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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen adapted for the stage by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan directed by Kyle Donnelly September 9 - October 9, 2011
The Story: Jane Austen's most popular novel is brought to the stage in a lavish production that centers on the young, witty and endearing Elizabeth "Lizzy" Bennet. At a time when a woman's main objective is to wed a wealthy husband, Lizzy and her four sisters take different approaches to finding a suitor. Enter the handsome yet prideful Mr. Darcy, who becomes a threat to the courtship between one of Lizzy's sisters and the notable Mr. Bingley. It is up to Lizzy to restore her family's good name while avoiding Mr. Darcy and his deplorable good looks. About the Writer: Jane Austen is one of English literature's most socially observant and insightful writers. Her best known works include Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma. Recommendation: Pride and Prejudice is appropriate for MyStagers of all ages. MyStage members may be able to identify with at least one of the Bennet family's five young daughters, be it the flirtatious and fun Kitty or sophisticated bookworm Mary or admirable young Elizabeth. MyStage members may appreciate Austen's wit and humor while indulging in her classic romance.
HOW THE WORLD BEGAN by Catherine Trieschmann directed by Daniella Topol September 25 – October 16, 2011
The Story: In public school, there is supposed to be a clear line between church and state. And you don't want to cross that line in a place like Plainview, Kansas, where the beliefs are strong. High school biology teacher Susan Pierce, a transplant from Manhattan, arrives with a desire to start a new life and a willingness to help out in the aftermath of a devastating tornado. She tries to tread carefully, but sometimes things fall out of her mouth willy nilly, like that offhand comment in her biology class about the origins of life. One young student challenges her statement while the rest of the folks in Plainview get all riled up about it.
About the Playwright: Catherine Trieschmann is an award-winning playwright who has been commissioned by South Coast Repertory and Manhattan Theatre Club. She also wrote the screenplay for the film Angel's Crest, which premiered at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. Originally from Athens, Georgia, she currently resides in a small town in western Kansas. Recommendations: Contains mild profanity. MyStage members who enjoy philosophical discussions and debates may be fascinated by this play. They may relate to the truth-seeking student demanding to be taken seriously. Others may relate to Susan, who feels persecuted for being an outsider.
A world premiere produced in association with Women's Project Theater.
THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL by Horton Foote directed by Martin Benson October 21 – November 20, 2011
The Story: Who doesn't have one thing they want to do before they pass away? For Carrie Watts, that one thing is to return to her hometown of Bountiful. But her daughter-in-law just won't allow Carrie to go. Sensing her age is catching up with her lively spirit, Carrie decides to embark on what might be her last journey. A journey filled with humor and a tenderness that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. About the Playwright: Horton Foote is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who has been called "an American treasure." He received the Academy Award for his screenplay adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird. In 2006, The Trip to Bountiful won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Revival, and Foote was given the Drama Desk Lifetime Achievement Award.
Recommendation: MyStage members might see a bit of their own grandparents in Carrie Watts. They may identify with Carrie's desire to break free from an overbearing caretaker and pursue her own dreams. MyStagers may find themselves rooting for Carrie as she encounters new friends and overcomes obstacles on her trip to Bountiful.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL 32nd Annual Production by Charles Dickens adapted by Jerry Patch directed by John-David Keller November 26 - December 24, 2011*
The Story: An Orange County tradition, A Christmas Carol is Charles Dickens' most well-known story and has been told and retold by The Muppets, Disney and even The Flintstones. Nineteenth-century London comes to life with Tiny Tim, the Fezziwigs, Bob Cratchit and old Ebenezer Scrooge himself. Even after 31 years, SCR audiences still jump with surprise at stage tricks that have ghosts and spirits walking through walls, traveling in time and changing the heart of everyone's favorite curmudgeon.
About the Writer: In 1843, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol, one of the most popular Christmas stories of all time. Critics regard Dickens' later works as his finest. Some of these include Bleak House, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and A Tale of Two Cities. Recommendation: This show is perfect for all ages and is best watched with family or friends you care about. This Orange County favorite is sure to get everyone into a festive mood as we are reminded that the holiday spirit is about giving. *MyStage tickets for A Christmas Carol are limited to the following performances: Saturday, Nov. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, at noon and 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
TOPDOG/UNDERDOG by Suzan-Lori Parks directed by Seret Scott January 8-29, 2012
The Story: Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize winning drama revolves around a pair of street-savvy brothers abandoned by their parents and struggling to survive. One brother is a former three-card monte hustler who now works in a rundown arcade; the other is a shoplifter. So used to conning people on the streets, neither brother recognizes when he's being hustled by the other. As their secrets are exposed, they tap into the darker side of sibling rivalry. About the Playwright: Suzan-Lori Parks is a playwright, screenwriter, novelist and songwriter. In 2001 she received a MacArthur Fellows "Genius" Grant, and she holds Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degrees from Mount Holyoke College and Spelman College. Her first feature-length screenplay was girl 6, for Spike Lee. She has also written screenplays for Jodie Foster, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey. Recommendation: Contains profanity and mature content. MyStage members should prepare themselves to see a dark and gritty play that has been lauded across the nation for its stellar writing. They may be surprised by how they relate to the sibling bond and rivalry of Booth and Lincoln.
