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THEATRE NEWS FOR SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA and OSF NEWS

Posted by:	Richard Connema 05:51 pm EDT 03/16/14

OSF'S 2015 SEASON SET Global classics and world premieres take stages in Ashland — Artistic Director Bill Rauch announced the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2015 playbill today. The 2015 season is sponsored by U.S. Bank. “2015 is the 80th anniversary year of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival,” Rauch noted. “In honor of this milestone, we have a season that is bursting with adventure from all over the world: Shakespeare journeys that take us to Egypt, Italy and mythical lands, a searing American masterpiece, the quintessential French revenge tale, a fascinating contemporary classic from China, a new mystery set in Dickensian England, an innovative take on a Golden Age musical indoors and an outrageously fun world premiere musical comedy outdoors, plus a new American Revolutions play from master playwright Lynn Nottage. The energy of this particular combination of plays makes my head spin and heart beat faster than I thought possible, even here on our campus where mind-blowing theatrical juxtapositions are the coin of the realm.” In this anniversary year and as an expression of OSF’s ongoing commitment to its namesake playwright, Rauch is also announcing a plan to produce all 37 plays in Shakespeare’s canon over a ten-year period, from 2015 to 2024. To launch this initiative, the 2015 season includes Shakespeare in all three of the Festival’s dynamically different theater spaces. “Although OSF has completed the canon three times since our founding in 1935,” observes Rauch, “it has taken 19 years or more each time. I am thrilled to allow ongoing and new generations of OSF audience members the opportunity to see Shakespeare’s entire body of work—in robust American interpretations by some of our nation’s most exciting artists, including the largest and most gifted acting company in the country—within the relatively short span of a decade.” In the Angus Bowmer Theatre The season opens with William Shakespeare’s sharply witty comedy that features Beatrice and Benedick inMUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Like many of Shakespeare’s comedies, the play is filled with dark overtones of false accusations, rejections, insults and villainies, but in the end justice and love prevail. This production, the 13th in OSF's history, is the first to be performed in an indoor venue. Director TBA. Running all season alongside MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING will be the classic American musical GUYS AND DOLLS, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. A tale of gamblers, gangsters, and the Save-a-Soul Mission, this Pulitzer Prize–winner had its premiere on Broadway in 1950 and was adapted for film in 1955. Mary Zimmerman, who wrote and directed audience favorite THE WHITE SNAKE (2012), will once again bring her innovative and creative directorial eye to this production. Also opening at the top of the season and playing through early July is a new adaptation by Alexa Junge of the 2002 Victorian-inspired crime fiction novel by Sarah Waters, FINGERSMITH. Bill Rauch will direct the world premiere of this thriller and love story—what the New York Times Book Review called “Oliver Twist with a twist…an absorbing tale that withholds as much as it discloses.” Waters, in a recent email wrote, "I am incredibly excited by the prospect of seeing FINGERSMITH brought to life on the stage and thrilled that it will be happening at such an inspirational venue as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival." In April a world classic, SECRET LOVE IN PEACH BLOSSOM LAND, comes to the stage. Written and directed by prominent international artist Stan Lai, this mix of tragedy and comedy has become one of the most popular plays in modern China since its debut in 1986. OSF is thrilled to welcome Lai in his United States professional premiere, as director of this production in the Angus Bowmer Theatre. The play tells the tale of two drama troupes who happen to reserve the same rehearsal space at the same time. One group is rehearsing a 20th-century romantic tragedy, SECRET LOVE, while the other company is rehearsing a period comedy, THE PEACH BLOSSOM LAND. The juxtaposition of the two worlds creates innumerable opportunities for comedic and enchanting theatre. The