely feel like that’s a way of thinking that some people still have.

LAuREN: What do you think about her relationship with mr. marks?

MIA: i think that esther’s going there to buy the fabric that she uses is the next best thing. it’s not having the relationship that she might want with mr. marks, but being able to see him by going there to get the fabric, that’s something that’s easy for her to do. We all know how to go to the grocery store and pick out the things we want or need. but when we realize that there’s a guy

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standing in the aisle at the grocery store that looks like someone we might want to connect with, we have no idea what to do.

LAuREN: how does one cross that line?

MIA: how do you turn it from an exchange into a relationship? she doesn’t know what to do.

JANICE: it’s such a conflicting message. because mr. marks establishes early on that he has an arranged marriage and that’s the way it’s going to be. but the boundaries start to get pushed and i can see how that relationship might blossom, but not at that time in America. All the scenes in this play are between esther and one other person, all of them trying to survive in a rapidly changing world.

MIA: This play puts a microscope on these relationships; it’s a marvelous play in that way.

JANICE: it’s going to be a fun challenge for mia, she’s got a lot on her shoulders and as a director, i love working on these intimate scenes. such unexpected, yet familiar relationships.

Intimate apparel by Lynn Nottage and directed by Janice Duclos runs January 30 – March 2 in Trinity Rep’s Dowling Theater.

Conservatory training at a Tony Awardwinning regional theatre with an Ivy League degree

Brown/Trinity Rep M.F.A. Programs in Acting & Directing Brown University department of theatre Arts and Performance Studies Trinity Repertory Company Rhode Island’s world-class theatre company

APPly now for September 2014 AuDitionS in new york City, Chicago, San Francisco and Providence

For inFormation:

Jill Jann, Program Administrator 201 Washington St., Providence, RI 02903 (401) 521-1100 x271 jjann@trinityrep.com www.browntrinity.com clockWISe fRom toP left: house & garden, he Is here he says I say, machInal, BoIng!, machInal, And marIsol. PHotoS BY mARk tURek

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ticketstimes &dates a cHrisTmas carol • Nov. 9 – Dec. 28, 2013 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY

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TicKETs for Vanya and Sonia… and Intimate Apparel PrevieWs: First Thurs., Fri., sat. 7:30pm........ $22–$34 regulAr: Wed. matinee 2pm......................... $22–$58 sun.–Thurs. 7:30pm ....................... $22–$58 Fri.–sat. 7:30pm............................... $22–$68 sat. & sun. matinees 2pm ............ $22–$68 TicKETs for A Christmas Carol PrevieWs: november 9–17............................... $30–$36 non-PeAk: november 23–30............................ $46–$60 PeAk PerFs: December 1–28 ............................... $56–$70 children (14 & younger) .......................................... $22–$26 Twelfth row bench seats ......................................... $15 AN ADDITIONAL $5.00 per ticket handling fee applies to phone and online orders. discounTs: call the box office for discounts for educators, military, police, firefighters, students, and seniors. rush tickets ($22 main seating, $28 prime seating) are available at box office two hours prior to show (excluding A Christmas Carol). subscribErs: save 20% on additional tickets with handling fees waived. call (401) 351-4243. mEmbErsHip: save 10% on tickets with handling fees waived. call (401) 351-4242. group discounTs: call (401) 351-4242 boX oFFicE: (401) 351-4242 • Fax: (401) 831-1612 email: boxoffice@trinityrep.com or subs@trinityrep.com Walk-up hours: noon–8pm, Tuesday–sunday Phone hours: noon–8pm, monday–sunday 201 Washington st., Providence, ri 02903 order online at www.trinityrep.com PRICES, TIMES AND DATES SuBJECT TO CHANGE. Tickets subject to availability. projEcT discovEry: For reservations to student matinees, contact (401) 521-1100 x114 or education@trinityrep.com.

KEy To CaLEndaRs $ Pay What You Can: limited number of tickets on sale 1 hour before curtain, limit 1 per person first Look Thursday: talkback with the artists after play Open Captioned performance

INTIMATE APPAREL • January 30 – March 2, 2014 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY JAN. 26 27 2

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★ ASL Performance

Preview performance Non-Peak performance (A Christmas Carol only) No performance

see more. spend less. special offers are now available for subscriptions to TRInITy REP! A season’s worth of great plays, plus insider subscriber perks, discounts for dinner on the town, and more are waiting for you — all at up to 30% oFF single ticket prices! Call (401) 351-4242 today.

