Filed under: Ghost-Writer, Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: Charles Towers, dan kremer, Ghost-Writer, maureen garrett, MRT, rebecca harris
ANNOUNCING THE CAST OF GHOST-WRITER
After Franklin Woolsey, a famous early twentieth-century novelist, dies mid-sentence, his long-time secretary, Myra Babbage, continues to write the story, claiming that she is still taking dictation from the deceased author. Conflicts arise between Myra, Vivian (Woolsey’s jealous widow), and other skeptics who believe that Myra is only finishing the novel for fame and fortune. Is she perpetrating a fraud, or does her insistent claim hold some truth? Written by Michael Hollinger and directed by Charles Towers, Ghost-Writer runs April 19 – May 13 at Merrimack Repertory Theatre. Tickets are available online at MerrimackRep.org or by calling 978-654-4MRT.
Ghost-Writer will feature Rebecca Harris as Myra Babbage, Dan Kremer as Franklin Woolsey, and Maureen Garrett as Vivian Woolsey. Rebecca Harris has been involved in several other MRT productions: Mrs. Whitney (currently playing), The Missionary Position, and Fabuloso, and Maureen Garrett returns after previously appearing in Mrs. California. Dan Kremer will be making his MRT debut. The creative team for Ghost-Writer consists of Bill Clarke (Scenic Design), Deb Newhall (Costume Design), Dan Kotlowitz (Lighting Design), and Jason Weber (Sound Design).
“Ghost-Writer is a magical play” says MRT Artistic Director Charles Towers. “In it, playwright Michael Hollinger has brilliantly interwoven literary finesse, psychic speculation, soul-mate romance, wry humor and genuine mystery. It is a pleasure to savor his craft as a writer, and to discover how he packs so much intellectual delight and emotional pull in this three-actor, eighty minute jewel.”
In the fall of 2011, Ghost-Writer received the “Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play” at the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre. The play is also a winner of the prestigious “2010 Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award.”
Playwright Michael Hollinger says that the inspiration for Ghost-Writer came from an anecdote about Henry James and his secretary who typed his stories as he dictated them. As the story goes, the two became very close and when James died, the secretary claimed to continue receiving dictation from him. “My mother had died shortly before I encountered this story, and, through conversations with my father, I began thinking about ‘the presence of absence’ — that is, the power that a departed loved one holds over us, and how we negotiate the space left by that person,” says Hollinger. He also states that he found inspiration in reflecting upon the creative process behind writing a play.
Hollinger has seen a great deal of success as a playwright with such works as Opus, Tooth and Claw, Red Herring, Incorruptible, An Empty Plate in the Café Du Grand Boeuf, and Tiny Island. Starting his career as a musician, he says that he sees some strong similarities in the way that he writes music and the way that he writes plays, considering his plays compositions. Several awards have been given to Hollinger for his work including: Steinberg/ATCA New Play Citation, a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award, the Frederick Loewe Award for Musical Theatre, two Barrymore Awards, and fellowships from the Independence Foundation, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
MRT’s 2011-2012 Season is sponsored by Lowell Bank. Ghost-Writer is sponsored by University of Massachusetts Lowell with additional support from The Eagle Tribune. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
CAST BIOS
Maureen Garrett (Vivian Woolsey) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: Mrs. California. Regional: Les Liasions Dangereuses, Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B., Virginia Stage Company, As You Like It, Quartermaine’s Terms, Walnut Street Theatre, Mrs. California, Capitol Repertory Company, Last Looks, East Coast Arts, Self-Defense, Hedda Gabler, The Birthday Party, The Glass Menagerie, and The Royal Family TV: Guiding Light (nominated for three Daytime Emmy awards), Ryan’s Hope Education: Universitat Munchen, Germany, Temple University, Pennsylvania, Villanova, Pennsylvania
Rebecca Harris (Myra Babbage) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: Mrs. Whitney, Fabuloso, The Missionary Position. Off Broadway: LIFEGAME, Enter the Night. Off-Off-Broadway: True Crimes, Gint!, American Silents, B & G and Voyage of the Carcass. Regional: The 39 Steps, Mother Teresa is Dead, The Missionary Position, Mezzulah 1946, A Picasso, Fiction, String of Pearls, City Theatre in Pittsburgh; Scramble, Westport Country Playhouse; Centennial Casting, Virginia Stage; Mauritius, Bad Dates, Theater Squared; Frame 312, The Alliance Theatre; The Play About the Baby, The Alley Theatre; Last Chance for a Slow Dance, New York Stage and Film; The Exonerated, The Birthday Party, The Real Thing, Pittsburgh Repertory Theatre. Television: Three Rivers, Life on the Line, Sex and the City, Law and Order. Film: Road, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Unstoppable. Education: MFA, Columbia University, New York.