final show to open in the Bowmer is SWEAT, a world premiere by Lynn Nottage (director TBA). A co-commission with Arena Stage through American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle, this play is set at the end of the last millennium. A group of close friends share everything: drinks, secrets, love and laughter. But their world is upended by a shake-up at the steel plant where they work and an unspeakable act that has repercussions over two generations. "I am truly excited to return to OSF with the world premiere of my new play, SWEAT,” Nottage said recently. “With the outstanding support of OSF, I have spent the last two years visiting Reading, Pennsylvania, examining how the de-industrial revolution of the late 20th and early 21st century is reshaping the American narrative. The play is inspired by interviews that I conducted and my observations of a once thriving city that is now grappling with how to reclaim its lost identity." OSF has produced three plays by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author: RUINED (2010), INTIMATE APPAREL (2006) and CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY (2000). In the Thomas Theatre Running all season long, OSF will stage William Shakespeare’s luminous romance PERICLES. Last produced at OSF in 1999, the play embraces joy and sorrow, loss and reunion and the timely intervention of heavenly grace. This production will be directed by Joseph Haj, director of OSF’s celebrated 2012 staging of HENRY V. The second play to open in the intimacy of the Thomas is Eugene O’Neill’s classic tale of the Tyrone family, LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT. O’Neill’s masterpiece, while autobiographical, is also a work of mythic proportion. As the playwright faced his own ghosts through the exploration of the private demons and family conflicts of these characters, he lifted them to an amazing level of art and theatricality. OSF veteran Christopher Liam Moore will direct this award-winning play. OSF last staged LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT in 1975 in the Angus Bowmer Theatre. A more recent O’Neill, A TOUCH OF THE POET, was produced at OSF in 1998. The final play to open in the Thomas Theatre will be announced later this spring. Artistic Director Bill Rauch is considering several options for the perfect complement to the rest of OSF’s 80th anniversary year. Allen Elizabethan Theatre ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, Shakespeare’s sweeping saga of tragedy and romance, will be directed by Bill Rauch and staged under the stars in the Allen Elizabethan Theatre. Last produced at OSF in 2003 in the intimate Thomas Theatre, this epic saga will fill the Allen Elizabethan with spectacle, pageantry and famous characters: the seasoned warrior Antony—the “triple pillar of the world”—–and the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, the “Eastern Star.” Also opening outside is a world premiere musical HEAD OVER HEELS, with book by Jeff Whitty and music and lyrics from the catalog of the Go-Go’s. Inspired by Philip Sidney’s ARCADIA, this rollicking, comedic adventure tale, set in the Elizabethan period, will be directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar. OSF audiences appreciated Mr. Whitty’s quirky and quick sense of humor in THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF HEDDA GABLER, directed by Rauch in his inaugural season as artistic director. Iskandar, the second youngest person ever nominated for a Drama Desk award in direction for his work on Amy Freed’s RESTORATION COMEDY, has been called “THE emerging directorial talent of American theatre” (SFGate.com). Put all these talents together with a terrific cast on the Allen Elizabethan outdoor stage, and this surely promises to be an unforgettable evening. In commenting on the project, the Go-Go’s recently said: “We’ve been huge fans of Jeff Whitty’s work since AVENUE Q. We fell in love with Jeff’s hilarious script from the first time we read it—it’s so unexpected and perfect for the joyful spirit of our band! We are thrilled and honored that our music will be a part of this Oregon Shakespeare Festival world premiere.” The final show to open in the Allen Elizabethan Theatre will be THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, adapted from the book by Alexandre Dumas. This classic adventure tale is about a man wrongfully imprisoned, who after escaping and acquiring a fortune, sets about to exact his revenge. OSF will be staging the 19th-century script used by Eugene O’Neill’s father, the actor James O’Neill, in what was once one of the most widely-performed plays at the end of the 19th century in America. OSF performed an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s THE THREE MUSKETEERS in 1999. Director TBA. The 2015 season will begin previews on February 20 and open the weekend of February 27. The opening performances on the Elizabethan Stage will be the weekend of June 12–14. The season will run through November 1. Ticket sales will being in November 2014 for members and open to general sales in early December. 