I A M S O P R O U D T O P R E S E N T T H E 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9 S E A S O N O F WAT E R T O W E R T H E AT R E , M Y S E C O N D S E A S O N A S A R T I S T I C D I R E C T O R !
My first season at WTT was unforgettable. Twenty-year subscribers and first-time visitors were all new faces to me. I loved meeting everyone in this community and sharing such a special season. One of the powerful things about WaterTower Theatre is that it's a place where we all can come together, uniting as artists and audiences for events that create unique and inspiring experiences, taking us out of our everyday lives and into the realm of imagination. Our next season is exactly that. Be it in celebration, hope, faith, love, perseverance, laughter, or risk, the stories of this season are of people reaching out and trying to overcome divides between each other. This season is uplifting and diverse in its presentation of classics, new work, musicals, comedies, and dramas from different points of view. Each story examines what it means to come together through our differences. Every play in our next season is an original experience that you can have only at WaterTower Theatre. We are dedicated to bringing you unique plays that you won't find anywhere else in DFW, in incredible productions that you won't soon forget. The Main Stage Season includes an earth-shattering theatre classic and personal favorite of mine, A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen in a new adaptation; a touching regional premiere, Guadalupe in the Guest Room, by the Dallas-raised playwright Tony Meneses about two people transcending a language barrier through watching telenovelas; the complex and thought-provoking Everything is Wonderful, a regional premiere by Chelsea Marcantel, which captivated audiences at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival last summer; The Ballad of Little Jo, a Southwest premiere of a magnificent re-imagined musical that beautifully combines American folk with lyric complexity; and the world premiere of Origin Story by Nathan Alan Davis, a quirky office comedy that delighted audiences at our inaugural DETOUR: A Festival of New Work. On top of our Main Stage Season, there is a host of season extras: the return of our moving holiday original, The Great Distance Home, conceived and directed by WTT Associate Artistic Director Kelsey Leigh Ervi, back by popular demand; a limited engagement of the critically lauded Unveiled: A One Woman Play written and performed by Rohina Malik in which a series of short monologues embody five very different Muslim women from around the world, creating an impactful window into the diverse world of Muslims today; and our 2nd Annual DETOUR: A Festival of New Work, supporting artists who create new plays for our contemporary moment. A theatre is so much more than one play. Each of these offerings have been carefully chosen to create a conversation throughout the 2018-2019 Season that is brimming with unique, hopeful, and heartfelt theatrical experiences for you, your family, and friends to come together with us!
joanie schultz S E E Y O U AT T H E T H E AT R E !
J OA N I E S C H U LTZ A R T I S T I C D I R E C T O R , WAT E R T O W E R T H E AT R E
2018-2019 SEASON ON THE CANTERBURY FAMILY MAIN STAGE A DOLL’S HOUSE GUADALUPE IN THE GUEST ROOM EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL THE BALLAD OF LITTLE JO ORIGIN STORY
PLUS THREE CAN’T-MISS SEASON EXTRAS THE GREAT DISTANCE HOME UNVEILED: A ONE WOMAN PLAY DETOUR: A FESTIVAL OF NEW WORK
T O O U R M A J O R C O R P O R AT E , C I V I C , A N D F O U N D AT I O N S P O N S O R S !
THANK YOU
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 972.450.6232
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WAT E R T OW E R T H E AT R E .O R G
DOLL’S HOUSE A
A NEW PRODUCTION OF A TIMELY CLASSIC.
OCTOBER 12 – NOVEMBER 4, 2018
BY
Nora and Torvald Helmer are the perfect couple living a storybook life. But for years Nora has been paying off a secret debt, obtained through forging a signature, which saved her husband’s life. When Torvald is back in good health and has garnered a promotion at the bank, his first order of business is to fire the man who confidentially loaned Nora the money. Confronted with shame and blackmail, Nora is pushed to expose her secret to Torvald, but the true revelation might just be that their lives are not their own. Henrik Ibsen shocked the world in 1879 when A Doll’s House became the first play of its kind, and now WaterTower Theatre Artistic Director Joanie Schultz has taken Ibsen’s immortal words and wound them into a powerful 90-minute thriller for today’s audience.