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Your gift to Trinity Rep makes a difference… and you Compelling productions, engaging programs, and phenomenal arts education initiatives. All of the work that we do at the theater and in the community requires support. Some of that support comes from ticket sales, and some comes from foundations and businesses, but more than a million dollars of that support comes from individual donors. Without you, we couldn’t do what we do. If you like what you see, please applaud with a donation. Your gift makes a difference!

• Make your gift online at www.trinityrep.com/give, or call Kristen at (401) 453-9235.

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Join Trinity Rep’s Community Ambassadors! do you love trinity rep? Community ambassadors are the ultimate trinity Rep insiders — passionate supporters who act as advocates for the theater in their communities and social circles, playing a key role in introducing people to our productions and programs. Benefits include special access to rehearsals and a newsletter with special insider information and opportunities. For more information, please contact Kate Kataja at (401) 521-1100 x172 or kkataja@trinityrep.com.

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Here are some highlights of what you can enjoy by supporting Trinity Rep’s Annual Fund.

Member: $50 or more 10% discount on single tickets, no handling fees* supporter: $100 to $249 25% discount on Trinity Rep merchandise, two complimentary cookies and beverages at concessions patron: $250 to $499 Listing in show programs, priority access to prime seating, private backstage tour Advocate: $500 to $749 Two tickets to any mainstage performance*, observe an Education Department class leader: $750 to $999 Tickets to a Project Discovery matinee, two tickets to an MFA production Join the Inner Circle with a gift of $1,000 or more for additional benefits! viP: $1,000 to $2,499 Concierge services for Trinity Rep and Broadway shows, invitations to Page to Stage events designer: $2,500 to $4,999 Free parking* and concessions, invitations to Inside the Company events director: $5,000 to $9,999 Seat plaque, autographed framed poster or signed script from the season *Some restrictions apply.

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And the benefits keep getting better! Check out the full list of individual donor benefits at www.trinityrep.com. for details or to make a gift, please call kristen orrall at (401) 453-9235 or donate 24/7 at trinityrep.com/give.

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For Your Information • Trinity Repertory Company 201 Washington Street Providence, RI 02903 www.trinityrep.com info@trinityrep.com • Box Office (401) 351-4242 Noon–8:00pm Tuesday–Sunday Monday: phone service only • Subscriber Services: (401) 351-4242 subscriptions@trinityrep.com Noon–8:00pm daily • Administrative Offices (401) 521-1100 9:00am–5:00pm Monday–Friday • Our performances begin on time.

Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of house management, and until then will be able to view video monitors in the lobby.

• Emergency Safety: The theater is protected by emergency lighting and sprinklers. Our house staff and security staff are experienced in first aid. In an emergency, please contact an usher or house manager.

• Assistive Listening Devices are available at the box office and reception desk at street level.

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• Group Sales: For information on discounts and special services, call (401) 351-4242.

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Emergency contact numbers are (401) 521-1100 x241 (Dowling Theater lobby) and (401) 521-1100 x282 (Chace lobby).

• Children age four and over are welcome at performances — age two and over for A Christmas Carol. Younger children will not be admitted.

• Gift Cards: The perfect gift!

Available in any amount, at the box office, at www.trinityrep.com, or (401) 351-4242.

About Trinity Rep Tony Award-winning Trinity Repertory Company — recently named the State Theater of Rhode Island — under the leadership of The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director Curt Columbus and Executive Director Michael Gennaro, is thrilled to be celebrating their 50th Anniversary season.

From its humble roots in 1963 in the Trinity United Methodist Church, Trinity Repertory Company has undergone an incredible transformation in 50 years, becoming one of the most respected regional theaters in the country Featuring the last permanent resident acting company in America, Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works for an estimated annual audience of approximately 145,000. In its 50-year history, the theater has produced 62 world premieres which have gone on to have productions at other theaters throughout the country.

Local, national and international recognition has consistently come to Trinity Rep. In 1968, it was the first American theater company invited to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland and in 1981 it received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater Company.

Arts education at all levels is central to Trinity Rep’s mission. This season marks the 47th year of Project Discovery, Trinity Rep’s pioneering educational outreach program.

Last season, Trinity Rep’s educational programs reached over 16,000 Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut students through matinees as well as in-school residencies and workshops. The Young Actors Studio allows thousands of students participate in after-school enrichment activities at the theater as well as

in drama therapy programs designed for children on the autism spectrum. Brown University/Trinity Rep offers professional training for actors and directors in a three year MFA program which combines in-depth classroom curriculum with hands-on experience with a working professional theater.

Lifelong learning thrives in talkbacks after every performance, theater arts classes for adults and public forums.

In 1973, Trinity Repertory Company moved to its present home in the Lederer Theater Center at 201 Washington Street, downtown Providence. Formerly known as the Majestic Theatre, the historic building houses two performance spaces: the 500 -plus seat Chace Theater and the 300-seat Dowling Theater, as well as offices, production shops, and rehearsal halls.