2015 SEASON AT A GLANCE (preview to closing dates) ANGUS BOWMER THEATRE MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING by William Shakespeare February 20 – November 1 Director TBA GUYS AND DOLLS Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser; February 22 – November 1book by Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows Directed by Mary Zimmerman FINGERSMITH Adapted by Alexa Junge from the book by Sarah Waters February 21 – July 12 Directed by Bill Rauch World Premiere SECRET LOVE IN PEACH BLOSSOM LAND by Stan Lai April 15 – October 31 Directed by Stan Lai U.S. Premiere SWEAT by Lynn Nottage July 29 – October 31Director TBA World Premiere THOMAS THEATRE PERICLES by William Shakespeare February 26 – November 1 Directed by Joseph Haj LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT by Eugene O’Neill March 25– October 31 Directed by Christopher Liam Moore TBA, to be announced in late Spring 2014 July 7 – November 1 ALLEN ELIZABETHAN THEATRE ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA by William Shakespeare June 2 – October 9 Directed by Bill Rauch HEAD OVER HEELS Book by Jeff Whitty June 3 – October 10 Music and lyrics from the catalog by the Go-Go’s Directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar World Premiere THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO Adapted from the book by Alexandre Dumas June 4 – October 11 Director TBA ############################# Spring brings Brian Copeland & Amanacer Flamenco to Cinnabar – Cinnabar Theater, the beloved professional theater in Sonoma County, is proud to announce the addition of two special shows to its schedule for April. Brian Copeland performs his latest hit on April 2, and Amanacer Flamenco shares an electrifying mix of dance and song on April 6. Here are the details on these powerful productions: The Scion starring Brian Copeland Renowned solo performer Brian Copeland is back! The KGO radio star broke the record for the longest-running solo show in San Francisco history with Not a Genuine Black Man. Now he brings The Scion to Cinnabar on a wave of rave reviews. With this new show, Copeland employs his razor-sharp wit to explore an infamous homicide at the Santa Linguisa Factory in San Leandro. In a brazen crime, the owner gunned down three government officials when they came to inspect his business. Copeland skillfully tiptoes the line between comedy and tragedy with this gripping tale of murder, privilege, and sausage. The Scion plays for one night only: Wednesday, April 2 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Amanacer Flamenco Four multicultural artists sing, dance, strum, and stomp across Cinnabar’s stage on Sunday, April 6 at 7:30 PM. Don’t miss this passionate show of authentic flamenco featuring Jose Cortes, Ricardo Diaz, Sara Maria, and Aldo Ruiz. It’s an exciting evening that features fantastic music, fiery singing, and breathtaking dance. All tickets are $25. Every year, Cinnabar Theater produces a thrilling mix of plays, musicals, operas, and concerts in a remarkable range of genres. Cinnabar’s Young Rep offers extensive activities for local youth, and the Cinnabar Singers welcome anyone who wants to be part of a chorus. All these events take place in the iconic red schoolhouse perched atop a grassy hill on the outskirts of Petaluma. Cinnabar Theater is located at 3333 Petaluma Boulevard North, just off Highway 101 and only minutes from historic downtown Petaluma. There’s ample parking up on the hill… and a friendly herd of goats grazing in the neighboring field. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 707-763-8920 or visit cinnabartheater.org. ############################## THEATREWORKS PRESENTS HILARIOUS SPOOF “THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES” By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Adapted by Steven Canny and John Nicholson Directed by Robert Kelley ) – TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, presents THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, the laugh-a-second send-up of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s brilliant Sherlock Holmes mystery, adapted by Steven Canny and John Nicholson. Three brilliant actors play dozens of roles as the deerstalkered detective of Baker Street faces off against the colossal canine of the moors. TheatreWorks Artistic Director Robert Kelley will direct this riotous comedy, which plays April 2-27, 2014 (press opening April 5) at TheatreWorks at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets and information the public may visit www.theatreworks.org or call (650) 463-1960. In the wacky style of recent stage hit The 39 Steps, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES dishes up an ancient family curse, a spectral hound, a deranged killer, and a pair of well-known sleuths in a comic masterpiece alive with mystery, suspense, and uproarious fun. Originally staged in 2007 by British comedy stage troupe Peepolykus, the show was recorded as part of the BBC Radio 4 More Than Words Festival in 2012. A trio of talented TheatreWorks veterans reunites to portray all the roles in this zany comedy, with Ron Campbell as “Holmes,” Michael Gene Sullivan as “Watson,” and Darren Bridgett as “Baskerville.” With more than 150 productions to his credit, award-winning actor Ron Campbell (Holmes) has been seen in TheatreWorks’ Twelfth Night, as well as in productions at Habima (Israel), Mark Taper Forum (Los Angeles), American Conservatory Theater, Teatro Zinzanni, Aurora Theatre Company, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre (Seattle), Metro Stage (Washington D.C.), The Old Globe, and Old Red Lion Theatre in London, among others. Campbell's one man shows include The Thousandth Night, R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe, A Tale of Two Cities, The Bone Man of Benares, Shylock, and Beckett’s Eh Joe. Film credits include Farewell to Flanders Field, The Witches of Eastwick, Kaboom, Spy Hard, and more. Michael Gene Sullivan (Watson) has been featured at TheatreWorks in Twelfth Night, 33 Variations, Twentieth Century, Violet, Once on This Island, and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and in roles at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and Magic Theatre. He is a longtime member of the San Francisco Mime Troupe. Darren Bridgett (Baskerville), seen at TheatreWorks in Twelfth Night, Once in a Lifetime, Psychopathia Sexualis, The Learned Ladies of Park Avenue, Book of Days, and Nickel and Dimed, has also appeared in productions at Marin Theatre Company, Magic Theatre, Aurora Theatre Company, Center Repertory Theatre, and Laguna Playhouse, among others. Film credits include Fruitvale Station, Black August, Finding the One, and more, and television credits include All My Children and Nash Brides. ############################## PlayGround Announces Topic for 2014 Young Playwrights Contest Submission Deadline: April 7th – The play’s the thing! PlayGround, in association with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival (Rebecca J. Ennals, Artistic Director), announces the topic for the 6th Annual Young Playwrights Contest: ‘All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts…’ (from Shakespeare’s As You Like It). This same topic was given to PlayGround’s writers pool for the March 17 Monday Night PlayGround. We invite aspiring high school writers and theatre artists, currently enrolled in grades 9-12, to submit their own ten-minute plays inspired by this topic. The topic is intended as a jumping-off point and all forms of theatrical expression are encouraged. Submissions will be accepted until April 7th, 2014. Four plays will be selected as finalists and receive professionally staged readings concurrent with the 18th Best of PlayGround Festival in May. For complete guidelines, visit http://playground-sf.org/youngplaywrights. “Through the Young Playwrights Project, PlayGround and Bay Area high schools partner to enable young writers to find their own expressive voice through the creation, development, and production of short plays,” stated PlayGround Artistic Director Jim Kleinmann. This year marks the sixth year of the Bay Area-wide Young Playwrights Contest. “This is a tremendous opportunity for creatively-inclined high school students to experiment