Stimulating Tony Nominee Hits SCR
COSTA MESA, Calif. (Sept. 2, 2010) — ;Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room or the vibrator play will heat up South Coast Repertory’s Julianne Argyros Stage Sept. 26 through Oct. 17.
The Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominee is set in the Victorian era, just before its corseted women shed their inhibitions. Dr. Givings (Andrew Borba) is having tremendous success with a new electric invention designed to alleviate the symptoms of “female hysteria.” But the noises in the adjoining room spark the curiosity of his wife, Catherine (Kathleen Early), a lonely new mother eager for intimacy. Her investigation into the doctor’s work leads to friendships with a couple of patients, the high-strung Sabrina Daldry (Rebecca Mozo) and the artist Leo Irving (Ron Menzel), and ultimately to a new relationship with her husband.
Casey Stangl (Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business) directs the cast, which also includes Tom Shelton as Mr. Daldry; Libby West as Dr. Givings’ assistant, Annie; and Tracey A. Leigh as Elizabeth, a wet nurse.
The New York Times critic Charles Isherwood calls the play “insightful, fresh and funny… a sex comedy designed not for sniggering teenage boys—or grown men who wish they were still sniggering teenage boys—but for adults with open hearts and minds.”
In the Next Room’s creative team includes John Arnone (set design), David Kay Mickelsen (costume design), Daniel Ionazzi (lighting design), Jim Ragland (original music) and Kathryn Davies (stage manager).
Jean and Tim Weiss are the Honorary Producers.
TICKETS: Can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Performances begin Sept. 26 and continue through Oct. 17. Ticket prices range from $20 to $66. Low-priced preview performances are available Sept. 26 – 30. Opening night is Friday, Oct. 1, and press night is Saturday, Oct. 2, at 7:45 p.m.
TIMES: Previews are Sunday, Sept. 26, at 2 p.m., and Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 28 –30, at 7:45 p.m. Regular performances are Tuesday through Sunday evenings at 7:45 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 25 years of age and under, educators, seniors and groups of 10 or more. There will be an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 2 p.m.
POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS: ; Tuesday, Oct. 5, and Wednesday, Oct. 6 Discuss the play with members of the In the Next Room cast during free post-show discussions led by South Coast Repertory’s literary team.
INSIDE THE SEASON: ; Saturday, Oct. 9, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. $12 Inside the Season is a series of interactive seminars that provide a comprehensive inside look at the theatrical production process. Each two-hour session features a set tour and a question-and-answer period with creative personnel working on the production. Inside the Season is offered on select Saturday mornings from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 each and can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or at the Box Office. (Tickets to In the Next Room are sold separately.)
LOCATION: ; South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Folino Theater Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available off Anton Blvd. on Park Center Drive.
COMING UP: Becky Shaw (Oct. 22 – Nov. 21), Sideways Stories from Wayside School (Nov. 5 – 21), A Christmas Carol (Nov. 27 – Dec. 26).
ABOUT SCR: Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, under the artistic direction of David Emmes and Martin Benson, is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theaters in the United States. Founded in 1964, SCR is committed to theater that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theater, SCR is renowned for its extensive new play development program, including the Pacific Playwrights Festival. Of SCR’s more than 445 productions, 117 have been world premieres with subsequent stagings achieving enormous success across America and around the world. SCR-developed works have garnered eight Pulitzer Prize nominations, with Margaret Edson’s Wit winning the prize in 1999 and David Lindsay-Abaire’s Rabbit Hole in 2007. Located in Costa Mesa, California, in 2002 SCR opened the Folino Theater Center, an expanded three-theater complex that includes the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio.
Biographies
Sarah Ruhl (Playwright) is the author of Melancholy Play, Eurydice, Late: a cowboy song, Orlando and Passion Play. Recent projects include Eurydice at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, directed by Les Waters. Her plays have been performed at theatres around the country and in London and Germany. She received her MFA from Brown University and is originally from Chicago. In 2003, she was the recipient of a Helen Merrill award and a Whiting Writers’ award. The Clean House was awarded the 2004 Susan Smith Blackburn prize. Ruhl is a member of New Dramatists.
Casey Stangl (Director) is an award-winning director of theatre, opera and film. Recent projects include the world premiere of Deborah Zoe Laufer’s Sirens for the Humana Festival of New American Plays, Between Us Chickens for SCR’s Pacific Playwrights Festival and the world premiere of Susan Johnston’s How Cissy Grew at the El Portal Theatre (Best New Play LA Weekly). Nationally her work has been seen at the Guthrie Theater, Denver Center Theatre Company, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, HERE in New York, Minnesota Opera, Portland Opera and many others. Stangl was the founding artistic director of Eye of the Storm Theatre in Minneapolis, for which she was named Minnesota Artist of the Year. As part of AFI’s prestigious Directing Workshop for Women, she directed the short film C U @ ED’S, which has won numerous awards at film festivals across the country. Stangl’s web series “Front Men” will go online this fall.
