 |
| The cast of Candide, photo: T. Charles Erickson |
Showing posts with label Educating Rita. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Educating Rita. Show all posts
March 6, 2012
We've Received 39 IRNE Award Nominations!
We've received 39 IRNE Award nominations from the Independent Reviewers of New England, which recognized each our 2011 productions. The 39 nominations are five more than we received for our 2010 productions and more than twice as many as any other company in New England.
Our September-October 2011 production of Leonard Bernstein’s glorious musical Candide received 13 nominations, more than any other production of 2011, and was nominated in every category in which it is eligible:
March 23, 2011
EDUCATING RITA: Audience Comments
Have you seen Educating Rita? Please share your comments with us.
How does Rita's experience as a student remind you of or differ from your own?
Did Rita or Frank change in surprising ways? What do you think happens to them after the curtain comes down?
Did you attend a post show conversation? What comments surprised you or made you think differently about the play? Would you attend a post show conversation again? What were you thinking about on the way home from the theatre?
Leave your comments here.
The Huntington Theatre Company production of Educating Rita by Willy Russell plays now through April 10, 2011 at the B.U. Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. Get tickets and information or call our Box Office at 617 266-0800.
 |
| Jane Pfitsch and Andrew Long, photo by T. Charles Erickson |
Did Rita or Frank change in surprising ways? What do you think happens to them after the curtain comes down?
Did you attend a post show conversation? What comments surprised you or made you think differently about the play? Would you attend a post show conversation again? What were you thinking about on the way home from the theatre?
Leave your comments here.
The Huntington Theatre Company production of Educating Rita by Willy Russell plays now through April 10, 2011 at the B.U. Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. Get tickets and information or call our Box Office at 617 266-0800.
March 17, 2011
EDUCATING RITA: Dress for Success
Contributed by BU Today
In the slideshow above, costume designer Nancy Brennan works behind the scenes on the Huntington Theatre Company production of Educating Rita at the BU Theatre. Slideshow by Kimberly Cornuelle. Photos by Kalman Zabarsky
Today’s theatergoers are used to extreme stunts: think Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Compared to such spectacles, the behind-the-scenes apparel acrobatics needed for 11 costume changes, each happening in 20 seconds or less, may seem quaint.
That’s the number of costumes the free-spirited main character in Educating Rita, the Huntington Theatre Company’s current production, wears. But rest assured, creating a successful costume is no small feat, and it’s the daily mission of costume director Nancy Brennan.
Read the rest at BU TODAY
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
In the slideshow above, costume designer Nancy Brennan works behind the scenes on the Huntington Theatre Company production of Educating Rita at the BU Theatre. Slideshow by Kimberly Cornuelle. Photos by Kalman Zabarsky
Today’s theatergoers are used to extreme stunts: think Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Compared to such spectacles, the behind-the-scenes apparel acrobatics needed for 11 costume changes, each happening in 20 seconds or less, may seem quaint.
That’s the number of costumes the free-spirited main character in Educating Rita, the Huntington Theatre Company’s current production, wears. But rest assured, creating a successful costume is no small feat, and it’s the daily mission of costume director Nancy Brennan.
Read the rest at BU TODAY
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
March 9, 2011
EDUCATING RITA: Win a VIP Opening Night package for 10
Become a Facebook Fan of the Huntington TODAY (March 9), and be eligible to win a VIP Opening Night experience!- Prime seats for you and nine friends to the Opening Night of "Educating Rita," Wednesday, March 16 at 7pm
- Complimentary parking for up to four cars at one of several parking garages located near the B.U. Theatre
- Complimentary champagne (or other beverage) and snacks in the exclusive Huntington Lounge during intermission
- Admission for you and your group to the exclusive post-show Cast Party
Winner will be notified by March 10. Current Fans are eligible to win.
Need more incentive? If we reach 5,000 Fans by April 30, we're throwing a special party for all of you! Help us spread the word - tell your friends, and stay tuned for more info!
find us at www.facebook.com/HuntingtonTheatre
Check out all of our Behind the Scenes photos while you're there...
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
March 7, 2011
EDUCATING RITA vs SONS OF THE PROPHET
contributed by Rebecca Bellan 03/02/11
Most of the shops on Huntington Ave are busy juggling two productions. With Educating Rita opening in two weeks and Sons of the Prophet beginning rehearsal next week, Props, Paints, and Sound have a lot on their hands.
In the Props shop, Kris Holmes said that they are still not done with Educating Rita.
“We have a chair to reupholster, and there are a bunch of paper props and documents that have to be made up that are specific to the show, and we have to get some period-looking packing boxes. Basically, we are sort of working on the finishing touches,” said Holmes.
In addition to these finishing touches, all the props and furniture still need to be installed on the stage.