ELEMENO PEA by Molly Smith Metzler directed by Marc Masterson January 27 – February 26, 2012
The Story: Barely out of college, Simone has already landed her dream job. As Michaela Kell's personal assistant, she makes over 100K, receives ridiculous benefits and has a private residence near her employer's house on Martha's Vineyard. Life is pretty sweet for Simone…that is, it would be if Michaela didn't seem like a character pulled right out of "The Real Housewives of Orange County." When Simone's older sister, a social worker from blue collar Buffalo, comes to visit, lifestyles—and worlds—collide. This hilarious comedy about class, family and the choices that shape who we are is fast, furious and funny. About the Playwright: Molly Smith Mezler holds an MFA from Tisch and is a recent graduate of The Juilliard School in New York. She is a recipient of three Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival awards. Elemeno Pea premiered at the 2011 Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Recommendation: Contains profanity and mature content. Any MyStage members who have had a sibling or close friend they care about may relate to the bond between Simone and her sister. They may also relate to their sisterly quarrels and jealousy. MyStagers may laugh at the play's ridiculously elitist class structure and the crazy personalities that come with them.
SIGHT UNSEEN by Donald Margulies directed by David Emmes March 11 – April 1, 2012
The Story: Would you pay several hundred thousand dollars for a piece of artwork? How about one that hasn't been created yet? Well, there are a number of buyers waiting to drop good money for one of Jonathan Waxman's unpainted paintings. But before the unveiling of his first European show, Waxman panics—something is missing. He disappears to the countryside to find his first love in hopes of rekindling his creative fire. What he finds is a husband who questions Jonathan's motives—and his art. Structured like Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, Sight Unseen jumps forward and backward in time, jumping as far back as the characters' budding college relationship.
About the Playwright: Donald Margulies is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright with numerous production that have appeared on Broadway. Currently, he is adapting the novel Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides into an HBO miniseries. He is an adjunct professor of English and Theatre Studies at Yale University.
Recommendations: Contains profanity and mature content. MyStage members may have fun putting together this puzzle play. They may relate to the budding relationship between Jonathan and his girlfriend. Artists may relate to Jonathan's struggle to break free from scrutiny about his art and the ways people misinterpret it.
THE PRINCE OF ATLANTIS by Steven Drukman directed by Warner Shook March 30 – April 29, 2012
The Story: Joey Colletti has just been contacted by the son he never knew he had. And as much as Joey wants to meet his 30-year-old heir, there is just one small problem. He still has nine months left in prison. Maybe his brother Kevin can keep the kid busy until Joey gets out. But Kevin has a couple of problems of his own. This tender and funny play is all about family, loyalty and love. About the Playwright: Steven Drukman teaches playwriting at NYU. His works has been developed by numerous notable theatres, including The Mark Taper Forum, Sundance Theatre Lab and Playwrights Horizons. This play was read as part of SCR's NewSCRipts in 2010 and was part of the 2011 Pacific Playwrights Festival. Recommendation: Contains profanity and mature content. MyStage members may love this hilarious new play about literally and figuratively finding your family. The bond between the Colleti brothers may entertain and warm your heart. MyStagers may relate to the son, Miles, who longs to find a part of himself that has been missing for so long.
CLOUDLANDS book by Octavio Solis music by Adam Gwon lyrics by Octavio Solis and Adam Gwon directed by Amanda Dehnert April 15 – May 6, 2012
The Story: This brand new musical features 18-year-old Monica, a girl who has never quite felt at home with her family. Wielding her faithful camera, she hopes to find and capture that special something missing from her life. Instead, Monica makes a startling discovery about her mother that uncovers a labyrinth of family secrets and introduces a mysterious stranger who connects them all. About the Playwrights: Adam Gwon is a young graduate of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Named one of "50 to Watch" by The Dramatist magazine, he has won the 2008 Fred Ebb Award for excellence in musical theater songwriting. His production of Ordinary Days at SCR in 2010 was a hit among all ages. Octavio Solis is a San Francisco playwright whose works have been mounted nationally and internationally, including at Yale Repertory Theatre, Mark Taper Forum and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Solis is a Thornton Wilder Fellow for the MacDowell Colony, a New Dramatists alum and a member of the Dramatists Guild. Recommendations: Contains profanity and mature content. MyStage members may relate to Monica's rebellious and mischievous nature. They may enjoy journeying with Monica as she explores her family's mysterious past. But everyone may be shocked by this musical's disturbing plot twist.
JITNEY by August Wilson directed by Ron OJ Parson May 11 – June 10, 2012
The Story: African American theatre pioneer August Wilson brings to life a team of unofficial and unlicensed cab drivers who pass the time sharing stories of their recent fares and general comings and goings. This diverse group of personalities, ranging from an alcoholic to a gambler to two war veterans from different wars, gets shaken up when the boss' son, Booster, shows up after being in prison for 20 years. Their disagreements and their bonds unveil some of the most realistic characters in Wilson's writing. About the Playwright: August Wilson is a Tony Award and two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright. His best known works include Fences, The Piano Lesson, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Joe Turner's Come and Gone. On October 16, 2005, shortly after his passing, Broadway renamed the theatre located at 245 West 52nd Street The August Wilson Theatre. Recommendations: Contains mild profanity. MyStage members may appreciate seeing a work of one of America's most well-known writers. They might connect to some of the familial conflicts, primarily between Booster and his father, who are unable to get past their mutual disappointment in one another.