Dan Kremer (Franklin Woolsey) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut. Off Broadway: Richard II (Gaunt) Pearl Theatre Company. Regional: Julius Caesar (Julius Caesar), Romeo and Juliet, (Capulet), Antony & Cleopatra (Enobarbus), Shakespeare Theatre Company; King Lear (Lear), The Matchmaker (Vandergelder), Tuesdays with Morrie (Morrie), Utah Shakespeare Festival; Copenhagen (Nils Bohr), Clarence Brown Theatre; The Tempest (Prospero), As You Like It (Jacques), Measure for Measure (Duke), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon), The White Devil (deMedici), Major Barbara (Undershaft), La Bête (Elomire), Pravda (Lambert LeRoux), Oleanna (John), The Majestic Kid premier (Judge Billy), Emma’s Child premier (Henry) Oregon Shakespeare Theatre (14 Seasons); American Conservatory Theatre, Denver Center, Geva, McCarter, Milwaukee Rep, Seattle Rep, Yale Repertory Theatre. Film: The Fugitive, Living Will, Four Diamonds. Education: MFA Southern Methodist University, BFA, MFA. Other: Author of The Chase, a stage adaptation of Venus and Adonis.
Filed under: Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: Charles Towers, executive director, Merrimack Rep, steven leon
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVEN LEON
New MRT Executive Director Steven Leon
“I’m thrilled to be joining Charles Towers at MRT,” stated Leon. “It’s already clear that we have similar ideas about what makes great theatre and why it takes a great organization to make it possible. I’m confident that we are going to form the kind of partnership with each other and with our patrons that will produce results worthy of MRT’s remarkable record of success. Artistic excellence, a willing and energetic board, and a city poised for growth like Lowell is an irresistible combination.”
MRT Artistic Director Charles Towers added, “I have already spent quite a bit of time with Steven and can see how strong a partnership this is going to be. Merrimack Repertory Theatre has never been in better shape, which enabled us to attract an individual of Steven’s caliber. With Steven as executive director, MRT is going to grow and prosper in ways we could only dream about a few years ago.”
MRT’s Executive Director Search Committee, led by trustee Robert J. McDonald, made its recommendation to the Board of Trustees at their bi-monthly meeting on Tuesday night, where it was unanimously approved. The Search Committee reviewed seven leading theatre professionals from around the country, choosing to interview four in person before overwhelmingly recommending Leon. Commenting on the Executive Director search, McDonald said “We are delighted to bring an experienced hand to our theatre and look forward to the new possibilities that Steven will bring us.”
Leon is highly regarded by many of the country’s leading theatre artists and administrators. Robert Brustein, Founding Director of the American Repertory Theatre and recent recipient of the National Medal of Arts from President Obama praised him, noting “Steven Leon has been one of the most devoted, hardworking, and effective administrators in ART history. His departure is a loss for ART, but a significant gain for Merrimack Rep. I wish him and his chosen theatre all the best tidings.”
Former ART Executive Director and current Executive Director of Boston’s ArtsEmerson Robert Orchard added, “Steven’s vast experience in the theatre is rare, ranging over both artistic and managerial territory. This, matched with his natural enthusiasm and considerable abilities should serve the thriving and distinctive MRT well.”
As Executive Director, Mr. Leon will be responsible for leading all institutional activities, including development, marketing, finance, Trustee activities, facilities and operations. Mr. Towers retains his responsibility for all artistic and educational activity, including the selection, creation and production of a seven-play season between September and May, and remains the spokesperson for the company’s artistic mission and vision. At the same time, Mr. Leon will be the spokesperson for the company about all institutional matters, and will serve as the company’s primary community liaison, building relationships with business and civic leaders.
Prior to his tenure at ART, Leon was Managing Director of ANTENNA, an experimental, site-specific theatre company based in Sausalito, CA from 1998 until 2004. Before that, he spent three years as Managing Director at the Pirate Playhouse on Florida’s Sanibel Island. From 1988 until 1995 he was Managing Director of the White River Theatre Festival of Vermont, which he co-founded with Stephen Legawiec. In addition to his administrative work, Leon directed many WRTF productions including The Comedy of Errors, Talley’s Folly, Sleuth, Amadeus, True West, Born Yesterday and Deathtrap. As Resident Designer, he created the lighting for over eighty shows including Jungle of the Cities, and the world-premieres of The Snow Queen and Journal of the Plague Year. He is the co-author of two full-length plays. He lived in Israel in the mid-80s where he spent three years farming grapes as a member of Kibbutz Mitzpeh Shalem. Leon graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in Theatre (Directing & Lighting Design). He is married to artist Sarah Leon. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Ziggurat Theatre Ensemble
Mr. Leon made four separate interview trips to Lowell prior to being offered the position. He will be introduced to the community at Merrimack Rep’s Annual Meeting on June 28 and will begin his job by the start of MRT’s new fiscal year on July 1.