With Educating Rita mostly underway, Props has had the chance to begin work on Sons of the Prophet.
“As a matter of fact,” said Kris, “I’m just now starting to pull the small hand props so they’ll have that stuff for rehearsal starting probably Tuesday or Wednesday next week.”
They have begun work of some of the furniture. The ticket counter is almost built, and Andrew Deshazo is working on building the doctor’s exam table to be light weight. The bus station seats are coming in the mail, along with a few other materials.
“There’s a bunch of stuff that’s still in the works. We’ve just kind of hit the tip of the iceberg.”
The paints shop is in good shape. They have finished working on the set of Educating Rita and are just waiting for it to go onstage. Currently, they are working on ‘portal number four’ for Sons of the Prophet. This portal is going to look like dark brick that fades into blackness.
“We’re making the brick with some thickness, so from far away it looks real. The idea of the designer is that the brick kind of just fades into blackness,” said Kristin Krause. The finished effect is stunning
Paints isn’t working anything other than the portals this week, but next week they'll have notes for Rita onstage and begin working on a show scrim for Sons of the Prophet.
The Sound dept is working on both shows, as well. “John Gromada, the designer/composer, is composing original music for Educating Rita,” said Ben Emerson. “It’s a fairly straightforward design, in that it’s transitional music. There are also a couple of practicals that we need to work on.”
By “practicals” Emerson was referring to a radio that will be onstage and play some music, along with a record player that plays a very specific piece of music. “We have to provide special speakers around the set to support the practicals,” he said.
As for Sons of the Prophet, Emerson is currently working on the microphones.
“There are a couple of table top microphones that are used in the school board scene, and because the table has to track on and off, the mics need to be able to be struck separately. This means that we need wireless mics,” said Emerson.
The only problem is that they don’t own enough wireless mics. To solve the problem, they plan to use the small mics that are usually pinned to an actor’s hair or lapel. In this case, the mics will be tucked underneath the regular microphone and the transmitter is going to be hidden underneath the mic stand. Props dept is going to build something to help modify the mic stand to accomplish this task.
That’s all for this week. Looking forward to see what stays, what goes, and what progresses as the opening night for Educating Rita nears and rehearsal for Sons of the Prophet begins.
For more photos visit our Facebook page
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
Most of the shops on Huntington Ave are busy juggling two productions. With Educating Rita opening in two weeks and Sons of the Prophet beginning rehearsal next week, Props, Paints, and Sound have a lot on their hands.
 | |
| Antique Morris chair |
“We have a chair to reupholster, and there are a bunch of paper props and documents that have to be made up that are specific to the show, and we have to get some period-looking packing boxes. Basically, we are sort of working on the finishing touches,” said Holmes.
In addition to these finishing touches, all the props and furniture still need to be installed on the stage.
With Educating Rita mostly underway, Props has had the chance to begin work on Sons of the Prophet.
“As a matter of fact,” said Kris, “I’m just now starting to pull the small hand props so they’ll have that stuff for rehearsal starting probably Tuesday or Wednesday next week.”
They have begun work of some of the furniture. The ticket counter is almost built, and Andrew Deshazo is working on building the doctor’s exam table to be light weight. The bus station seats are coming in the mail, along with a few other materials.
“There’s a bunch of stuff that’s still in the works. We’ve just kind of hit the tip of the iceberg.”
 |
| Elevation for Portal #4 |
“We’re making the brick with some thickness, so from far away it looks real. The idea of the designer is that the brick kind of just fades into blackness,” said Kristin Krause. The finished effect is stunning
Paints isn’t working anything other than the portals this week, but next week they'll have notes for Rita onstage and begin working on a show scrim for Sons of the Prophet.
The Sound dept is working on both shows, as well. “John Gromada, the designer/composer, is composing original music for Educating Rita,” said Ben Emerson. “It’s a fairly straightforward design, in that it’s transitional music. There are also a couple of practicals that we need to work on.”
By “practicals” Emerson was referring to a radio that will be onstage and play some music, along with a record player that plays a very specific piece of music. “We have to provide special speakers around the set to support the practicals,” he said.
As for Sons of the Prophet, Emerson is currently working on the microphones.
“There are a couple of table top microphones that are used in the school board scene, and because the table has to track on and off, the mics need to be able to be struck separately. This means that we need wireless mics,” said Emerson.
The only problem is that they don’t own enough wireless mics. To solve the problem, they plan to use the small mics that are usually pinned to an actor’s hair or lapel. In this case, the mics will be tucked underneath the regular microphone and the transmitter is going to be hidden underneath the mic stand. Props dept is going to build something to help modify the mic stand to accomplish this task.