Andrew Borba (Dr. Givings) appeared at SCR in Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Lovers and Executioners and the Pacific Playwrights Festival reading of Extraordinary Chambers. ; Stage appearances include the title role in Richard III (Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis), The Constant Wife, Private Lives, It’s a Wonderful Life (Pasadena Playhouse), Pericles, The Countess (The Old Globe), Closer (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), Tranced (Laguna Playhouse), Arcadia, The Just, All My Sons, Every Good Boy (Chautauqua Theater Company), four seasons with Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Dallas Theater Center, Portland Stage Company, Long Wharf Theatre, Delaware Theatre Company, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Hanger Theatre and others. Film and television credits include the upcoming “Answers to Nothing” and “Lure,” recurring roles on “Modern Family,” “The Shield,” “Jericho,” “Lincoln Heights,” “E-Ring,” “Enterprise” and many guest appearances.
Kathleen Early (Catherine Givings) is thrilled to be making her SCR debut. She was most recently seen recurring as Nurse Kathy on “Miami Medical.” ; Broadway: national tour of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin (The Kennedy Center, Ahmanson Theatre), Steel Magnolias (Shelby Standby). Off-Broadway: Treason (Perry Street Theatre), Outward Bound (Keen Company), Peg O’ My Heart (Irish Repertory Theatre), Edward Albee’s The Play About the Baby (Paul Green Foundation Award) with Marian Seldes and Brian Murray (Century Center Theatre). Regional: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Neighborhood Playhouse), The Blue Room (Hangar Theatre), Broadway (Pittsburgh Public Theater), Much Ado About Nothing (The Shakespeare Theatre Company and Hartford Stage Co.), Pera Palas (Long Wharf Theatre) and Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage (Actors Theatre of Louisville). Film and television: The Assistants, Across the Universe, Trip in a Summer Dress (Beverly Hills Film Festival Outstanding Female Performance Award), “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Medium,” “Guiding Light” and “All My Children.”
Tracey A. Leigh (Elizabeth) appeared at SCR previously in Safe in Hell, the NewSCRipts reading of The St. James Infirmary and the Pacific Playwrights Festival readings of Happy Face and Tough Titty. Theatre credits include her OBIE Award-winning performance in Tale of 2Cities: An American Joyride in Multiple Tracks at New York’s Performance Space 122, the national tour of The Vagina Monologues, and the Off-Broadway productions of Attempts on Her Life at Soho Rep, Krisit at Primary Stages, Up Against the Wind at the New York Theatre Workshop, A Lesson Before Dying at the Signature Theatre and Le Menage at La MaMa E.T.C. Regional credits include productions at The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Arena Stage, A Contemporary Theatre and Intiman Theatre, among others. She has narrated numerous audiobooks and was honored with an Audie Award nomination for her narration of the book Not Easily Broken. Television credits include “Criminal Minds,” “Jake in Progress,” “Strong Medicine,” “Law and Order,” “Under Suspicion,” “Charmed” and “Under One Roof.”
Ron Menzel (Leo Irving) is making his SCR debut. Theatre credits include The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures, A View from the Bridge, Jane Eyre, The Merchant of Venice, Edgardo Mine, Hamlet, Intimate Apparel, Pericles, Sex Habits of American Women and Othello at Guthrie Theater; Red Noses, Antigone, The Furies, The Tempest and The Unsinkable Molly Brown at Ten Thousand Things Theater Co.; Fair Game at City Theatre and Eye of the Storm Theatre; Stop Kiss at Eye of the Storm Theatre; Orson Welles Rehearses Moby Dick and Macbeth at The Jungle Theater; Hamlet, Pericles and Romeo and Juliet at Minnesota Shakespeare Project; and An Evening of Washington Irving at Seattle Children’s Theatre. Film and television includes Fall Into Me, The Coast, Vernie, New World Symphony and “Numb3rs.”
Rebecca Mozo (Sabrina Daldry) appeared at SCR previously in A Wrinkle in Time, Emilie - La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life at the Petit Théâtre at Cirey Tonight, The Heiress and Doubt, a parable. Other theatre credits include Educating Rita and Trying (Ovation Award nomination for Best Actress) at The Colony Theatre Company; The Cherry Orchard opposite Annette Bening and Alfred Molina at Center Theatre Group; Ghosts at A Noise Within and King Lear, Cousin Bette, Pera Palas, Classicfests’ A Month in the Country and The Dresser at The Antaeus Company. She also appeared in I Capture the Castle at the El Portal Theatre (Ovation Award nomination for Best Actress) and will appear in it again in December at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Film and television credits include Zerophilia, Headless Horseman, The Waterhole, “Pizza Time,” “Cold Case” and “Medium.”