The theater is wheelchair accessible and offers an Assistive Listening System for the hearing-impaired.

The Pell Chafee Performance Center, located at 87 Empire Street, is home to Brown/Trinity Rep’s MFA program and Trinity Rep’s educational activities for grades K–12, with classrooms and a flexible theater space.

As Rhode Island’s largest arts organization, Trinity Rep has a significant impact on the community, and is a linchpin of Providence’s arts and entertainment district.

The theater employs over 100 artistic and administrative staff and annually generates nearly $12 million in economic activity.

Curt Columbus became artistic director in January 2006, following Amanda Dehnert, Oskar Eustis, Richard Jenkins, Anne Bogart and Adrian Hall.

For more information, please visit www.trinityrep.com.

Trinity Rep’s

2013–2014 season

John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath adapted by Frank Galati directed by Brian McEleney • Sept. 5 – Oct. 6, 2013

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted by Adrian Hall & Richard Cumming directed by Tyler Dobrowsky • Nov. 9 – Dec. 28, 2013

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang Nov. 21 – Dec. 22, 2013

Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage • Jan. 30 – March 2, 2014 Oliver! book, music & lyrics by Lionel Bart • directed and choreographed

by Richard & Sharons Jenkins • Feb. 21 – March 30, 2014

Veronica Meadows by Stephen Thorne • directed by Michael Perlman • April 3 – May 4, 2014 A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard • directed by Brian Mertes • May 29 – June 29, 2014

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STAFF FOR TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY Curt Columbus The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director Curt Columbus joined Trinity Rep as artistic director in Januar y 2006. His directing credits for Trinity Rep include His Girl Friday, The Merchant of Venice, Camelot, Cabaret, The Odd Couple, The Secret Rapture, The Receptionist, A Christmas Carol, Memory House, Blithe Spirit, Cherry Orchard and the world premiere of Stephen Thorne’s The Completely Fictional — Utterly

True — Final Strange Tale of Edgar Allan Poe and Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Social Creatures.

Three of his plays — Paris by Night, The Dreams of Antigone, and Sparrow Grass — premiered at Trinity Rep. His adaptation of Crime and Punishment (with Marilyn Campbell) is published by Dramatists’ Play Service. Curt’s translations of Chekhov’s plays are published by Ivan R. Dee, include a collection, Chekhov: The Four Major Plays.

The Dreams of Antigone and Sparrow Grass are published by Broadway Play Publishing.

Curt lives in Pawtucket with his husband, Nathan Watson.

Michael Gennaro Executive Director Michael joined Trinity Rep as executive director in 2007. He was executive director for eight years at Steppenwolf Theatre where Curt Columbus was associate artistic director. He has also been executive director at Pennsylvania Ballet, managing director at Ford’s Theatre and Producing Director and CEO at Paper Mill Playhouse. Michael has served on grant panels for the NEA, TCG and the Doris Duke Foundation and was a RI Foundation Fellow in 2011. He is also licensed in NY as an attorney and is currently a referee with the Providence Roller Derby. Michael’s wife Donna Lee is a special events coordinator and his son Brendan is a musician in Chicago.

Tyler Dobrowsky Associate Artistic Director Tyler has worked at Trinity Rep since 2003, where he has directed Its A Wonderful Life (2010, 2011), Love Alone (2012, co-directed with Deborah Salem Smith), A Christmas Carol (2012). As Trinity Rep’s Education Director, he was instrumental in the expansion of the Young Actors Studio after-school and summer arts programs, and helped to strengthen Trinity Rep’s landmark Project Discovery program. Tyler is the associate producer for Brown/Trinity Playwrights Rep, and teaches for the Brown/ Trinity Rep MFA program as well as Trinity Rep’s educational programs for children and adults. Tyler received his MA from Brown University, and studied theater at Holy Cross.

Laura Smith Production Director Ms. Smith is in her 17th season with Trinity Rep. She was the associate production manager at Trinity Rep for six years and the capital projects manager for two years, overseeing the construction of the Pell Chafee Performance Center. In the past, she has been the production manager for the Department of Theatre, Speech and Dance at Brown University and the Berkshire Opera Company. She has also stage managed for institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and the Juilliard School.