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Filed under: Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: Charles Towers, Merrimack Rep
Artistic Director Charles Towers
MERRIMACK REP ANNOUNCES CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s Board of Trustees announced today that Artistic Director Charles Towers has accepted their offer to extend his contract through the 2014-2015 Season. Towers joined MRT as its Artistic Director in 2001 and is completing his tenth anniversary season with the company. “The Board of Trustees at MRT is thrilled to have Charles Towers’ contract as Artistic Director renewed” said Debra Grossman, President of MRT’s Board of Trustees. “We look forward to another four years of Charles’ insightful play selection, remarkable productions, and powerful artistic direction. With Charles’ interpretation of MRT’s vision and mission, the theatre will undoubtedly continue to excel. The timing is perfect for MRT as we commence our interviews of candidates identified in our national search for a new executive director who will partner with Charles.”
Christopher McHale with Amanda Fulks in SKYLIGHT from 2008. Photo by Meghan Moore.
Kate Udall, Carole Monferdini & John Wojda in FOUR PLACES. Photo by Meghan Moore.
IRNE Winners Jack Davidson and Penny Fuller in A DELICATE BALANCE. Photo by Meghan Moore
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Filed under: Daddy Long Legs, Ghost-Writer, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Mrs. Whitney, The Persian Quarter, The Voice Of The Turtle, This Verse Business | Tags: Charles Towers, Daddy Long Legs, Ghost-Writer, Merrimack Rep, Mrs. Whitney, Reduced Shakespeare Company, The Persian Quarter, The Voice of the Turtle, This Verse Business
ANNOUNCING THE 2011-2012 SEASON Artistic Director Charles Towers
Opening the 2011-2012 Season is The Persian Quarter by Kathleen Cahill, an invigorating drama about the power words have to overcome cultural differences. Next up is the touching portrayal of the great American poet Robert Frost, This Verse Business by A.M. Dolan. For the holiday season, the Reduced Shakespeare Company® returns with their newest creation, a yet to be titled Christmas show. 2012 opens with the moving 1943 romantic comedy, The Voice of the Turtle by John Van Druten. In February, MRT mounts its first musical in four seasons with Daddy Long Legs, book by Tony Award winner John Caird, music and lyrics by Paul Gordon, based on the novel by Jean Webster. Following Daddy Long Legs will be the witty and insightful comedy Mrs. Whitney by John Kolvenbach, about a 60-year old woman with a unique sense of romance. Concluding the season will be Ghost-Writer by Michael Hollinger.
Artistic Director Charles Towers, now entering his 11th season at Merrimack Rep, stated, “There can be no doubt that our country is living through turbulent times, both at home and abroad. Perhaps it has always been thus. But I felt very strongly this year that now was the time to hear a variety of American voices along the American journey. There is no political position here. But we have been a nation of thinkers and dreamers; a nation of writers willing to explore our unique character, in all of its manifestations. These plays inspire hope, even as they remind us of our shared past. This season is like every other at MRT: unique unto itself, and as universal as the human heart; another contribution to an ongoing journey of understanding ourselves and others.”
Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s 2011-2012 Season is sponsored by Lowell Cooperative Bank. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
MERRIMACK REPERTORY THEATER 2011-2012 SEASON
Voices along the American Journey…”
THE PERSIAN QUARTER
by Kathleen Cahill
September 15 – October 9, 2011
In a land rich with history, two women are thrown together by a diplomatic crisis. Thirty years later, a chance encounter by their daughters leads to revelations of a shared past. An invigorating drama about the power words have to reveal truths as well as hide them, and ultimately to bridge a cultural divide.
“’The Persian Quarter’ weaves history and culture with Persian magic” – The Salt Lake Tribune
THIS VERSE BUSINESS
by A. M. Dolan
October 20 – November 13, 2011
An illuminating portrait of the great American poet Robert Frost, looking back on his life’s work and the changes America underwent in the first half of the 20th century. Told in Frost’s folksy yet penetrating style, this one-man play is full of poetry, wit and “promises to keep.”