Joanie Schultz
“
Henrik Ibsen ADAPTED AND D I R E C T E D BY
IBSEN TRULY BROKE THE MOLD WITH THIS PLAY IN 1879 AND IT CONTINUES TO RESONATE POWERFULLY TODAY AS SO MANY OF US TRY TO FIT OUR LIVES INTO OUR OWN PERFECT DOLLHOUSES. – J OA N I E S C H U LT Z
”
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GUADALUPE
IN THE
GUEST ROOM
REGIONAL PREMIERE
FEBRUARY 22 – MARCH 17, 2019
BY
Tony Meneses D I R E C T E D BY
Christie Vela Guadalupe is living in the guest room of her son-in-law, Steve, while she works to translate from English to Spanish the children’s books her deceased daughter has written. Overcome with grief and separated by a language barrier, the unlikely housemates struggle to communicate. As they begin watching the same television show, the two bond in the most unexpected of ways, leading Guadalupe and Steve to learn that understanding doesn’t always require speaking the same language. Written by Dallas-raised playwright Tony Meneses, Guadalupe in the Guest Room is a funny and heartfelt celebration of new beginnings, breaking barriers, and the healing power of telenovelas.
“
GUADALUPE IN THE GUEST ROOM IS A TREASURE... – B R O A D WAY W O R L D
”
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EVERYTHING WONDERFUL IS
REGIONAL PREMIERE
APRIL 19 – MAY 12, 2019
BY
Chelsea Marcantel D I R E C T E D BY
Following a tragic car accident that killed her two brothers, Miri, the excommunicated daughter of an Amish family, returns home to find that her parents have taken in the wayward driver of the car. Quickly learning that time has not healed old wounds, Miri struggles with the contradictions of the culture she left behind, while being forced to confront Abram, the young Amish man whose actions drove her away. The past and present collide as the family struggles to reconcile and seek out a new path forward in their faith. Everything is Wonderful brings us face to face with this long-misunderstood community in a striking and intricate examination of the complexity of forgiveness.
“
THOUGHT-PROVOKING, OFTEN BEAUTIFUL, AND IN A QUIET WAY, INSPIRING…IT SHOULD NOT BE MISSED – B R O A D WAY W O R L D
Kelsey Leigh Ervi
”
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BALLAD LITTLE JO THE
OF
SOUTHWEST REGIONAL PREMIERE
JUNE 7 – 30, 2019
M U S I C BY
After giving birth to a son out of wedlock, Josephine Monaghan makes the difficult decision to leave her son in the care of her sister and head out west in search of a new life; one she hopes will be able to support her and her son. But after a series of ill-fated encounters, Josephine finds herself stranded in a small mining town in Idaho. With an unwavering will to survive, she disguises herself as a man called “Jo” and quickly finds a job mining silver. Things start looking up for Jo as she finds success as a man, but the dream of a better life starts to crack when news from back home in Boston reaches her. Inspired by the true story of a young woman in the Old West, The Ballad of Little Jo is a lively and compelling musical about one woman’s fearless journey to stake her claim on the American Dream.
LY R I C S B Y
“
Mike Reid
Sarah Schlesinger B O O K BY
Sarah Schlesinger, Mike Reid, and John Dias BASED ON THE FILM
The Ballad of Little Jo by Maggie Greenwald D I R E C T E D BY
Joanie Schultz MUSIC D I R E C T E D BY
Vonda K. Bowling
THE REAL THING – THE BEST PIECE OF MUSICAL THEATER STORYTELLING I’VE SEEN IN A DECADE. – T H E N E W YO R K E R
”
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ORIGIN STORY
WORLD PREMIERE BY
Nathan Alan Davis
AUGUST 2 – 25, 2019
D I R E C T E D BY
Margaret doesn’t know who she is or what she’s aiming for. Forced to work two jobs to pay down her debt, she wades through office triviality at The Services Corporation by day and by night she works the drive-thru of The Burg, a 24/7 fast food restaurant. But through co-workers and friends, Margaret’s existential muddle begins to resolve as connections are found in the most unsuspecting of places. Funny, satirical, and surprising, Origin Story is an offbeat look at the quarter-life crisis and how to connect in an unconnected world. Following the play’s success in last season’s DETOUR: A Festival of New Work, WaterTower Theatre is proud to present this World Premiere by Nathan Alan Davis.