That’s all for this week. Looking forward to see what stays, what goes, and what progresses as the opening night for Educating Rita nears and rehearsal for Sons of the Prophet begins.
For more photos visit our Facebook page
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
EDUCATING RITA: First Rehearsal Day for Props and Costumes
contributed by Rebecca Bellan 2/15/11
Progress in Costumes and Props is underway for the upcoming production of Educating Rita.
The first rehearsal for the play was yesterday, and the costume shop used this opportunity to sketch out the many quick costume changes that the main character, Rita, has to make throughout the show.
“Because of the early build, we were actually able to make some quick-change mockups for Rita out of her muslins,” said Anita Canzian.
The quick changes are very quick, and they are all on stage.
“We’re talking 15 to 20 second changes, and that’s for everything: jewelry, shoes, and clothes,” said Canzian.
Costume designer Nancy Brennan has already decided on what the actors will be wearing.
Props is making moves, as well. They already met with the designer, and he pulled some furniture and other things that he likes from stock. They have most of the props that they need for the upcoming production, but are still working on finding a few things.
“For rehearsal yesterday, we basically set it up with exact dimensions and are trying to get the actors as much real furniture as possible,” said Justin Seward. “The biggest thing we’re still looking for now is the desk. It’s supposed to look like an antique, worn, like it’s been in the office for a long time, even before the professor was there.”
Props will be going antiquing this week or the next to find a desk that fits their needs.
Other than the desk and some other finishing touches, they’re good to go for rehearsal.
“I think we’re in good shape,” said Seward.
For more photos visit our Facebook Page
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
Progress in Costumes and Props is underway for the upcoming production of Educating Rita.
The first rehearsal for the play was yesterday, and the costume shop used this opportunity to sketch out the many quick costume changes that the main character, Rita, has to make throughout the show.
 |
| Raincoat under construction |
The quick changes are very quick, and they are all on stage.
“We’re talking 15 to 20 second changes, and that’s for everything: jewelry, shoes, and clothes,” said Canzian.
Costume designer Nancy Brennan has already decided on what the actors will be wearing.
Props is making moves, as well. They already met with the designer, and he pulled some furniture and other things that he likes from stock. They have most of the props that they need for the upcoming production, but are still working on finding a few things.
 |
| Antique Partners desk found by Props |
Props will be going antiquing this week or the next to find a desk that fits their needs.
Other than the desk and some other finishing touches, they’re good to go for rehearsal.
“I think we’re in good shape,” said Seward.
For more photos visit our Facebook Page
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
EDUCATING RITA and Obama's plan for US Community Colleges
contributed by Charles Haugland
Educating Rita starts previews this Friday, and in a fascinating coincidence, the subject of adult learners and continuing education is all over the news.
In the play, Rita is a hairdresser who discovers a passion for learning and English Literature, and decides to take courses from the Open University, a kind of correspondence college that revolutionized education in England in the 1970s. The play follows her challenging relationship with her course tutor Frank, a boozy and somewhat burnt-out professor. Rita stands for thousands of students in that era who took advantage of the Open University to go back to school and earn post-secondary degrees.
Just in the past month, we've seen related stories here today in America. I saw one in the Boston Metro today about how President Obama's Education advisors are forecasting a shortage of Americans with postsecondary training. They are holding a series of summits on how to meet that shortfall. At the first summit last week, Jamie Merisotis, president of Lumina Foundation for Education, spoke about how "community colleges are the on-ramp for students," particularly adult learners. Without college degrees, the Center on Education writes in a related report, 60 million students are "at risk of being locked out of the middle class."
Educating Rita is set in late 70s Britain, but you can see that this conversation about class and the importance of education continues, even here in the States. Just one way that Willy Russell's contemporary classic stays relevant. Hope to see you there.
To read more about President Obama's plan for community colleges, visit the Chronicle of Higher Education. He is also visiting Dorchester tomorrow tomorrow to tour TechBoston Academy (click here for more info).
To read more about the Open University (the program Rita enrolls in), you can take a sneak peek at our program notes.
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
Educating Rita starts previews this Friday, and in a fascinating coincidence, the subject of adult learners and continuing education is all over the news.
In the play, Rita is a hairdresser who discovers a passion for learning and English Literature, and decides to take courses from the Open University, a kind of correspondence college that revolutionized education in England in the 1970s. The play follows her challenging relationship with her course tutor Frank, a boozy and somewhat burnt-out professor. Rita stands for thousands of students in that era who took advantage of the Open University to go back to school and earn post-secondary degrees.