with writing for theatre in the ten minute theatre form. The finalists gain immeasurable confidence and accomplishment from seeing their works staged by Bay Area theatre professionals, alongside the adult professional playwrights at Best of PlayGround,” added PlayGround Education Coordinator Dylan Russell. High school students from the Bay Area nine counties are invited to submit original short scripts inspired by the assigned topic by the deadline of Monday, April 7, 2014 deadline. The same topic was also assigned to PlayGround’s professional writers pool members for the March 17th round of Monday Night PlayGround in residence at Berkeley Rep. Past Young Playwrights Project finalists include: Jake Rosenberg (Jewish Community High School of the Bay ’14), Alona Bach (Berkeley High ’11), and Hannah Sears (Urban School ’12). SUBJECT: Young Playwrights Project Contest SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Monday, April 7th, 2pm TOPIC: “All the world’s a stage…” (see guidelines for full quote) SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Posted at http://playground-sf.org/youngplaywrights # ######################################## Lucky Penny announces ambitious plans for sixth seasonFull slate of productions plus new Youth Academy and Development of Community Arts Center) At their season announcement party March 9, Lucky Penny Productions unveiled a complete lineup of plays and musicals for 2014-15, and also gave a first look at plans for a new multi-purpose community arts center and a new Youth Academy program. The Youth Academy is designed to be a Project/Performance Based Learning opportunity that will provide hands-on experience in all aspects of theatre creation, from script analysis to design and performance. It is planned to begin in the spring of 2015. The lineup of plays, musicals and special music events for 2014-15 is: "Lucky Penny Presents" Prior to the start of the 2014-15 season, this once-a-month music series will kick off at City Winery at the Historic Napa Valley Opera House. The first show on May 18 will be the "I'm the Greatest FUTURE Star Musical Theatre Showcase for Kids," followed by “The Rogers and Hammerstein Songbook” June 22 and “The All American Summer Songbook” July 20. "Taylor Bartolucci: Never Satisfied" Our season kickoff special event will be Taylor Bartolucci’s first ever solo cabaret show. Two nights only - Aug 1-2 at Silo's, Napa "Funny Girl" Our smash hit production from 2013 returns to open the season at 6th Street Playhouse, Aug 23-Sept 15, 2014 "The Drunken City" A contemporary comedy of relationships and commitment in a world that tilts. Written by Adam Bock. Presented in a staged reading format, Oct 2014 "Oliver!" Lionel Bart's beloved musical based on Dickens' Oliver Twist. Fun for the whole family! Nov 6-23, 2014 "8 x 10: A Festival of 10 Minute Plays Our popular event featuring new short plays returns for its third year, Jan 15 - Feb 1, 2015 "Bonnie & Clyde" A high-energy modern musical version of the story of American's most infamous outlaws. Co-produced with 6th Street Playhouse. March-May 2015 "Cowgirls: The Musical" The hilarious story of six women caught in a mash-up of Country music and Classical music. Spring-Summer 2015 "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" created and performed by local youth. July-Aug 2015 General auditions for the 2014-15 season will be held Sunday June 8th from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM and Monday June 9th from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Silo’s, 530 Main Street in Napa. Performers interested in auditioning are invited to view the “Audition” page at www.luckypennynapa.com. Email info@luckypennynapa.com to schedule an audition appointment. ######################################### TWO PLAYS AFFILIATED WITH MTC AMONG SIX FINALISTS FOR NATION’S LARGEST NEW PLAY AWARD–Marin Theatre Company’s artistic director Jasson Minadakis is proud to announce that Lauren Gunderson’s I and You, which premiered at Marin Theatre Company in October with support from the National New Play Network’s Continued Life of New Plays Fund, and Martín Zimmerman's Seven Spots on the Sun, which won MTC’s 2012 Sky Cooper New American Play Prize and received a public staged reading at MTC in June 2013, have been selected as finalists for the 2014 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award. The 2014 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award recognizes