“
Tiffany Nichole Greene
ONE OF MY GOALS WHEN WRITING THIS PLAY WAS TO MAKE EVERY SCENE DELIGHTFUL. – N A T H A N A L A N D AV I S
”
9 7 2 . 4 5 0 . 6 2 3 2 | WAT E R T O W E R T H E AT R E . O R G
GREAT DISTANCE HOME
THE
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! CONCEIVED AND D I R E C T E D BY
NOVEMBER 23 – DECEMBER 16, 2018
Kelsey Leigh Ervi
C R E AT E D BY
Boy, like most children, has an unyielding imagination. But when the rigidness of growing up begins to stifle it, Boy sets out in search of a home to call his own, and on his way discovers a life that he never expected. Back by popular demand, The Great Distance Home moves to the Canterbury Family Main Stage this holiday season, bringing the heartwarming and nearly-wordless story of a young man’s journey of discovery to life once more.
Kelsey Leigh Ervi, Kelsey Milbourn, Carissa Olsen, Christopher Llewyn Ramirez, Mitchell Stephens, and Garret Storms ONLY $35 FOR SUBSCRIBERS!
“
THE FIVE-PERSON ENSEMBLE IS ELECTRIC, ELEGANT AND FUNNY, USING MINIMAL MOVEMENT TO CONVEY OCEANS OF EMOTION. – DALLAS MORNING NEWS
”
SEASON EXTRAS
REGIONAL PREMIERE
JUNE 12 – JUNE 30, 2019 WRITTEN AND P E R FO R M E D BY
Five Muslim women from around the world sip tea and share stories about faith, culture, and prejudice in this groundbreaking one-woman show, written and performed by critically acclaimed playwright and actor Rohina Malik. An uplifting and universal performance sure to break down stereotypes of Muslim women, WaterTower is proud to bring Rohina and her powerful story to Addison for this limited engagement.
“
Rohina Malik ONLY $25 FOR SUBSCRIBERS!
A ‘TERRIFIC SHOW’... INTELLECTUALLY ENGROSSING WORK OF THEATER – CHICAGO TRIBUNE
”
UNVEILED A ONE WOMAN PLAY :
F E S T I VA L D A T E S
JANUARY 17 – 20, 2019 DETOUR is back! Last year’s inaugural festival celebrating the creation of new theatrical experiences gave voice to nearly one hundred local and national artists. WaterTower’s investment in the creation and development of new work continues for a second year with this 4-day festival focusing on devised works and new play readings. DETOUR is sure to inspire audiences while fostering opportunities for artists to test out innovative, daring, and theatrical works. From theatre and dance to music and comedy, take a detour from the ordinary, and discover something new.
D E T O U R F E S T I VA L PA S S E S $40
FOR WTT SUBSCRIBERS
$45
FOR NON-SUBSCRIBERS
ORIGIN STORY BY NATHAN ALAN DAVIS, NOW PART OF THE 18-19 MAIN STAGE SEASON!
DARK CIRCLES CONTEMPORARY DANCE
VETERAN CHILDREN
PRISM MOVEMENT THEATER
CRY HAVOC THEATER COMPANY.
SUBSCRIBERS PAY LESS! WaterTower Theatre is one of the leading professional theatres in North Texas. From dazzling classics to innovative new works, we are dedicated to fostering empathy and dialogue through the art of live theatre! Now is the time for you to be a part of our exciting future and, you should know up front, subscribers pay less! HERE ARE JUST A FEW REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE:
• • • • • • •
Lowest prices by as much as 20% Never hear the words SOLD OUT First dibs on the best seats in the house Guaranteed same seats each season or priority upgrade Free ticket exchanges** Discount tickets to Season Add-ons and festivals Subscribers save on additional individual tickets
5 S H OW M A I N S TAG E PAC K AG E SERIES
A D U LT
S T U D E N T/ S E N I O R
PR EVIEW (FRI OR SAT)
$1 0 0
$100
OPEN IN G NIGHT*
$1 35
$ 1 20
W EDN E SDAY
$1 35
$ 1 20
T HURSDAY
$1 35
$ 1 20
FR I DAY
$1 6 0
$ 1 45
SATURDAY MATINE E
$1 35
$ 1 20
SATURDAY
$1 85
$ 1 70
SU NDAY
$1 35
$ 1 20
*OPENING NIGHT
Opening Nights at WaterTower Theatre are special events! Opening Night attendees enjoy the first official performance of each run, as well as postshow receptions with the cast and crew. Opening Nights are EXCLUSIVE EVENTS for subscribers and invited guests only! No individual tickets will be sold, so subscribe today to be a part of the fun!
** EXCHANGES
Subscribers enjoy one free upgrade per season and reasonable upgrade fees apply for higher-priced performance dates after that.