“Charming” – Nashua Telegraph
The Reduced Shakespeare Company ® in
A Yet To Be Titled Christmas Show (abridged)
by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor
November 25 – December 18, 2011
Having reduced the history of America, the Bible, the world of sports and more, the three fruitcakes of the Reduced Shakespeare Company return to MRT to take you on an irreverent but heartwarming trip through the holidays and Christmas will never quite be the same.
“Inspired! Smart, timely satire.” — Washington Post
THE VOICE OF THE TURTLE
by John Van Druten
January 5 – January 29, 2012
In this lovely, fresh and surprisingly-modern 1943 romantic comedy about single life and sexual yearning in wartime Manhattan, a serviceman on leave finds himself without a date or a place to stay, only to accidently arrive at the apartment of a wide-eyed young actress.
“Fresh, warm and funny” – Talkin’ Broadway
DADDY LONG LEGS
Book by John Caird
Music and Lyrics by Paul Gordon
Based on the novel by Jean Webster
February 9 – March 4, 2012
A beautiful new musical from the co-director of Les Miserables and the creators of Jane Eyre. In this coming-of-age story set in 1912 New England, a young woman is given the opportunity to escape the orphanage she grew up in when an anonymous benefactor spots her potential and pays her way to attend university, as long as his identity remains a secret.
“Like a breath of spring” – NY Times
MRS. WHITNEY
by John Kolvenbach
March 15 – April 8, 2012
A candid portrait of a 60-year old woman with an idiosyncratic sense of romance. Mrs. Whitney seeks a cure for loneliness by tracking down her ne’er-do-well ex-husband, an irresponsible mess she kicked out over 20 years ago, sending her on an odyssey of surprising and sharply-funny encounters.
“’Mrs. Whitney’ engages the audience to laugh at the foibles of love in the real world while it dangles you dangerously above the jaws of heartbreak.” – StarkSilverCreek.com
GHOST-WRITER
by Michael Hollinger
April 19 – May 13, 2012
When a famous novelist dies before finishing his masterwork, his devoted secretary completes the story on her own. Is she perpetrating a fraud, or does her insistent claim that she continues to receive his dictation after his passing hold some truth?
“A lovely and stirring drama about the written word and the emotions it can provoke.” –Talkin’ Broadway
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Don’t miss a single show! On sale now, MRT offers subscription packages to fit every lifestyle and budget. With season subscription packages ranging from $46-$273, all subscriptions offer deep discounts off the single ticket prices as well as exclusive subscriber-only benefits, including free parking, restaurant and theatre discounts, lost ticket insurance and free, unlimited ticket exchanges. Individual ticket sales for the 2011-2012 Season begin August 9, 2011. For season or subscription information, call 978.654.4MRT (4678), or visit www.merrimackrep.org.
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Filed under: A Picasso, Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: A Picasso, brian lilienthal, Campbell Baird, Charles Towers, jeffrey hatcher, Kate Udall, Mark Zeisler, Merrimack Rep
A PICASSO
In an underground vault in the war-torn city of Paris, a singular conflict takes place between an enigmatic female officer from the Ministry of Culture and the world famous painter, Pablo Picasso, in Jeffrey Hatcher’s suspense-filled drama A Picasso, directed by Charles Towers, at Merrimack Repertory Theater, April 21 – May 15, 2011. Confronted by an adversary every bit his equal, Picasso must use all of his skills at charm, negotiation and manipulation in an effort to save his work, and possibly his own life. Tickets are on sale now and available online at www.MerrimackRep.org or by calling 978.654.4MRT.
The cast of A Picasso features Mark Zeisler (Picasso) and Kate Udall (Miss Fischer) both of whom are returning to Merrimack Repertory Theater’s stage. Mark Zeisler last appeared in MRT’s production of The Seafarer, and has also appeared in Tranced and The Homecoming. Earlier this season, Kate Udall appeared in Four Places as Ellen, a role that earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 2011 IRNE awards. She also played Josie Hogan in Merrimack Rep’s 2009 production of A Moon for the Misbegotten. The creative team features MRT’s Artistic Director Charles Towers (Director), Campbell Baird (Set and Costume Designer), and Brian Lilienthal (Lighting Designer).
“Jeffrey Hatcher has written a wonderful battle of wits between Pablo Picasso and the fictional Miss Fischer that is at once clever, earthy, dangerous, sexy, humorous, and passionate” says Charles Towers, MRT Artistic Director and director of A Picasso. “When you start with a character the size of Picasso, the emotional and intellectual exchange is necessarily going to be writ large. Plus we have two first-rate members of MRT’s extended acting company – Mark Zeisler and Kate Udall – creating these characters. In their hands, A Picasso promises to be an extremely stimulating theatrical event.”