Just in the past month, we've seen related stories here today in America. I saw one in the Boston Metro today about how President Obama's Education advisors are forecasting a shortage of Americans with postsecondary training. They are holding a series of summits on how to meet that shortfall. At the first summit last week, Jamie Merisotis, president of Lumina Foundation for Education, spoke about how "community colleges are the on-ramp for students," particularly adult learners. Without college degrees, the Center on Education writes in a related report, 60 million students are "at risk of being locked out of the middle class."
Educating Rita is set in late 70s Britain, but you can see that this conversation about class and the importance of education continues, even here in the States. Just one way that Willy Russell's contemporary classic stays relevant. Hope to see you there.
To read more about President Obama's plan for community colleges, visit the Chronicle of Higher Education. He is also visiting Dorchester tomorrow tomorrow to tour TechBoston Academy (click here for more info).
To read more about the Open University (the program Rita enrolls in), you can take a sneak peek at our program notes.
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
March 3, 2011
Educated By Rita
More exciting insight from Educating Rita Assistant Director Nicholas Vargas:
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
The astounding thing about the theatre is how it requires a level of excellence and precision equal to, if not greater than, film and TV — but it's live! A not-so-brilliant or original realization, I know, but one that needs restating as often as possible.
As the rehearsal process progresses I find it isn't just Rita who is gaining an education. Willy Russel has created a world in which education, teaching, and learning are extremely important but outside the confines of the script there is education being had. What I enjoy most about rehearsing a show is that there is an endless amount of things to be learned. Whether it's picking up a director's short hand, discovering the best way to block a show, or understanding the world of the play, theatre seems to be hinged upon the idea that there is always more to know.
In our show we've all gained a better understanding of the complexities of what constitutes an "English Man." Maria has informed us that "he" — the English man — sometimes hides himself and his true emotions by using humor and evasive tactics. From this definition I've started to consider myself "quite English." I still haven't quite conquered the accent but I am quite content with rainy days, The Canterbury Tales, and grabbing a lager at the local pub — I'm sure I'm not the only one. I've only made it to the surface of life in 1970's England but our cast has accomplished much much more — true experts!
On a completely different note — we've got shoes! Both Jane and Andrew (Rita and Frank, respectively) have received their "show shoes." A little thing to most but the more rehearsal time they have to break them in and make them comfortable the better. Jane has prove a master at the quick change. I've never met anyone who can take off a knee-high boot and replace it with a heel in five seconds flat. She must have no trouble getting ready in the morning. All the quick changes are made even easier by a few important zippers and snaps — all the doing of our amazing costume designer Nancy Brennan and her team.
Sooner than later (the end of this week!) we'll move from the rehearsal hall to the theatre. We tech the show, begin previews, then open! A bit of a whirlwind, no? Well, that's why we do theatre, isn't it? To share something, an idea, a story, even a bit of ourselves.
Such a philosopher am I! I blame Willy Russel!
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
February 22, 2011
Educating Rita with a Hot Pot of Coffee
Educating Rita Assistant Director Nicholas Vargas has been receiving his own education in the rehearsal room, mainly involving British dialects and slang terms. He shares his thoughts and observations following the first week of rehearsal working alongside director Maria Aitken:
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
A "two hander" — a play with two people. This is what I assume Director Maria Aitken means when she uses the term in rehearsal. Either that or she'd like both actors to always be cognizant of using both hands more. Or she believes it's a difficult play to direct and she will need both hands to manage. Perhaps even something more philosophical about two hands in a bush are worth more in a tree. I think it must be the first.
In this "two hander," set in the north of England, we've all come to learn the importance of the "Hot Pot of Coffee" sound when speaking — a very useful, yet sometimes confusing vocabulary term used by the dialect coach, Stephen Gabis. He uses the phrase to correct the short "o" vowel sounds necessary for our two wonderful actors, Andrew and Jane, to master . "Hutt Putt uh Cough-ee," or something like that. Yet, despite my urge to run across the street to grab another Starbucks, the company forges forward having staged the framework to Act I of this two-act two hander. (Say that ten times fast!)
We've already started incorporating props and some mock ups of costumes, which is necessary in a play where the longest break between scenes is thirty seconds. The company is keen on using every desk drawer, coat rack, filing cabinet, and pocket to hide and discard unwanted props and costume pieces. I almost wonder if this isn't a play in search of Waldo. Not Ralph Waldo — but I'm sure he's hidden in the stacks of books somewhere. I guess you'll have to come and see if you can find him for yourself!
So, what's next in the process? More blocking? Of course. Some self discovery? Maybe. Discovering the correlation between whiskey and Chekov? Definitely.
Willy Russell's Educating Rita, directed by Maria Aitken, plays March 11 — April 10, 2011 at the Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston. For more information or to buy tickets, visit our website or call the Box Office at 617 266-0800.