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STAFF FOR TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY RESIDENT ACTING COMPANY Stephen Berenson, Angela Brazil, Timothy Crowe, Janice Duclos, Mia Ellis, Rebecca Gibel, Mauro Hantman, Phyllis Kay, Brian McEleney, Barbara Meek, Anne Scurria, Fred Sullivan, Jr., Stephen Thorne, Charlie Thurston, Rachael Warren, Joe Wilson, Jr. ARTISTIC AND MABEL T. WOOLLEY LITERARY DEPARTMENT The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director................... Curt Columbus Associate Artistic Director.................................... Tyler Dobrowsky Resident Designer........................................................ Eugene Lee Associate Directors...........................Brian McEleney, Brian Mertes Resident Costume Designer.......................................William Lane Resident Artist.....................................................Michael McGarty Playwright in Residence ..............................Deborah Salem Smith Director of Voice & Speech...........................................Thom Jones Literary Intern...........................................................Lexi Diamond Artistic Management Intern......................................Molly Greene EDUCATION Education Programs Manager & Teaching Artist................................... Jordan Butterfield School Partnerships Manager.................................Matthew Tibbs Education Intern............................................... Zia Affronti Morter Education Associate & Teaching Artist..................... Rebecca Noon Teaching Artists..........................Jamie Arnold, Shura Baryshnikov Angela Brazil, Ted Chylack, Jackie Davis, Lexi Diamond Tyler Dobrowsky, Amanda Dolan, Billy Domineau Vicki Dorazio, Daniel Duque-Estrada, Mia Ellis, Rebecca Gibel Mauro Hantman, Anne Harrigan, Katie Leeman Zdenko Martin, Nikki Massoud, Mike Miele, Sophie Netanel Beth Nixon, Cari Platt, Barry Press, Dave Rabinow Matt Russell, Anne Scurria, Marcus Stacy, Fred Sullivan Jr. Linda Sutherland, Stephen Thorne, Charlie Thurston Hans Vermy, Rachael Warren, Joe Wilson Jr., Diana Young PRODUCTION Production Director..................................................Laura E. Smith Associate Production Director..................................... Mark Turek Asst. Production Director.....................................Anne L. Harrigan Production Assistants................. Meg Tracy Leddy, Carolyn Reich Sara Sheets Stage Management Intern.................................. Meagan E. Garcia SCENERY Technical Director...........................................................Karl Orrall Draftsman................................................................. Dylan Callery Master Carpenter.......................................................... Ryan Davis Charge Scenic Artist...................................................Philip Creech Carpenter..........................................................Christopher Levine Overhire Carpenter......................................................Jason Inman Stage Carpenter................................................. Thomas Buckland Overhire Carpenter .......................................................Jose Nunez LIGHTING Master Electrician....................................................... Ross Chabot Assistant Master Electrician..............................Matthew Donnelly First Electrician........................................................Steve McLellan Board Operator............................................................Kristen Roth Lighting Intern......................................................Virginia Herbert COSTUMES Costume Shop Director................................ Alison Walker Carrier Cutter/Draper....................................................... Kerry DeLaGarza Costume Technicians/Wardrobe................ Erin Meghan Donnelly Gillian Green, Rachel Dulude Costume Technician/Craftsperson .....................................Sylvi Re Costume Intern....................................................Patria Ferragamo Stitcher.................................................... Yvonne Henson Maloney PROPERTIES Master.................................................................... S. Michael Getz Artisan..........................................................................Molly Thuot

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AUDIO Sound Engineer............................................ Peter Sasha Hurowitz Sound Technician.......................................Andrew Bradford Ferry Sound Board Operator................................................Brian Merckx Sound Intern...................................................................Sarah Jick ADMINISTRATION Executive Director................................................Michael Gennaro General Manager.........................................................Katie Byrnes Senior Accounting Assistant................................ Kathy Santagata Staff Accountant ..........................................................Cyndi Wood Executive Assistant.........................................Lauren Ustaszewski Business Assistant...................................................Camron Parker House Manager............................................................ Ted Chylack Assistant House Managers...................Ann Hayes, Stephen Lehrer Kelly McDonald, Karen Pigeon, Chris Rowland, Jennifer Wilson General Management Intern................................. Christian Leahy Receptionist...........................................................Kelly McDonald BUILDING OPERATIONS Director of Operations & Capital Projects............ Robert Whitney Facilities Supervisor..............................................Michael Beasley Maintenance Technician............................................ Kaii Almeida Security Supervisor...............................................Shawn Williams Security............................................Daniel Meath, Ian Sauvageau Marketing and Public Relations Director of Marketing & PR...................................... Marilyn Busch Creative Director........................................................ Michael Guy Director of Sales.........................................................Linda Barone

board of trustees BOARD OF TRUSTEES Jonathan Duffy Chair Paul Choquette Vice-Chair Barbara Schoenfeld Vice-Chair John S. Lombardo Treasurer Suzanne Magaziner Secretary Hannah Bell-Lombardo Richard Beretta Angela Brazil Acting Company Linda Cohen Curt Columbus The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director Brian Daniels Tracey Daugherty Joseph L. Dowling, Jr. Michael Gennaro Executive Director Mark K.W. Gim Philip Gould William F. Greene Laura Harris Sally Herreid Elizabeth (Beppie) Huidekoper Deb Imondi Peter L. Lewiss Doris Licht Peter Lipman Gil MacLean Joseph Madden Chris Marsella Brendan McCarthy Jack McConnell