Jeffrey Hatcher is the author of several plays including Stage Beauty, The Turn of the Screw, Fellow Travelers, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, SMASH, Mercy of a Storm, To Fool an Eye, Neddy, What Corbin Knew, Mother Russia, Murder By Poe, Work Song, and Murderers. He co-wrote the stage adaption of Tuesdays with Morrie with author Mitch Albom. His play Stage Beauty was made into a film, and he wrote several episodes of the Peter Falk series Columbo. He is a member and/or alumnus of the Dramatists Guild, The Writers Guild, and New Dramatists. A Picasso is the first of his plays to be produced by Merrimack Repertory Theatre.
Merrimack Repertory Theater’s 2010-2011 season is sponsored by Lowell Cooperative Bank. A Picasso is sponsored by The Lowell Five, with additional support from WGBH. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
CAST BIOS
Mark Zeisler
Kate Udall
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Filed under: Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: AlbertHall, Charles Towers, executive director search, Merrimack Rep, Tom Parrish
MERRIMACK REP ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT TRANSITION PLAN
Debra Grossman, President of Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s Board of Trustees, and Artistic Director Charles Towers have announced that MRT has engaged executive search consultants AlbertHall&Associates to conduct a nationwide search for a new Executive Director to partner with Towers. Current Executive Director Tom Parrish will be leaving his post at the end of February to become Executive Director of Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New York. Parrish announced his upcoming departure in December and has been assisting in the transition process with a team comprised of trustees and staff members. General Manager Edgar Cyrus, a 15-year employee of MRT with over 30 years of arts management experience, will assume the role of Interim Managing Director during the transition and search process, which is expected to last four to six months. A search committee, chaired by trustee Robert McDonald and composed of current and former trustees, will work closely with AlbertHall&Associates.
AlbertHall&Associates is a national leader in executive placement for arts professionals, having placed dozens of senior leaders throughout North America. AHA is a full-service consulting and executive search firm providing support to many of America’s most prestigious arts and entertainment companies, nonprofit organizations and allied agencies. Their team of professionals have decades of combined experience with such major institutions as Carnegie Hall, Center Theatre Group, the Getty, Disney Companies, the Old Globe Theatre, the Stratford Festival, Duke University, the Sydney Opera House, Goodman Theatre, Sea World, Inc., the Guthrie Theatre and the San Francisco Opera, among many others.
AHA Principal Christine O’Connor will meet with trustees and staff next week to develop Merrimack Rep’s attractive job profile. Finalists are expected to visit Lowell in the spring.
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Filed under: Merrimack Repertory Theatre, The Exceptionals | Tags: Bob Clyman, carloyn baeumler, catherine eaton, Charles Towers, joseph tisa, judith lightfoot clarke, Merrimack Rep, The Edgarton Foundation, The Exceptionals
THE EXCEPTIONALS
Two mothers from very different backgrounds struggle with tough decisions about the futures of their uniquely gifted children in The Exceptionals, a world premiere drama by Bob Clyman, stage direction by Charles Towers, at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, February 10 – March 6, 2011. Set in the near future at the site of a prestigious donor insemination research program, mothers Gwen and Allie have been called to meet with Claire, the parent liaison for the program. Claire is about to offer their children a once in a lifetime opportunity to realize their full potential – but no choice is without sacrifice. Gwen and Allie must ask themselves how far they are willing to go to ensure their children have every possible opportunity to be truly exceptional. The Exceptionals is a smart and compelling exploration of parenthood in the new millennium. Subscriptions and individual tickets are available online at www.MerrimackRep.org or by calling 978.654.4MRT.
This fall, The Exceptionals was awarded a prestigious Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award, which is given to select theatres that have demonstrated a strong and consistent track record in producing new work. The goal of the Edgerton Foundation New American Play Awards is to utilize up-front development time to help extend the future life of the plays. Over the past four years, 111 Edgerton Foundation New American Play Awards, totaling $3.2 million, had been granted and thirty-four of those plays had gone on to further productions, including 2009 Tony Award Winners Next To Normal and 33 Variations; and 2010 Tony Award nominees Time Stands Still and In The Next Room, Or The Vibrator Play. Next To Normal also received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
The all-Equity cast of The Exceptionals features Carolyn Baeumler as Gwen, Judith Lightfoot Clarke as Claire, Catherine Eaton as Allie and Joseph Tisa as Tom. Catherine Eaton, Carolyn Baeumler and Joseph Tisa all make their MRT debuts, while Judith Lightfoot Clarke returns for her fourth time, having previously appeared in The Homecoming, Boston Marriage and Three Days of Rain. The creative team for The Exceptionals includes Charles Towers (director), Judy Gailen (set design), Brian Lilienthal (lighting design) and Deb Newhall (costume design).