playwrights for the best scripts that premiered professionally outside New York City during 2013. Funded at $40,000 by the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, this is the largest national new play award of its kind. The top award of $25,000, two citations of $7,500 each and commemorative plaques will be presented April 5 at Actors Theatre of Louisville, during the Humana Festival of New American Plays. The other four 2014 award finalists include: Fear Up Harsh by Christopher Demos-Brown; Smokefall by Noah Haidle; H20 by Jane Martin and Stupid F*king Bird by Aaron Posner. The finalists were chosen from a pool of 28 eligible scripts. ## ################################################ BERKELEY REP TO HOST OVATION GALA AT THE FOUR SEASONS Theatrical extravaganza benefits Theatre’s artistic and educational programming – On April 19 Berkeley Repertory Theatre invites guests to OVATION, a gala featuring an epicurean extravaganza where theatre lovers, gourmands, and philanthropists gather to party the night away for a cause. The glamorous evening will feature a five-star gourmet dinner, exclusive live-auction packages, and surprise entertainment — all in support of the Theatre’s artistic and educational programming. Always a memorable evening, OVATION is not to be missed! “The gala is a rare opportunity to have in one room all the people who love and support Berkeley Rep,” says Michael Leibert Artistic Director Tony Taccone. “Through the enthusiastic support of the community’s leaders and its devoted playgoers, Berkeley Rep is able to uphold the artistic excellence for which we’ve become known. We welcome all who believe in the importance of the arts and the impact of arts education on our future. OVATION is going to be a spectacular evening in celebration of Berkeley Rep – let the good times roll!” “Berkeley Rep’s OVATION gala promises to be a magical evening of glam, glitz, and glitter!” says Gala Co-chair Jill Fugaro. “It is a chance to experience not only the magic of an unforgettable dinner party and auctions, but also the opportunity to help us support incredibly talented performing artists who create the stories that help us understand our world.” “Our guests return year after year because OVATION is entertaining and fun,” adds Co-chair Jean Strunsky. “This year we have new surprises to wow them. It takes a village to support Berkeley Rep, and we are grateful for the support of our community, which is how we can continue to serve our youth and bring innovative, award-winning theatre to Bay Area audiences.” Get a ticket – or an entire table – for OVATION. Feast on a five-star meal prepared by the executive chef of the Four Seasons San Francisco, Mark Richardson, and overseen by food connoisseur and radio personality Narsai David. Experience the thrill of live bidding led by expert auctioneer DawnMarie Kotsonis for a chance to win collectible wines and gift certificates for elegant hotels, restaurants, and arts organizations. Other spectacular auction items include an incredible adventure to Vancouver in gorgeous British Columbia to experience majestic mountain views at Whistler, all while staying in luxurious Fairmont resorts; two tickets to Elton John’s legendary 2015 Oscar night dinner and party; a thrilling London West End theatre-filled adventure; a delicious private dinner at home of Chef Narsai David featuring an exceptional evening of food, wine, and conversation; a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for two to experience Sting’s new musical The Last Ship with two tickets to the opening-night performance and exclusive post-show party; and a New York getaway complete with tickets to Broadway shows and a weeklong stay in a spectacular Midtown Manhattan condominium. OVATION features exquisite wines from Domaine Carneros by Taittinger, Hafner Vineyard, Match Vineyards, Pat Paulsen Vineyards, Quady Winery, and spirits from Greenbar Craft Distillery, Blind Tiger Cocktail Co. & East Bay Spice Company, St. George Spirits, Macallan Scotch & Black Grouse Scotch, and Tres Agaves Products, LLC. Guests will take home delicious delicacies, thanks to Miette Pâtisserie and Confiserie, Naked Juice Coconut Water, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, and Semifreddi’s. They’ll also receive special gifts from Dolphin Graphics, EO Products, Epi Center Medspa, and Fossil, which has a long history of supporting Berkeley Rep. Tickets for OVATION begin at $750. Tables are priced between $7,500 and $18,000. All proceeds from the event support the nonprofit Berkeley Repertory Theatre and the organization’s education and outreach programs. For more information, contact Lily Yang at (510) 647-2909 or lyang@berkeleyrep.org – or simply click berkeleyrep.org/ovation. ######################################## AN INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL EXCHANGE INITIATIVE PLAYWRIGHTS FOUNDATION, TIDES THEATRE & CUTTING BALL THEATER PRESENT DES VOIX... FOUND IN TRANSLATION Biennial 2014 A Festival of New French Plays and Cinema In San Francisco May 1-25, 2014NEW TRANSLATIONS OF PROVOCATIVE PLAYS BY CHRISTOPHE HONORÉ, LEONORE CONFINO, RIAD GAHMI AND SAMUEL GALLET May 8-11, 2014New French Cinema May 4, 11, 18 & 25 2014 A Rare US “Bal Littéraire” On Friday, May 9, 7 PM With Nathalie Fillion member of La Coopérative d'Ecriture In Partnership with The Consul General Of France In San Francisco and Maison Antoine Vitez, Paris, France American Playwrights’ Work Presented In Paris May 25, 2014 – Playwrights Foundation (PF) Cutting Ball Theater and Tides Theatre announced the Des Voix…Found In Translation Biennial 2014, a Festival of New French Plays and Cinema in San Francisco May 1-25, 2014. Des Voix…Found In Translation is an international exchange project that initiates the translation of vanguard French and American playwrights, supporting the presentation of their work to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Des Voix…Found In Translation features new play readings-May 8-11 at Tides Theatre and also includes: A Festival of New French Cinema May 4, 11, 18 & 25 featuring some of the most dynamic French screenwriters in this generation, concurrently at Tides Theatre; A rare “Bal Littéraire” A New Play Nightclub on Friday May 9 at 7 PM , Hosted with Nathalie Fillion of La Coopérative d'Ecriture (Cooperative Writing) at The French American International School. Go to www.desvioxfestival.com for the full schedule. This San Francisco festival features new translations of provocative plays by four of the most innovative playwrights working in France today - Christophe Honoré, Leonore Confino and Riad Gahmi will be showcased with new play readings-May 8-11 at Tides Theatre. Samuel Gallet’s play COMMUNIQUÉ N°10 translated by Rob Melrose in the 2012 Des Voix Festival is receiving its American Premiere (May 1-25) as part of Cutting Ball Theater’s 15th Anniversary season for this Des Voix… festival. Three plays will be performed in English during the month-long Festival at Tides Theatre with COMMUNIQUÉ N°10 at Cutting Ball in San Francisco. The fabled "auteur" Christophe Honoré, (an heir apparent of the French New Wave) Christophe Honoré's first play, 'Les Débutantes,' was performed at Avignon in 1998. Christophe, a filmmaker and screenwriter, has had many outings at Cannes, closing the fest in 2011 with 'The Beloved,' featuring both Catherine Deneuve and daughter Chiara Mastroianni. He returned to Avignon with his play 'Dionysos Impuissant' (in 2005), with Joana Preiss and Louis Garrel playing the leads. . Leonore Confino is known for her recently completed trilogy of plays about lifes obsessions, Her play 'Building,' was one of the highlights of the last Festival Off d’Avign. The second play 'Ring' is 17 rounds of boxing between couples, in which the actors play ten characters dealing with life as a couple. This past January, the third part of Léonore’s trilogy 'Les Uns sur Les Autres,' a play about a French suburban family, played at the Théâtre de la Madeleine in Paris, starring Agnès Jaoui as the exhausted mother. Riad Gahmi is a passionate raconteur, who in a long-term collaboration with Philippe Vincent, co-writer of the spectacle/play 'Un arabe dans mon miroir' (An Arab in My Mirror), which is a spectacle of scenes combining theater, film, and music. The play was workshopped in Cairo and performed at various theaters in Germany, France, and New York In each country a local actor and cast speaks in her native language, rebuilding every time, becoming a simple witness of the war in Algeria in the Egyptian revolution through the September 11 attacks. Samuel Gallet is an emerging writer who has made his mark as one of the most prominent young playwrights of his generation, with plays staged by top Parisian directors. His play 'Encore Un Jour Sans' was a finalist for the Grand Prix de Littérature Dramatique. Inspired by the 2005 Paris riots, his play 'Communique N°10,' was translated by Rob