Brian McGuirk Heidi Keller Moon John Palumbo Marc Perlman Michael Prescott Donald R. Quattrucci Kibbe Reilly Kathryn Sabatini D’Anna D. Soehnge Allison Vareika Maribeth Q. Williamson Trustees Emeritus Richard L. Bready Arnold B. Chace, Jr. Johnnie C. Chace Liz Chace Michael Corrente Geoffrey B. Davis Sally T. Dowling Constance Evrard Rhoda Flaxman Frederick G. Frost III Leslie Y. Gutterman Louis Hafken John M. Harpootian Mary D. Higgins Robert J. Higgins Barry G. Hittner Michael E. Hogue John H. Howland Charles T. Hutchinson Eugene Lee Mayer A. Levitt Robert A. Reichley Myrna K. Rosen Lila Sapinsley

Public Relations and Advertising Manager.................. Myah Shein Marketing Intern......................................................Corrie Ignagni Graphic Design Intern...........................................Lauren Prospere DEVELOPMENT Director of Development................................... Kathryn A. Calnan Associate Director of Development....................... Jennifer Canole Manager of VIP Services & Special Events................. David Azulay Annual Fund & Database Manager............................Kristen Orrall Individual & Legacy Giving Officer........................ Carol E. Drewes Donor Programs & Individual Giving Officer.................Kate Kataja Grants Writer ..........................................................Emily Atkinson Development Intern................................................ Rebecca Miller BOX OFFICE AND AUDIENCE SERVICES Box Office Manager..................................................Brian Andrade Ticket Sales Supervisors...................Amanda Mann, Walter Prince Lead Ticket Sales Reps................. Daniel Meath, Katherine Rourke Lenny Schwartz, Evan Tessier Ticket Sales Reps.....Dan Boucher, Rose Bowden, Stephanie Carey Joharlen Carvajal, Patricia Centofanti, Kat Harvey Theresa Rowland, Ian Sauvageau, Corinne Southern Volunteer Coordinator............................................ Stephen Lehrer Audience Service Reps..................Desiree Clements, Mike Daniels Leslie Gerundio, Michael Grabosky Deanna Marandola, Christine Mills, Dale Murgo Dani Riley, Dan Rowland, Marybeth Rowland May Rowland, Meredith Wilcox Volunteers Many thanks to our dedicated volunteer ushers

Brown University/ Trinity Rep MFA PROGRAM The Richard L. Bready Artistic Director Trinity Repertory Company......................... Curt Columbus Director, Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs...... Stephen Berenson Head, MFA Acting................................................... Brian McEleney Head, MFA Directing.................................................. Brian Mertes Head, Voice & Speech...................................................Thom Jones Head, Movement & Physical Theatre.......................... Daniel Stein Chair, Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies............................................. Erik Ehn Director, Academic Graduate Studies......................Patricia Ybarra Artistic Director, Rites and Reason Theatre......Elmo Terry-Morgan Program Administrator..................................................... Jill Jann Production Manager......................................... Margaret E. O’Neil PCPC Tech Supervisor............................................Jason Eckenroth Production Coordinator............................................ Cole Ratkoski Acting............... Stephen Berenson, Lowry Marshall, Anne Scurria Directing.................................... Curt Columbus, Melissa Kievman Kym Moore, Joanna Settle Playwriting......... Erik Ehn, Marcus Gardley, Deborah Salem Smith Voice...................................................... D’Arcy Dersham, Carol Gill Singing..............................................................Kathryne Jennings Dance........................Shura Baryshnikov, Michelle Bach-Coulibaly Julie Adams Strandberg Design.......................................................................... Eugene Lee Clown/Mask................................................................... Kali Quinn Alexander Technique........................................... Christine Stevens Yoga.................................................................... Olivia D’Ambrosio Professional Development................................... Tyler Dobrowsky Communications......................................... Barbara Tannenbaum Theatrical Modernism/Theory................................ Spencer Golub Theatre History............................................................ John Emigh Performance Studies................ Eng Beng Lim, Rebecca Schneider Brown/Trinity Rep Intern...................................Christina Henricks

11/5/13 7:32 AM

Under35@TRC Howdy!

