Perseverance Theatre to Presnet Ruhl's IN THE NEXT ROOM

Perseverance Theatre presents In the Next Room or the vibrator play, by Sarah Ruhl. The play takes place at the dawn of the age of electricity and with that a groundbreaking piece of technology. The perfect gentleman and inventor, Dr. Givings has created a device to treat "hysteria" in his patients by inducing "paroxysms" that attract the attention of his wife, who hears the sounds of success through the walls of his operating theatre. Meanwhile, Mrs. Givings struggles with a new baby and her own urgent desires. This modern comedy of manners is full of exploration and fulfillment.

Production Schedule and Tickets
The production runs from Apr. 15-24, 2016 in the Sydney Laurence Theatre at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts located at 621 w 6th in Anchorage, Alaska. Tickets are available now at the Centertix box office, online at Centertix.net or by call ing 907-263-ARTS (2787). There is a Pay-As-You-Can Preview on April 14, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

Perseverance Theatre has put together a wonderful team of mostly Alaskan artists to bring a play that, we think, audiences will find truly electrifying.

Sarah Ruhl is one of the most produced American playwrights of the last two decades. Her plays have appeared all over the United States and internationally, Perseverance Theatre last produced a Sarah Ruhl play in 2010 with Eurydice. Sarah Ruhl's plays include In the Next Room, or the vibrator play (Pulitzer Prize finalist, Tony Award nominee for best new play), The Clean House (Pulitzer Prize Finalist, 2005; The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, 2004); Passion Play, a cycle (Pen American award, The Fourth Freedom Forum Playwriting Award from The Kennedy Center); Dead Man's Cell Phone (Helen Hayes award); Melancholy Play; Eurydice; Orlando, Demeter in the City (NAACP nomination), Late: a cowboy song, Three Sisters, and most recently, Stage Kiss and Dear Elizabeth.

Carolyn Howarth returns to Perseverance Theatre, she last directed Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. She makes her home in Grass Valley, CA. Her directing credits include productions at The Colorado, Lake Tahoe, and Sierra Shakespeare Festivals, Capital Stage, and 15 seasons with the Foothill Theatre Company. Previous directing credits at Perseverance Theatre include The Importance of Being Earnest. As an actor she has performed in over 50 productions with FTC, ranging from classics to new works. Other credits include appearance with the Jewish Theatre of San Francisco, the B Street, Sacramento Theatre Company, the Lake Tahoe and Sierra Shakespeare Festivals, and the Maxim Gorky Drama Theatre in Vladivostok, Russia. Carolyn is a member of Actors' Equity Association and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

The cast includes four Juneau actors; Christina Apathy will play Mrs. Givings and Katie Jensen will play Anne the nurse. Enrique Bravo and James Sullivan, the actors in Residence at Perseverance Theatre will play Leo Irving and Mr. Daldry. Margeaux Ljungberg, who last performed at Perseverance in Oklahoma, is back from Skagway to play Mrs. Daldry. Tiffany Cooper joins us from Anchorage to play Elizabeth. It is her first show at Perseverance. These 6 Alaskan actors are joined by Torsten Hillhouse from New York. Torsten has worked all over the country at regional theatres including American Repertory Theatre and New York Classical Theatre. This is his first performance at Perseverance but he recently worked in Sitka at the Sitka Arts Camp in 2011.

The creative team includes: Art Rotch as scenic and lighting designer, Clare Henkel as costume designer, and Lucy Peckham as sound designer.

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