Tom Shelton (Mr. Daldry) appeared at SCR in A Christmas Carol, An Italian Straw Hat, The Wind In The Willows, The Only Child, Galileo and Hotel Paradiso. Earlier this season he played John Hancock in 1776 at Musical Theatre West. Other Southern California stage appearances include International City Theatre (The Threepenny Opera, Twentieth Century, Loot); La Mirada Theatre (All My Sons); Laguna Playhouse (Red Herring, The Constant Wife, The Woman In Black, Company, Bedroom Farce, Travels With My Aunt, The Underpants, Inspecting Carol and more). At L.A.’s Hillside Repertory he was a company member for 11 seasons, appearing in Shadowlands, Harvey, Travesties, As You Like It, The Devil’s Disciple, HMS Pinafore and many more. He appeared Off-Broadway in The Man Who Shot The Man Who Shot Jesse James. Shelton is on the faculty of SCR’s Adult Conservatory and is an accomplished playwright and composer. He co-authored the musical Caddie Woodlawn, published by Samuel French.
Libby West (Annie) appeared at SCR previously in Lovers and Executioners. Off-Broadway: The Public Theater, The Promenade Theatre. Regional: The Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, American Conservatory Theater, Denver Center Theatre Company, Paper Mill Playhouse, The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Playmakers Repertory Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Intiman Theatre, The Wilma Theater, Norris Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse, Contemporary American Theater Festival, International City Theatre, etc. New York City: Actors Studio, Soho Rep, 45th Street Theater, Expanded Arts, Third Eye Repertory, West End Theater, Performance Space 122, Vital Theatre, Galatea Collective, etc. Los Angeles: Theatre @ Boston Court, A Noise Within, Furious Theatre, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, Open City Ensemble, All About Theatre, etc. Film and television: One Too Many Mornings (Sundance 2010), Jason’s Big Problem, Fractalus, Two Weeks Notice, In Silence, Triggered, Grains of Sand, Transcendence, Zombie Holocaust and You, A Midsummer Night’s Re-Write, Who Flew?, Richard, Divorce Be Gone, Iceman, Dream House, Ride of Passage, The Guests, Dream State, A Brief Affair, “Jericho,” “Six Feet Under,” “As The World Turns,” “One Life to Live,” “All My Children.”
Fact Sheet
In the Next Room or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl directed by Casey Stangl
CREATIVE TEAM: John Arnone (set design), David Kay Mickelsen (costume design), Daniel Ionazzi (lighting design) Jim Ragland (original music), Kathryn Davies (stage manager).
CAST: Andrew Borba (Dr. Givings), Kathleen Early (Catherine Givings), Tracey A. Leigh (Elizabeth), Ron Menzel (Leo Irving), Rebecca Mozo (Sabrina Daldry), Tom Shelton (Mr. Daldry) and Libby West (Annie).
HONORARY PRODUCERS: Jean and Tim Weiss
SYNOPSIS: This funny, tender and illuminating play—set in the Victorian era, just before its corseted women shed their inhibitions—is Broadway’s latest mega-hit. ;
TICKETS: $20-$55 previews, $28-$66 regular performances.
BOX OFFICE WINDOW HOURS: 10 a.m. to showtime Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to showtime Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and non-performance days. American Express, VISA and MasterCard accepted. (714) 708-5555.
LOCATION: Folino Theatre Center, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa CA 92626. One block east of South Coast Plaza at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway.
PHOTOS: Digital images of South Coast Repertory productions are available at www.scr.org/press.
PRESS CONTACTS: Soyia Ellison ; 714-708-5561 ; soyia@scr.org Madeline Porter ; 714-708-5562 ; mad@scr.org
RUNS: ; Sept. 26 – Oct. 17, 2010 PREVIEWS: Sep 26 SUN at 2 p.m. Sep 28 TUES at 7:45 p.m. Sep 29 WED at 7:45 p.m. Sep 30 THURS at 7:45 p.m. OPENING NIGHT: ; Oct 1 FRI at 7:45pm REGULAR PERFORMANCES: Oct 2 SAT at 2 p.m. Oct 2 SAT at 7:45 p.m. (Press Night) Oct 3 SUN at 2 p.m. Oct 3 SUN at 7:45 p.m. Oct 5 TUE at 7:45 p.m. (Post-Show Discussion) Oct 6 WED at 7:45 p.m. (Post-Show Discussion) Oct 7 THU at 7:45 p.m. Oct 8 FRI at 7:45 p.m. Oct 9 SAT at 2 p.m. (Inside the Season) Oct 9 SAT at 7:45 p.m. Oct 10 SUN at 2 p.m. Oct 10 SUN at 7:45 p.m. Oct 12 TUE at 7:45 p.m. Oct 13 WED at 7:45 p.m. Oct 14 THU at 7:45 p.m. Oct 15 FRI at 7:45 p.m. Oct 16 SAT at 2 p.m. (ASL-Interpreted) Oct 16 SAT at 7:45 p.m. Oct 17 SUN at 2 p.m.
POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS Tuesday, Oct. 5 and Wednesday, Oct. 6 Discuss the play with members of the cast following the performance. Free.
INSIDE THE SEASON Saturday, Oct. 9, 10:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m. A 2-hour session featuring a set tour and Q&A with creative personnel from the current production. Tickets: $12.