“Playwright Bob Clyman has his own signature style,” says Charles Towers, MRT Artistic Director and director of The Exceptionals. “He writes verbally-agile characters whose dialogue deftly blends intellect and comedy, in stories that raise fascinating questions about the ethical decisions we all face. His plays are a unique mix of smart dialogue, humor and surprise. We have an outstanding cast collaborating with Bob as he develops his new script for its world premiere at MRT. As with Bob’s other plays, The Exceptionals promises to be intellectually-stimulating, funny, emotional and disturbing.”
The Exceptionals is the third Bob Clyman play that Merrimack Rep has produced in the past four years. In spring of 2007, MRT produced Secret Order, which MRT remounted Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theaters later that year, as well as the Alley Theatre in Houston in 2008. The New York and Houston productions, as well as the Lowell production of Secret Order, were all directed by Charles Towers. In 2009, MRT produced the regional premiere of Clyman’s psychological thriller Tranced.
Clyman has had his plays performed Off-Broadway in New York and in regional theatres around the world. He has received numerous national awards for his writing including the Eugene O’Neill Summer Conference Fellowship, New Jersey State Council on the Arts Award, Edward Albee Foundation Fellowship, and Shenandoah Valley Playwrights Fellowship. His play Famous Ali was commissioned by Playwrights Theatre for Rowing to America: The Immigrant Project. In addition to being an award-winning playwright, Clyman is also a clinical psychologist with a practice in Oldwick, New Jersey noted for working with criminals and testifying at trials and appeals in the State.
Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s 2010-2011 season is sponsored by Lowell Cooperative Bank. The Exceptionals is sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Lowell, with additional support from Yellowbook. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. The Exceptionals is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award.
CAST BIOS
Carolyn Baeumler
Judith Lightfoot Clarke
Catherine Eaton
Joseph Tisa
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Filed under: Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: Charles Towers, Merrimack Rep, Tom Parrish
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE FROM THEATRE COMPANY
Tom Parrish
“While no one is surprised that Tom’s phenomenal work here has been noticed in the national theatre community, we are saddened to see his tenure end,” said Debra Grossman, President of MRT’s Board of Trustees. “We are glad for Tom personally and professionally, as he will be taking the helm of a non-profit theatre that is geographically near his family and has a significantly larger budget. We believe he will be just as successful there as he has been at MRT. MRT remains in great shape, and we are in the midst of a fantastic season of top-notch theatre. We are thrilled to have had Charles’ artistic direction for the past ten years and fully anticipate great works to come from him as our Artistic Director in the future. We are confident we can accomplish that with a vibrant partnership between Charles and our new Executive Director and will take our artistically acclaimed regional theatre toward continued artistic growth and excellence.”
“Tom Parrish has, unquestionably, been the finest Executive Director in the history of MRT,” said Board Chair Nancy Donahue. “For the five years of his tenure he has had budgets which ended in the black and brought financial stability to the theatre. He has also endeared himself to the community, and he will be sorely missed by many people. We are happy for him and wish him well, but are very sad to see him leave.”
Artistic Director Charles Towers
Artistic Director Charles Towers added, “Tom is a skilled manager and has been a great partner for the past five seasons. He has a long career ahead of him, and I think this clearly shows the national-level talent MRT is so fortunate to have on-stage, back-stage and in the office. Creating artistic work of excellence remains MRT’s mission, but Tom has made the institution that supports the artists markedly stronger. The important contribution he has made to this company will always be valued.”
“It has been an honor and a privilege to co-lead MRT these past five seasons,” said Parrish. “This was not an easy decision, but for both personal and professional reasons, it was simply an opportunity I could not refuse. It gave me great encouragement to know that MRT is in a strong position both artistically and financially to make this change. MRT is strong not because of any one person, but because we all – artists, Board, staff, volunteers, donors and audience members – have worked collectively and collaboratively to take MRT to the next level. I have enjoyed my partnership with the Board of Trustees and Charles, and deeply value the opportunity to have been a part of this amazing organization and community. I will miss the many friends I have made here. The fact that I have been recruited to lead one of the country’s largest theatres is a true testament to MRT’s great accomplishments. I have confidence MRT will seize this opportunity to rise to even higher heights of achievement, especially with the Board and Charles’ continued leadership.”