May 8, 2010
Huntington's 2010-2011 Season Announced
Contributed by Temple Gill
Our 29th Season will include two world premieres directed by Artistic Director Peter DuBois, an American classic, two Shakespeare plays in repertory, a three-play festival from a breakout writer, and the 2009 winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
The season will include William Inge’s classic romantic comedy Bus Stop; the previously announced Circle Mirror Transformation as part of the Shirley, Vermont Plays festival; the world premiere of Bob Glaudini’s latest play, Vengeance is the Lord’s; the previously announced Ruined; a revival of Willy Russell’s warm comedy Educating Rita; the world premiere of Stephen Karam’s Sons of the Prophet; and a special engagement of William Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors and Richard III performed in repertory by Edward Hall’s UK-based Propeller Theatre Company and presented in association with Boston University’s School of Theatre.
“Smart. Fun. Those two words kept coming up as we approached programming this season at the Huntington,” says Huntington artistic director Peter DuBois. “We have created a season of plays that promise to engage audiences deeply throughout the year – comedies with sharp perspectives, dramas with searing centers, and stories about families and relationships that stir, inspire, and leave us feeling more alive. Each play in next season’s mix builds emotionally, intellectually, and stylistically on the shows that surround it. "
THE 2010-2011 SEASON LINEUP
In William Inge’s classic American romantic comedy Bus Stop, a snowstorm strands a bus outside of Kansas City, and its passengers – including a stubborn, lovestruck cowboy and the nightclub singer he hopes to marry – seek shelter and warmth at a roadside diner. The motley crew spends one night together, filled with bluster, heartache, and laughter, while searching for love. The Wall Street Journal calls Inge an “indisputably major artist, one of this country's half-dozen greatest playwrights.” “William Inge had a timeless sense of humor,” says DuBois, “and this play, perhaps his greatest, has a very modern feeling of openness and honesty. Inge was celebrated in his time, but I believe his plays are just hitting their finest moment. I know that Nicholas Martin will bring his terrific sense of comedy and warmth – so appreciated by Boston audiences – to bear in our production.” Bus Stop, directed by former Huntington Artistic director, Nicholas Martin, will play at the Huntington’s main stage, the Boston University Theatre, September 17 – October 24, 2010, replacing the previously announced You Can’t Take It With You.
In Circle Mirror Transformation, Annie Baker’s 2009 Off Broadway hit, the four students in Marty’s creative drama class experiment with theatre games as hearts are quietly torn apart and tiny wars of epic proportions are waged and won. Set in the Shirley, Vermont community center, this gentle and beautifully crafted new comedy mixes antic sadness and hilarious detail, and became a runaway hit Off Broadway. The New York Times called the play, “absorbing, unblinking, and sharply funny.” Circle Mirror Transformation is the Huntington’s offering in The Shirley, Vermont Plays festival of plays by the breakout writer Annie Baker, which also includes Body Awareness from SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Aliens from Company One. The plays will have staggered openings beginning October 15 but run concurrently, providing audience members the opportunity see all three between October 30 and November 14. Special same-day “marathon” scheduling is being designed so that one will be able to attend the entire festival in one day. Subscribers to each of the three participating companies will receive discount offers on the other two festival productions.
“I fell in love with the characters in these plays and with the idea of creating a fictional New England town at the Calderwood Pavilion and the BCA campus,” says DuBois. “Each of Annie’s plays stand on their own with their imagination and subtle humor, and seen together they form a striking portrait of Shirley, Vermont. The same is true for this festival; each company has their own identity and audience, but together we hope to bring out the richness of a writer’s vision in the creation of this fully imagined community. Annie’s writing makes you happy to be in the theatre.” Circle Mirror Transformation, directed by Melia Bensussen at the Wimberly Theatre, the Huntington’s second stage in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, October 15 – November 14, 2010
Vengeance is the Lord’s is a world premiere from smart, edgy, and insightful playwright Bob Glaudini, a John Gassner Playwriting Award recipient. The Horvath family forgives their trespassers - all but one. A mother's call for mercy clashes with a father's need for retribution when their daughter's murderer comes up for parole. Sharp jokes and tough love drive this searing and funny new drama, which unfolds at dinners from Thanksgiving to Easter. A modern American family asks a classic moral question: what can we do when “justice” is not enough? DuBois reunites with Glaudini to direct, having previously collaborated on Jack Goes Boating with Philip Seymour Hoffman for LAByrinth Theater Company and A View from 151st Street, also with LAByrinth. “I love directing Bob’s work. He writes with a muscular, spare lyricism and creates deep, meaty roles for actors," says DuBois. “This play is propelled by magnetic characters, and takes place at the holidays when the quirkiest dynamics of everyone's family come out at full tilt. Bob imbues this darkly comic domestic drama with a soul-stirring poignancy.” Vengeance is the Lord’s, directed by Huntington Artistic Director Peter DuBois, at the B.U. Theatre November 12 – December 12, 2010
As previously announced, the Huntington, in cooperation with La Jolla Playhouse and Berkeley Repertory Theatre, will produce Lynn Nottage’s 2009 Pulitzer Prize Winner Ruined, directed by Liesl Tommy (Ruined, Eclipsed). Savvy business woman Mama Nadi knows how to survive in the midst of the Congo civil war: don’t take sides. She sells beers and girls to any man who'll leave his gun at the door. The good-time atmosphere of the canteen and her sharp wits can’t always protect her and her girls from the atrocities afflicted on them, but their courage, humor, and hope live on in this gripping drama. The Chicago Tribune wrote, “Sincere, passionate, and courageous, Ruined is a remarkable theatrical accomplishment.” “The first time I saw Ruined, I was simply unable to hold back tears,” says DuBois. “ Lynn Nottage has created an astonishing, enduring piece of writing that should be seen by everyone. The play is unflinching, emotionally cathartic, and absolutely revelatory.” Ruined, directed by Liesl Tommy, at the B.U. Theatre January 7 – February 6, 2011.