I’m Ted Chylack, Trinity Rep’s House Manager (ie. the guy who helped you find your seat and then yelled at you for taking pictures of the set) and I’m proud to announce that our Under35@TRC program is entering its second glorious year! This program allows patrons between the ages of 21-35 to see shows for a discounted ticket price, receive special drink offers, and attend exciting events. Best of all: membership is free!

L a s t y e a r, o v e r 2 0 0 members signed up, and that’s just the beginning. The U n d e r35 p r o g r a m w i l l continue to make Trinity Rep’s season more affordable to young patrons.

M e m b e r ship in clu d es perks such as free drinks at the theater and post-show get-togethers with other Under35-ers. During last season’s run of Social Creatures, Under35@ TRC hosted a swanky zombie-prom for its members. This year, members can look forward to another fete during the run of Christopher Durang’s new comedy, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. (Do the kids still say “fete?” Did they ever say “fete?”)

I’d love to tell you more, but the show is about to start and I have to usher everyone out of the lobby. A quick visit to the box office link on our website at trinityrep.com is all it takes to gain membership, giving you access to these fabulous benefits and more as the season unfolds. Now enjoy the show!

Talking Back Is Encouraged!

by Molly Greene

T

his season, Trinity Rep’s talkback program is getting an upgrade. Since 2006, audiences have had the opportunity to sit down with a discussion leader after the show to share their thoughts on the text, themes, and various elements of the production. Now, on top of inviting audiences to take part in these conversations, Trinity Rep has invited its resident acting company to stay after the show and join the discussion as well.

When the talkback tradition began in 2006, it served a very specific purpose; Curt Columbus was just starting as artistic director, and he wanted to get to know the theater’s audience. After every performance of Hamlet that season, he invited audiences to join him in a 20-minute post-show discussion. In that same season, Trinity Rep produced Boots on the Ground, a docudrama created

by Laura Kepley and Deborah Salem Smith about the impact of the Iraq war on Rhode Islanders. This play was so much about the Rhode Island community that the entire second half of the play was a discussion, with audiences sharing their thoughts and personal experiences, adding their voices to the work they had just seen.

Upon seeing the success of this format and the audiences’ willingness to participate, Trinity Rep decided to include a post-show talkback following each and every performance.

Mauro hantman, Joe Wilson, Jr. & Phyllis Kay participating in a talkback. Photo by mark turek

Zombie prom-goers at a performance of Social Creatures last winter.

Photo by Anne. L. Harrigan

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For Trinity Rep’s 50th anniversary, we want to provide our audiences with something special, and are asking members of the cast to stick around and discuss the show. With an actor from the production in the mix, the talkback benefits from the perspective of someone who’s been thinking about the play from the moment they were cast — they’ve gone through the experience of putting the show together, and they have all of the behind-the-scenes information on the creative process. Even better, they have the unique experience of developing a character, embracing the text from an in-depth and specific point of view, and working for weeks or months with a group of people who’ve all been doing the same.

Having an actor in the talkback will certainly bring new voices and perspectives into the discussion, but the most important voice in the room is that of the audience. We want to hear your thoughts and feelings. We want to know what the play meant to you and how you can relate it back to your life outside the theater. The talkbacks are Trinity Rep’s way of connecting with the audience, and sharing in the impact of the work we present. We hope that, especially with the inclusion of an actor in the discussion, you can get as much thought and delight out of our conversations as we do.

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LOOKING BACK/looking forward

Over One Million Served

by Molly Greene

Project Discovery is Trinity Rep’s oldest and farthest reaching education program.

Since 1965, over 1.2 million students have been exposed to professional theater thanks to free or discounted tickets to this landmark series of student matinees.

Project Discovery started during Trinity Rep’s second full season in 1965–1966, when the theater was given a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. The young theater company mounted a production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, using the grant to bring high school students to see free

Now and Then:

Lining up at the theater in 2006 and 1967 for a Project Discovery show

The fight to save Project Discovery was taken to the Rhode Island State House in 1969.

High School come to every show for which Project Discovery is offered, and Martha’s Vineyard High School students even ride the ferry to the mainland to catch the shows.

Certain Providence public schools, including Central High School, Hope High School, and Classical High School receive free tickets thanks to generous support from city and state agencies.

In 2006, with Trinity Rep’s production of Hamlet, Trinity Rep expanded Project Discovery with Project Discovery Plus. Students had become such an important part of the Trinity Rep audience that it was decided that at least one show per season would be selected in part based on its relevance to school curriculums. These shows included Hamlet, A Raisin in the Sun, The Crucible and, just last season, King Lear. This new initiative provides schools with free classroom workshops taught by the education staff as well as the cast of the show and give students the chance to do scene work, improvisation, and text analysis with the actors they had just seen or will see on stage. Project Discovery Plus has been a huge hit with students and teachers alike, giving students a chance to learn how theater is created, and focus on the themes and relevancy of the play.