Parrish is in the middle of his fifth season as Executive Director of MRT. Since he joined Artistic Director Charles Towers in the leadership of MRT in 2006, MRT has eliminated its accumulated deficit, reversed a decline in subscription audience, grown and diversified contributed revenue, established an endowment, transferred a production Off-Broadway, built the company’s local and national reputation, and weathered a challenging economy, all while operating in the black each season. During that time, MRT’s artistic work has also received 27 award nominations from the Independent Reviewers of New England with 8 wins, including best production by a large company; four Elliot Norton Award nominations with one win; an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award; and designation as “Best Live Theatre of the North Shore” by North Shore Magazine in 2009.
All inquiries regarding this release should be made to Board President Debra Grossman at her office at 978.256.2660.
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Filed under: Four Places, Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: Charles Towers, Four Places, Joel Drake Johnson, Merrimack Repertory Theatre
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION – FOUR PLACES
Artistic Director Charles Towers
I am always pleased to be able to introduce a new writer to MRT’s audience. Joel Drake Johnson is a Chicago playwright but, like all good writers, his characters transcend location and are recognizable to us all. I think that’s what drew me to this play the first time I read it: I knew these people, I knew their struggles, I laughed at their familiarity and I felt comforted knowing I was not alone. I also felt that in a time when so many Americans allow themselves to believe so many boldfaced lies, that “denial” was a theme worth exploring. Johnson, along with many other American playwrights including Williams, Miller and Albee, uses the family as a place to find and describe human frailties, even as he offers human understanding.
During the month I was in the rehearsal hall directing Four Places, I found myself thinking, as I often do, about the work we create and its purpose. One day, I had the good fortune to catch the wonderful American novelist Russell Banks speaking about the art of writing, which I would like to share with you:
“What any writer hopes will happen, any writer who is a serious writer, is that the work will go on altering human consciousness into the future.
You know, human beings, we’re a strange species. We are unique almost, but mainly insofar as we have to learn over and over and over again what it is to be human. We have to be taught what it is to be human. Other species know exactly what it is to be a dog or a cat or even a chimpanzee. But we’re not driven by instincts to that degree; to be ourselves.
What any great writer does is show us, remind us, teach us, what it is to be human; the worst of it to be human, and the best of it to be human. We need, we require, that work in order to be true to our own species.”
I am humbled by Banks’ insight, but inspired too. As a director, I am a receiver of art before I am a maker of art. I am a learner, not a teacher. When I read a play like Four Places, I get excited because I want to share with others what the play does to me. I want to make the words sing. Rehearsing a play teaches me even more. Hearing it with MRT’s audience enriches me yet again, for I hear it with new ears.
It’s a high bar that Banks sets for writers, indeed for any artist. Very few of us are “great.” But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive. And every so often it is good to be reminded that the work we do matters. We require art “to learn over and over again what it is to be human.”
I thought the following quote by Martha Lavey, Artistic Director of Chicago’s renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company, more than captures what I have felt working on this play:
“Joel Johnson is a playwright. He brings people onto the stage who have no way of telling their stories except by being themselves. And then he clears a space for them to talk and behave in a way that is entirely natural, deeply idiosyncratic, and heartbreakingly revealing. And funny. And sad. And human. Joel’s generosity toward what is broken in the human heart is his gold. Giving that brokenness its eloquence is his gift.”
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Filed under: Four Places, Merrimack Repertory Theatre | Tags: Carole Monferdini, Charles Towers, east coast premier, Four Places, Joel Drake Johnson, John Wodja, Kate Udall, Laura Latreille, Lowell
FOUR PLACES
The powerful new family drama Four Places by Joel Drake Johnson receives its East Coast Premiere at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, October 14 – November 7, 2010, stage direction by Charles Towers. Two middle-aged siblings take their mother out to lunch where the conversation turns from routine banter to life-changing revelation. The indelible characters are both marvelously funny and devastatingly human as they lead one another to a place where forgiveness and understanding are tested, but love is still possible. Subscriptions and individual tickets are available online at www.MerrimackRep.org or by calling 978.654.4MRT.