Educating Rita, by Willy Russell (Shirley Valentine, Blood Brothers), is the 1980 Olivier Award winner for Best Comedy and enjoyed a highly acclaimed London revival this spring. Rita, a young, brash hairdresser, wants more out of life. With a newly discovered passion for English literature, she enrolls in the local university despite the disapproval of her husband. Rita’s tutor, Frank, is a middle-aged poet and professor, and her fresh, unschooled reactions to the classics cause him to question his own understanding of his work and himself in this warm and witty tale of self-discovery. "Re-discovering Educating Rita was a delight as I was planning the season,” says DuBois. “I found the play as intelligent, surprising, and funny as ever. The play's warmth and sense of self-discovery radiates. In a city celebrated for its centers of learning, I expect the play to pop with particular meaning." Educating Rita, a revival of Willy Russell’s warm and witty tale of self-discovery, March 11 – April 10, 2011 at the B.U. Theatre.
Sons of the Prophet, a world premiere by acclaimed young writer Stephen Karam (Speech and Debate, Columbinus), will be the second play directed by DuBois next season. Charles and Joseph are having one hell of a year. When a prank-gone-wrong in the small town of Nazareth, PA leads to the death of their father, the two brothers struggle with their health, livelihoods, and sanity as a series of unfortunate events spiral into operatic miseries. In an age where most people look to faith, finances, or even modern medicine to solve any unpleasantries in life, Sons of the Prophet takes a brutally funny look at unresolved chronic pain and the many ways we cope with the overwhelming. “Stephen Karam comes through as a writer whose voice is clear, and laugh-out-loud funny," says the NY Daily News. DuBois says, “The depth of feeling in Stephen Karam’s writing is ravishing. His play is fresh, bracing, and alive. He takes the mess of our lives and turns it into phenomenal comedy.” Sons of the Prophet, directed by Peter DuBois, March 25 – April 24, 2011 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. Sons of the Prophet was commissioned and is produced by special arrangement with Roundabout Theatre Company.
The renowned British Propeller Theatre Company will perform Shakespeare’s history Richard III in repertory with Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors in a special residency to end the season. Richard III centers on one of the great characters of world literature, the Machiavellian Richard, Duke of York and his jealousy-driven ambition to unseat his brother and become the King of England. One of Shakespeare’s funniest and most youthfuil plays, Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins separated at birth who are surprisingly reunited, but not before a series of slapstick mishaps of mistaken identity and more occur. The much beloved story has been adapted for centuries into opera, film, and musical theatre.
The all-male Shakespeare has drawn international acclaim for its rigorous approach to the text with a modern physical aesthetic. The New York Times declares, “The daring, the dazzle, and the pure craft of this company is absolutely exhilarating.” Propeller Artistic Director Edward Hall (Two Men of Florence, Rose Rage) says, “I want to rediscover Shakespeare simply by doing the plays as I believe they should be done: with great clarity, speed and full of as much imagination in the staging as possible.” “Edward Hall’s production of Two Men of Florence was such a monumental experience for all of us my first season, and I’m delighted now to bring his dynamic company to Boston," says DuBois. "Propeller’s actors are incomparably talented; they hit the darkest notes of the drama and the antic shenanigans of the comedy. These productions are not to be missed.” Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors and Richard III performed in repertory May 18 – June 19, 2011 at the B.U. Theatre, presented in association with Boston University’s School of Theatre.
Subscriptions now on sale - visit www.huntingtontheatre.org for more information.