In addition to performances and

afternoon performances of the play.

Shortly afterwards, as part of the Educational Laboratory Theater Project, the National Endowment of the Arts and the U.S. Office of Education gave Trinity Rep, along with two other theaters in the United States, financial support to bring students into the theater on a consistent basis. For three years, the theater was to receive one million dollars per year in order to create theater specifically for high school audiences. Over the course of the next three seasons, there were three to four plays produced per year for Project Discovery and attended by between 30 and 40 thousand students, nearly the entire high school age population of Rhode Island.

In 1968, just as the original three-year program drew to a close, Trinity Rep’s board of trustees created the Citizens Then and Now: Artistic Director Adrian Hall in the Committee to Continue Project 1960s and resident acting company member Rachael Discovery, to find ways to keep Warren in 2011 working with students in their schools. the program alive. Nearly 50 years later, the popularity of Trinity Rep’s Project Discovery student matinees is at an all-time high: more than 20,000 elementary, middle and high school students from across Rhode Island (as well as Massachusetts, Connecticut and even Vermont) come to the theater each year.

Students from North Smithfield PHOTO BY ANNE L. HARRIGAN

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workshops at the theater and in their schools, students and teachers are encouraged to bring their experiences back to the classroom. For each PHOTO BY KATE KATAJA Project Discovery production, Trinity NOW AND THEN: Actors engaged in postRep provides show talkbacks with students in the 1960s a free, online and this fall after The Grapes of Wrath. study guide with historical context and research as well as suggested exercises for students focused on the themes and setting of the play. After seeing the show, students are encouraged to write to the actors with their thoughts and questions.

In a letter to the theater, Project Discovery student Ben F. said, “Usually plays are boring to me but this one was very good. I hope to come back and see another play.” Nathan F. took a step farther in his appreciation for the theater, saying, “Maybe somewhere in the future I could play a role… at Trinity Rep.” The impact of Project Discovery is expressed this way by students and teachers year after year.

After almost 50 years, Project Discovery continues to bring theater into the classroom. For many young students, it’s a valuable starting point for making the arts a central and continuing part of their lives.

trinity rep

The Young Actors Summer Institute is one of th e mos t c o m p r e hensive arts enrichment summer programs in New England. Taught by Trinity Rep’s professional acting company and education staff, students are able to choose from a variety of different classes, including musical theater, stage combat, improvisation, Shakespeare, puppetry and much more!

YASI 2014 runs from July 1 – August 2 for students entering grades 5–12. YASI Shakes: the Shakespeare extension week (high school only) is from August 4–9. Students in grades 1–4 can participate in YASI Jr., running from August 11–15. New! YASI Masters: Master classes for students in a variety of different concentrations.

Taught by our resident acting company members and other professionals in the field, during the week of August 11-15.

Email education@trinityrep.com or visit trinityrep.com/ education to learn more. Enrollment opens on January 1st and spaces fill quickly!

YOUNG

ACTORS

EDUCATIONAL

PROGRAMS

FOR LIFELONG

LEARNING

2013–2014

Trinity Rep offers a wide variety of courses for theaterlovers of all ages.

SUMMER

INSTITUTE

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FOR STUDENTS GRADES K-12, our Young Actors Studio offers year-round programming that ranges from introductory classes for beginners to more advanced study. In the summer, students can take part in our Young Actors Summer Institute.

FOR ADULTS, we offer classes such Improv, Audition Techniques, Comedy, Shakespeare and more, as well as Beyond the Stage, a lively conversation/workshop series that illuminates the artistic process of creating the work on stage.

Classes take place over fall, winter and spring trimesters, and are taught by our education staff and resident acting company members.

For details or to register, visit www.trinityrep.com/education/ or call (401) 521-1100 x114.

11/5/13 9:00 AM

Looking Forward with Legacy Giving

by Rebecca Miller On October 21st, Trinity Rep celebrated legacy giving in the event space on the second floor of Coastway Community Bank (across the street from the theater). Director of Development Kathy Calnan gave an update on the legacy giving program and members of our le gac y giving societies — the Stanzler Society and the Endowment Society — received special pins commemorating their commitment to Trinity Rep’s future.