“Funny and heart-wrenching” — Backstage (Critic’s Pick)
The all-Equity cast of Four Places features Carole Monferdini, Kate Udall, John Wojda and Laura Latreille. Kate Udall and John Wojda return to Merrimack Rep after previously appearing in A Moon of the Misbegotten and The Pursuit of Happiness, respectively. Carole Monferdini, who has appeared on Broadway in The Misanthrope and Waltz of the Toreadors, and Elliot Norton Award-winner Laura Latreille, who has recently appeared at Huntington Theatre and Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre, make their MRT debuts.
“I love Joel Drake Johnson’s Four Places” says Merrimack Rep Artistic Director Charles Towers. “Like many great American plays, it is about family; about the unbreakable bonds that sometimes break. It is also about love. I find his writing to be utterly honest and true, shot through with a great sense of humor that rises not out of jokes, but out of our real recognition of family relationships. So many of us fall into one of the two categories so profoundly rendered here by Johnson: adult children with aging parents, or older parents with adult children. Many of us are navigating these relationships from one side of the fence or the other. Plus, any play that addresses the role denial plays in family life is a play that also has its eye toward the larger role denial plays in American politics and the shaping of the American character. Four Places is at once funny, shocking and heartbreaking in the best theatrical way.”
Joel Drake Johnson is one of the newest members of Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater Playwrights Ensemble. The critically acclaimed, Jeff Award-nominated Four Places was produced by Victory Gardens in the spring of 2008. His earlier works at Victory Gardens Theater, Before My Eyes and The End of the Tour, were also Jeff-nominated for Best New Play and all three plays were directed by Sandy Shinner, Victory Gardens’ Associate Artistic Director. Four Places was subsequently produced in Los Angeles by The Rogue Machine Theatre where, under the direction of Robin Larsen, it garnered more critical acclaim.
Johnson has won three Illinois Arts Council grants including one for A Blue Moon, which was first produced at Chicago Dramatists and also Jeff-nominated for best new work. He got his start as a writer at Chicago’s critically acclaimed Econo-Art Theater, which (under the leadership of Lynn Baber, Barb Reeder and Marc Silvia) produced such plays as Beautiful Dreamer. His other plays include As the Beaver, first produced by Zebra Crossing, and The Fall to Earth (Rick Snyder, dir.) which premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre and featured Tony Award-winner Rondi Reed. It was subsequently produced at The Penguin Rep, directed by Joe Brancato and featuring Tony Award-winner, Michelle Pawk. Steppenwolf later produced A Blameless Life (Anna Shapiro, dir.) and Tranquility Woods (Sandy Shinner, dir.) as part of their 2005 and 2007 First Look Repertory.
He has taught playwriting at Northwestern University, DePaul University and Adlai Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. He lives in Chicago and New Buffalo, Michigan where he is working on three new plays: The First Grade which was produced by the Aurora Theatre Company in the winter of 2010; A Guide for the Perplexed which was produced by Victory Gardens in the summer of 2010 and starred Kevin Anderson and Fran Guinan; and The Boys Room, a part of Northlight Theatre’s Interplay and Steppenwolf Theatre’s First Look reading series and now a part of Victory Gardens’ 2010-11 season. Johnson is a member of PEN AMERICA and the Dramatists Guild.
The production staff for Four Places features Charles Towers (director), Bill Clarke (scenic design), Deb Newhall (costume design) and Jeff Adelberg (lighting design). IRNE-winner Bill Clarke’s scenic design work has previously been seen on the Liberty Hall stage in A Delicate Balance, The Seafarer, The Homecoming and many more. Deb Newhall has previously designed for Black Pearl Sings!, Fabuloso and The Seafarer. Lighting Designer Jeff Adelberg makes his MRT debut.
This production of Four Places is sponsored by Lowell General Hospital, with additional support by WBUR. Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s 2010-2011 season is sponsored by Lowell Cooperative Bank. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
CAST BIOS
Carol Monferdini
CAROLE MONFERDINI (Peggy) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut Broadway: The Misanthrope, National Theatre of G. Britain; Waltz of the Toreadors, National Tour. Off-Broadway: Full Gallop, Westside Arts Theater; The Club, Circle in the Square; Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Provincetown Playhouse. New England: The Nibroc Trilogy, Chester Theatre Company. Regional: Pride and Prejudice, Geva Theatre Center; Medea, The Subject Was Roses, Pittsburgh Public Theater; The Retreat from Moscow, Delaware Theatre Company; A Christmas Story, Cleveland Play House, All’s Well That Ends Well, Lettice and Lovage, Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Film: Next Stop, Greenwich Village, The Bell Jar, The Brass Ring.
Kate Udall
John Wodja
Laura Latreille
Visit Merrimack Repertory Theatre Online
Merrimack Repertory Theatre Blog 