Comment on this post
Our 29th Season will include two world premieres directed by Artistic Director Peter DuBois, an American classic, two Shakespeare plays in repertory, a three-play festival from a breakout writer, and the 2009 winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
The season will include William Inge’s classic romantic comedy Bus Stop; the previously announced Circle Mirror Transformation as part of the Shirley, Vermont Plays festival; the world premiere of Bob Glaudini’s latest play, Vengeance is the Lord’s; the previously announced Ruined; a revival of Willy Russell’s warm comedy Educating Rita; the world premiere of Stephen Karam’s Sons of the Prophet; and a special engagement of William Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors and Richard III performed in repertory by Edward Hall’s UK-based Propeller Theatre Company and presented in association with Boston University’s School of Theatre.
“Smart. Fun. Those two words kept coming up as we approached programming this season at the Huntington,” says Huntington artistic director Peter DuBois. “We have created a season of plays that promise to engage audiences deeply throughout the year – comedies with sharp perspectives, dramas with searing centers, and stories about families and relationships that stir, inspire, and leave us feeling more alive. Each play in next season’s mix builds emotionally, intellectually, and stylistically on the shows that surround it. "
THE 2010-2011 SEASON LINEUP
In William Inge’s classic American romantic comedy Bus Stop, a snowstorm strands a bus outside of Kansas City, and its passengers – including a stubborn, lovestruck cowboy and the nightclub singer he hopes to marry – seek shelter and warmth at a roadside diner. The motley crew spends one night together, filled with bluster, heartache, and laughter, while searching for love. The Wall Street Journal calls Inge an “indisputably major artist, one of this country's half-dozen greatest playwrights.” “William Inge had a timeless sense of humor,” says DuBois, “and this play, perhaps his greatest, has a very modern feeling of openness and honesty. Inge was celebrated in his time, but I believe his plays are just hitting their finest moment. I know that Nicholas Martin will bring his terrific sense of comedy and warmth – so appreciated by Boston audiences – to bear in our production.” Bus Stop, directed by former Huntington Artistic director, Nicholas Martin, will play at the Huntington’s main stage, the Boston University Theatre, September 17 – October 24, 2010, replacing the previously announced You Can’t Take It With You.
In Circle Mirror Transformation, Annie Baker’s 2009 Off Broadway hit, the four students in Marty’s creative drama class experiment with theatre games as hearts are quietly torn apart and tiny wars of epic proportions are waged and won. Set in the Shirley, Vermont community center, this gentle and beautifully crafted new comedy mixes antic sadness and hilarious detail, and became a runaway hit Off Broadway. The New York Times called the play, “absorbing, unblinking, and sharply funny.” Circle Mirror Transformation is the Huntington’s offering in The Shirley, Vermont Plays festival of plays by the breakout writer Annie Baker, which also includes Body Awareness from SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Aliens from Company One. The plays will have staggered openings beginning October 15 but run concurrently, providing audience members the opportunity see all three between October 30 and November 14. Special same-day “marathon” scheduling is being designed so that one will be able to attend the entire festival in one day. Subscribers to each of the three participating companies will receive discount offers on the other two festival productions.
“I fell in love with the characters in these plays and with the idea of creating a fictional New England town at the Calderwood Pavilion and the BCA campus,” says DuBois. “Each of Annie’s plays stand on their own with their imagination and subtle humor, and seen together they form a striking portrait of Shirley, Vermont. The same is true for this festival; each company has their own identity and audience, but together we hope to bring out the richness of a writer’s vision in the creation of this fully imagined community. Annie’s writing makes you happy to be in the theatre.” Circle Mirror Transformation, directed by Melia Bensussen at the Wimberly Theatre, the Huntington’s second stage in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, October 15 – November 14, 2010
Vengeance is the Lord’s is a world premiere from smart, edgy, and insightful playwright Bob Glaudini, a John Gassner Playwriting Award recipient. The Horvath family forgives their trespassers - all but one. A mother's call for mercy clashes with a father's need for retribution when their daughter's murderer comes up for parole. Sharp jokes and tough love drive this searing and funny new drama, which unfolds at dinners from Thanksgiving to Easter. A modern American family asks a classic moral question: what can we do when “justice” is not enough? DuBois reunites with Glaudini to direct, having previously collaborated on Jack Goes Boating with Philip Seymour Hoffman for LAByrinth Theater Company and A View from 151st Street, also with LAByrinth. “I love directing Bob’s work. He writes with a muscular, spare lyricism and creates deep, meaty roles for actors," says DuBois. “This play is propelled by magnetic characters, and takes place at the holidays when the quirkiest dynamics of everyone's family come out at full tilt. Bob imbues this darkly comic domestic drama with a soul-stirring poignancy.” Vengeance is the Lord’s, directed by Huntington Artistic Director Peter DuBois, at the B.U. Theatre November 12 – December 12, 2010
As previously announced, the Huntington, in cooperation with La Jolla Playhouse and Berkeley Repertory Theatre, will produce Lynn Nottage’s 2009 Pulitzer Prize Winner Ruined, directed by Liesl Tommy (Ruined, Eclipsed). Savvy business woman Mama Nadi knows how to survive in the midst of the Congo civil war: don’t take sides. She sells beers and girls to any man who'll leave his gun at the door. The good-time atmosphere of the canteen and her sharp wits can’t always protect her and her girls from the atrocities afflicted on them, but their courage, humor, and hope live on in this gripping drama. The Chicago Tribune wrote, “Sincere, passionate, and courageous, Ruined is a remarkable theatrical accomplishment.” “The first time I saw Ruined, I was simply unable to hold back tears,” says DuBois. “ Lynn Nottage has created an astonishing, enduring piece of writing that should be seen by everyone. The play is unflinching, emotionally cathartic, and absolutely revelatory.” Ruined, directed by Liesl Tommy, at the B.U. Theatre January 7 – February 6, 2011.