Melrose for the inaugural 2012 Des Voix Festival. Playwrights Foundation’s Artistic Director Amy Mueller comments on the collaboration: “It takes a village to build a bridge across cultures, and we are thrilled to be working with two of San Francisco’s most globally minded Artistic Directors – Rob Melrose of Cutting Ball Theater and Jenifer Welch of Tides Theatre – and one of the foremost translators in the world, Laurent Muhleisen, to build this project that connects the Left Bank with the Left Coast.” Collaborator Rob Melrose, an acclaimed translator and director observes that “These four works are simply extraordinary plays, theatrically brilliant and singular in the ways each story tackles the culture-quake of the 21st century – using a quintessentially French lens to express the universality of the current cultural zeitgeist in the West.” The Plays The Festival will feature Cutting Ball Theater’s American Premiere of Samuel Gallet’s 'Communique No. 10.' Exploring the tensions of the underclass in a city that is bursting at the seams, 'Communique N°10' was inspired by the 2005 Paris riots led by North African youth. Performances begin April 25 (Press Opening May 1), and the production will run through May 25. At the heart of the Festival in mid-May will be the Des Voix Festival itself, a non-stop weekend showcasing three brand new translations: Leonore Confino’s newest work 'Les Uns Sur Les Autres,' a fast talking, fast sleeping, fast eating, non-sensical family satire driven by an over abundance of electronic devices – the world of a proper family connected to everything but itself; Christophe Honoré’s 'Un Jeune Se Tue,' a disturbing and tragic nocturnal ghost story about love, death, and unearthly beings. Riad Gahmi’s darkly comedic work 'Où Et Quand Nous Sommes Morts,' which satirically confronts European xenophobia, anti-Arab racism and media’s sensationalist conjuring of empathy, which results in social division rather than social unity. Film A series of new French cinema will run concurrently every Sunday evening (May 4, 11, 18. 25) at Tides Theatre . Featured films are ; (Partial List) Antonin Pertjallo, La Fille du 14 Juillet (The girl of the 14 July);and Mila Hanson , la Pere des Mes Enfants, Love (father of my children). Jennifer Welch of Tides, who curates the films remarks, “Expanding the scope of the Des Voix Festival, and deepening the cultural exchange. We are curating a series of contemporary French films that speak to American audiences, bring these voices to a community eager for new and provocative foreign cinema.” At Tides Theatre, (programing subject to change) ################################### Failure: A Love Story* \| West Coast premiere WHO Marin Theatre Company By Philip Dawkins \| Directed by Jasson Minadakis Featuring Brian Herndon (debut),* Patrick Kelly Jones (It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play),* Liz Sklar (Lasso of Truth),* Megan Smith (Woody Guthrie's American Song)* and Kat Zdan (Bellwether)* (* Member of Actors Equity Association) WHEN June 5 – June 29, 2014 Opening Night: Tuesday, June 10 Previews: Thursday, June 5 - Sunday, June 8 Performance Days Tue, Thu, Fri & Sat 8:00 pm Wed 7:30 pm Sun 7:00 pm Matinees: Every Sun 2:00 pm \| Sat 6/14 & 6/28, 2:00 pm \| Thu 6/19, 1:00 pm Check marintheatre.org or call the box office at (415) 388-5208 for exact performance dates and times. WHERE Marin Theatre Company \| 397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941 ABOUT “Enchanted and enchanting… a wholly wonderful show that is profound, yet at the very same time whimsical beyond all imagining” – Chicago Sun-Times With the very opening lines, we learn the basic plot of this anything-but-predictable new play set in 1920s Chicago: the three Fail sisters – Nelly, Jenny June and Gerty – have very little time left. But before it’s curtains for each young woman, she finds love and happiness in this quirky, macabre fantasia that examines the truism: “’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Set to live music, this production will feature five actors performing guitar, piano, stand-up bass, violin, mandolin, flute and more. TICKETS $37–$58, details below (discounts available for Seniors and those Under 30) Ticket Prices Previews: $37 all Opening Night & Sat Evenings: $53 side \| $58 center Tues: $37\| $42 Wed, Thu, Sun Evenings & Matinees: $42 \| $47 Fri: $48 \| $53 ######################

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