INTRODUCING THE WTT FLEX PASS! 5 TICKET PASS REGULAR
$140
UNDER 30*
$99
The WTT Flex Pass gives you the ultimate flexibility. A Flex Pass is good for Five (5) tickets in the 2018-2019 Main Stage Season, open to any performance. Spread them out throughout the season, or use all five in one night – it’s completely up to you! Not only can the flex pass save you cash, you also get subscriber benefits like Free Ticket Exchange and savings on additional individual tickets (perfect for date night). Don’t let scheduling hold you back!
*
Age verification required.
SEASON PHOTOGRAPHY: Evan Michael Woods evanmichaelwoods.com
BROCHURE DESIGN: Emily Holt emilyfightscrime.com
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WAY S T O O R D E R
ONLINE
BY PHONE
IN PERSON
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In the spirit of WaterTower Theatre’s mission to build community through fostering empathy and dialogue, WaterTower is proud to offer a new community engagement program aptly titled INTERSECTIONS, as this programming is constantly exploring where our artistic work intersects with our larger community.
I N T E R S E C T I O N S P R O G R A M M I N G M AY I N C L U D E , BUT WILL NOT BE LIMITED TO:
P O S T- S H O W D I S C U S S I O N S A N D C O N V E R S AT I O N S WITH THE ARTISTS WTT strives to partner with experts, organizations, and community leaders to host post-show discussions periodically throughout the season with specific focus on each production’s themes. Additionally, after every Wednesday and Sunday performance you can stay late for a conversation with the artists.
P AY I T F O R W A R D W I T H P W Y C Name your price and support great causes! “Pay It Forward with Pay What You Can” is WTT’s new initiative in which all proceeds from our PWYC Sunday previews are donated to various causes and organizations in need. To date we have donated thousands of dollars to hurricane relief, youth programs, and more and we couldn’t do it without you!
SIGN-INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE At WaterTower Theatre we are committed to making our theatre as accessible to as many communities as possible. We are happy to offer a sign-interpreted performance every 3rd Thursday of each run.
P L AY G U I D E S Delve deeper into every play in the season by exploring our Play Guides. Hard copies can be found in the lobby before each performance, and digital copies are available online at www.watertowertheatre.org.
GET INVOLVED P L E A S E C O N S I D E R A TAX- D E D U C T I B L E CONTRIBUTION IN ANY AMOUNT
WaterTower Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which means we depend on the generosity of individual, corporate, and foundation sponsors like you to create award-winning theatre and education programming. It is our goal to keep ticket prices accessible, and with box office receipts covering only 30% of our overall budget, contributions in ANY amount truly do make a difference! T H A N K YO U F O R YO U R S U P P O RT !
WO M E N O F WAT E R T OW E R T H E AT R E ( WOW ! ) (Annual Dues - $150)
The goal of Women of WaterTower Theatre is to offer members the opportunity to connect with an exciting and diverse group of women, a place to expand horizons about the arts with prestigious speakers – often women working in the arts – and a forum to help build wider community support for WaterTower Theatre. For more information on joining WOW!, please call 972.450.6275.
C O R P O R AT E C O U N C I L (Annual Dues - $500)
Corporate Council is the entry level donor group that is home to dozens of corporate business sponsors. Membership allows them to network at exclusive member receptions, support the art and artists of WTT, and hear from highly sought after corporate speakers. CEO’s Welcome! For more information on Corporate Council please call 972.450.6275.
FUTUREWORKS WTT is fostering new works in the American theatre canon. Put your donation to work specifically supporting the development of new plays commissioned and or originally produced right here in Addison.
VOLUNTEER Show your support for WaterTower Theatre by becoming a volunteer usher! WTT is always in need of passionate, smiling faces to greet each and every patron to ensure that they have the best experience possible. Join us!
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As part of our community engagement program, INTERSECTIONS, a variety of post-show conversations will be scheduled on a show-by-show basis, in addition to conversations with the artists on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Please visit www.watertowertheatre.org or www.addisontx.gov to learn more about what Addison has to offer.
And remember, at the Addison Theatre Centre, PARKING IS ALWAYS FREE!
With easy access to more than 175 restaurants, Addison is an exceptional place to work, live, visit, and enjoy a night out on the town!
WAT E R T O W E R T H E AT R E W I S H E S TO T H A N K T H E TOW N O F A D D I S O N FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT!
Joanie Schultz, Artistic Director Nicholas Even, Managing Director
WAT E R T O W E R T H E AT R E
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