Richard L. Bready Artistic Director Curt Columbus introduced new resident acting company members Mia Ellis, Beck y Gibel and Charlie Thurston, all Brown/Trinity Rep MFA alums, who then performed selections from Sarah Ruhl’s chamber musical, Melancholy Play, which was workshopped at Trinity Rep this past summer — highlighting the brave and collaborative work which has come to characterize Trinity Rep’s unique aesthetic. Following the per formance, Curt moderated a Q&A with Mia, Becky and Charlie about what it means to be a part of a resident acting company and how our company connects with and impacts the Providence community at large. They also discussed the importance of adding new members during this 50th anniversary season. With floor to ceiling windows that provided spectacular views of the theater, the space was the perfect place for more than 40 guests to celebrate the future of Trinity Rep and continue the conversation about legacy giving.

Providence Place Gives Honors Philanthropist Kibbe Reilly

by Rebecca Miller October 27th marked the 3rd annual Providence Place Gives: An Evening to Honor Our City’s Gracious Givers, sponsored by Providence Place Mall and Rhode Island Monthly. Trinity Rep, along with four other Rhode Island non-profits, was chosen to participate and each organization selected one of their most passionate philanthropists to honor. Representing Trinity Rep was trustee and longtime theater advocate, Kibbe Reilly, who was also Trinity Rep’s director of development in the early 1990s. All five honorees were presented with awards for their dedication and service to their respective organizations. Held at the Providence Place Mall, the evening featured live music, signature cocktails, small bites and a fabulous silent auction. Proceeds from Trinity Rep’s event ticket sales went directly to our Theater for Every Generation campaign. Although the Red Sox and Patriots were playing that day, over 400 guests gathered to celebrate philanthropy in Rhode Island — a testament to our state’s commitment to supporting organizations that give back to the community.

L TO R: Kibbe

Reilly; Curt Columbus, Tom & Kibbe Reilly & Trinity Rep Executive Director Michael Gennaro

below l to r: Trinity Rep Trustee Kate Sabatini (right), Michael Zabelin, & family; Trinity Rep interns Zia Affronti Morter, Molly Greene, Lexi Diamond & Rebecca Miller with Brown/Trinity MFA student Alex Curtis

L TO R FROM TOP: View from

Coastway Community Bank; Mia Ellis, Rebecca Gibel & Charlie Thurston with Curt Columbus; Laurie DiBattista, Trinity Rep’s Manager of VIP Services and Special

Events David Azulay & Barbara Schoenfeld; Stephen and Karen Prest with Curt Columbus. Photos by Anne L. Harrigan

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l to r: choreographer Sharon Jenkins, Kibbe Reilly, former PR Director Peggy Melozzi, & former Artistic Director Richard Jenkins. Photos by Jen Canole

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Curt Columbus, Artistic Director Michael Gennaro, Executive Director 201 Washington Street Providence Rhode Island 02903 www.trinityrep.com 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 22, 2013 CONTACT: Myah Shein, Public Relations & Advertising Manager, (401) 521-1100 ext. 226 mshein@trinityrep.com

95.5 WBRU TEAMS UP WITH TRINITY REP FOR UNDER35@TRC Cheap tix, free drinks, parties all year long Providence, RI: Trinity Rep announces their partnership with 95.5 WBRU, the new sponsor of Under35@TRC. Open to anyone ages 21 to 35, the free membership program includes $25 tickets to all regular Trinity Rep productions, a free drink at the theater, invites to special events, and members only 95.5 WBRU Nights with entertainment provided by the 95.5 WBRU Crew. The first 95.5 WBRU Night, “A Red Carpet Affair,” is on December 5 for the Tony Award winning production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. For more information or to join, visit www.trinityrep.com or e-mail Ted Chylack at tchylack@trinityrep.com.

“Many of us are fresh out of school (or at least pretending we're still fresh out of school) and the thought of paying student loans for the next several decades while trying to have a social life is enough to make us cry,” empathizes Ted Chylack, Under35@TRC Party Czar, “I hear it all the time, ‘But Ted, I can barely afford to pay for my ramen and bottom shelf gin, let alone theater tickets!" So we hope this makes it a little easier and a little more fun for the kids to make it out to the theater.

Partnering with 95.5 WBRU expands the program as it moves in to its second season. The upcoming event, “A Red Carpet Affair,” invites Under35ers to make a full night of it, with a pre-show reception at Bravo Brasserie, 123 Empire St in downtown Providence, followed by a post-show party in the theater’s lobby where guests will eat, drink and mingle with the cast and crew. Taking a cue from the show’s title character, Masha, suggested attire is creative cocktail. The station will host a second bash in the spring connected to the world premiere Veronica Meadows by Stephen Thorne. Becoming a member is easy and free. Visit www.trinityrep.com, or e-mail Ted at tchylack@trinityrep.com.