Educating Rita, by Willy Russell (Shirley Valentine, Blood Brothers), is the 1980 Olivier Award winner for Best Comedy and enjoyed a highly acclaimed London revival this spring. Rita, a young, brash hairdresser, wants more out of life. With a newly discovered passion for English literature, she enrolls in the local university despite the disapproval of her husband. Rita’s tutor, Frank, is a middle-aged poet and professor, and her fresh, unschooled reactions to the classics cause him to question his own understanding of his work and himself in this warm and witty tale of self-discovery. "Re-discovering Educating Rita was a delight as I was planning the season,” says DuBois. “I found the play as intelligent, surprising, and funny as ever. The play's warmth and sense of self-discovery radiates. In a city celebrated for its centers of learning, I expect the play to pop with particular meaning." Educating Rita, a revival of Willy Russell’s warm and witty tale of self-discovery, March 11 – April 10, 2011 at the B.U. Theatre.
Sons of the Prophet, a world premiere by acclaimed young writer Stephen Karam (Speech and Debate, Columbinus), will be the second play directed by DuBois next season. Charles and Joseph are having one hell of a year. When a prank-gone-wrong in the small town of Nazareth, PA leads to the death of their father, the two brothers struggle with their health, livelihoods, and sanity as a series of unfortunate events spiral into operatic miseries. In an age where most people look to faith, finances, or even modern medicine to solve any unpleasantries in life, Sons of the Prophet takes a brutally funny look at unresolved chronic pain and the many ways we cope with the overwhelming. “Stephen Karam comes through as a writer whose voice is clear, and laugh-out-loud funny," says the NY Daily News. DuBois says, “The depth of feeling in Stephen Karam’s writing is ravishing. His play is fresh, bracing, and alive. He takes the mess of our lives and turns it into phenomenal comedy.” Sons of the Prophet, directed by Peter DuBois, March 25 – April 24, 2011 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. Sons of the Prophet was commissioned and is produced by special arrangement with Roundabout Theatre Company.
The renowned British Propeller Theatre Company will perform Shakespeare’s history Richard III in repertory with Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors in a special residency to end the season. Richard III centers on one of the great characters of world literature, the Machiavellian Richard, Duke of York and his jealousy-driven ambition to unseat his brother and become the King of England. One of Shakespeare’s funniest and most youthfuil plays, Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins separated at birth who are surprisingly reunited, but not before a series of slapstick mishaps of mistaken identity and more occur. The much beloved story has been adapted for centuries into opera, film, and musical theatre.
The all-male Shakespeare has drawn international acclaim for its rigorous approach to the text with a modern physical aesthetic. The New York Times declares, “The daring, the dazzle, and the pure craft of this company is absolutely exhilarating.” Propeller Artistic Director Edward Hall (Two Men of Florence, Rose Rage) says, “I want to rediscover Shakespeare simply by doing the plays as I believe they should be done: with great clarity, speed and full of as much imagination in the staging as possible.” “Edward Hall’s production of Two Men of Florence was such a monumental experience for all of us my first season, and I’m delighted now to bring his dynamic company to Boston," says DuBois. "Propeller’s actors are incomparably talented; they hit the darkest notes of the drama and the antic shenanigans of the comedy. These productions are not to be missed.” Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors and Richard III performed in repertory May 18 – June 19, 2011 at the B.U. Theatre, presented in association with Boston University’s School of Theatre.
Subscriptions now on sale - visit www.huntingtontheatre.org for more information.
Comment on this post
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)