Hugh Leonard's DA Returns to Olney Theatre Center

Hugh Leonard's Tony Award-winning autobiographical play Da returns to Olney Theatre Center, the home of its 1973 world premiere.

Da plays in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab March 24 through April 25. Tickets are $26 to $54, with discounts available to groups, seniors, military, and students. Call the Box Office at 301.924.3400 or visit olneytheatre.org for tickets. In addition, Olney offers several special performances that include sign interpretation, audio description, and post-show discussions. (Please see the attached "Fact Sheet" for more details.)

Da, Hugh Leonard's bittersweet memory play, explores in a comic and poignant way the loving, frustrating, affectionate relationship between father and son. Charlie returns to his childhood home after his adoptive father's funeral, only to find his da's ghost stubbornly unwilling to leave the house or his son's mind. There's no need for a ghost whisperer when Da is around. In confronting his father, Charlie also faces his own past and the choices he made.

Playwright Hugh Leonard was a prolific writer. The author of numerous plays, screenplays, television scripts, and essays; two autobiographies; and a monthly column called "The Curmudgeon" for the Irish Sunday Independent, Leonard found his greatest Broadway success with Da. The world premiere at Olney in August of 1973 starred John McGiver as Da and Stephen Joyce as Charlie.

Leonard, in his Olney Theatre program notes for the show, described the genesis of the play as such: "Last year [1972] at Olney, during rehearsals for The Patrick Pearse Motel, I launched into an anecdote about my father's lifelong war with teapots which were too hot to touch, but which he picked up anyway, and someone - Jim Waring [Olney's executive producer], perhaps - suggested that there might be a play in the old man's 83 years on earth. At once, the prevailing euphoria and the concomitant of Scotch triumphed. The play was promised to Olney, and my first meeting with John McGiver a few days later sealed the bargain."

Da went on to win four Tony Awards in 1978, including Best Play, as well as several Drama Desk Awards. It was made into a film ten years later, starring Martin Sheen as Charlie, and Barnard Hughes, who reprised his Tony Award-winning performance in the title role. Hugh Leonard passed away in 2009 at the age of 82.

Halo Wines, associate artistic director for Olney Theatre Center and National Players, directs Da. Her directing credits at Olney include Is He Dead?, Hedda Gabler, Omnium Gatherum, Having Our Say, and The Miser, among others. She has been honored with five Helen Hayes Award nominations and received the award for her triple performance in Cloud Nine at Arena Stage, where she spent 25 years as a resident company member.

Casting for Da is as follows:

Des Keogh (Da) Over the years, Des has played with all the major theater companies in Ireland, including the Abbey, the Gate, and Druid. In England, he has been at the National Theatre, the Royal Court, and London's West End. In the United States, he has been a stalwart of the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York and has played with many regional companies. He has also appeared in concert at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. In recent years, he has traveled worldwide with his award-winning one-man show, The Love-Hungry Farmer, adapted from the writings of John B. Keane. He has been featured in many films and TV programs in Ireland and the U.K. Des is very pleased to be back at Olney, having made one previous appearance in 1995 in The Best of Friends, directed by John Going.

James Whalen (Charlie) is thrilled to be making his debut at Olney Theatre. His most recent credits include Everyman Theatre, The Exonerated (Gary Gauger), Betrayal (Jerry), The Cripple of Inishmaan (Babbybobby), Theatre for the First Amendment, Two Bit Taj Mahal (Clay Bayliss), Open Circle Theatre, Caucasian Chalk Circle (Irakli/Monk), Catholic University, A Perfect Ganesh (Ganesh), Madwoman of Chaillot (Ragpicker), and Miranda is Morning (Mr. C/Ringmaster). In New York, he appeared in Hurlyburly (Phil), Freakin' Guiliani (Nick Brida), and Burn This (Burton). He has his M.F.A. from The Catholic University of America.

Brigid Cleary (Mother) performs extensively in the DC area, most recently in the Kennedy Center's Shear Madness. She has performed at Arena Stage, Ford's Theatre, RoundHouse Theatre, Rep Stage, Studio Theatre, Warner Theatre, Theatre J, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre. She has performed in more than 30 productions at the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, most recently as Sr. Aloysius in Doubt. She made her west coast debut at the Mark Taper Forum in Lisa Loomer's Expecting Isabel, for which she received a Garland Award, reprising the roles she played in the Arena Stage production. A four-time Helen Hayes Award nominee, Brigid is a graduate of Catholic University and toured with the National Players.

Nick Depinto (Oliver) Olney audiences last saw Nick in the 2009 production of The Millionairess; prior to that he performed at Olney in Democracy and 13 Rue due L'Amour. He has performed at many regional theaters around the country such as The Kentucky Repertory Theatre, the Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Chamber Theater, the Hilberry Theatrer and even DC's own Shakespeare Theatre Company, as well as many others.

Julie-Ann Elliott (Mrs. Prynne) Last season at Olney, Julie-Ann portrayed Olivia in Night Must Fall, Epifania Ognisanti di Parerga in The Millionairess and, under Ms. Wines' direction, Madame Bathilde/The Sultan of Turkey in Is He Dead?. She appeared at Rep Stage in 2009 in the critically acclaimed God's Ear as Mel. Previous Olney Theatre Center roles include The Mousetrap, The Constant Wife, Hedda Gabler, Enemy of the People, The Heiress, Lend Me a Tenor, Blithe Spirit, Necessary Targets, Anna Karenina, Tartuffe, Trip to Bountiful, Holiday Memories, and Shadowlands. Locally, she has also performed at Everyman Theatre, Folger Theatre, The Kennedy Center, The Shakespeare Theatre Co., Theater J, Washington Stage Guild, Horizon's, Metro Stage, and Washington Jewish Theatre. She holds an M.F.A. in Acting from The Catholic University of America and was a National Player on Tour 44.

Rachel Holt (Mary Tate) is proudly making her Olney Theatre Center debut. Other theater credits include Shakespeare Theatre Company: The Alchemist (Dame Pliant); Studio Theatre: The Receptionist (Lorraine Taylor); Philadelphia Children's Theatre Company: Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse (Garland); Hedgerow Theatre: Once Upon a River (Elizabeth); Vagabond Acting Troupe's World Premier: Neighbors (Veronica); Theatre Catalyst/Theatrix: Patter for the Floating Lady (Angie); The Capital Fringe Festival: Born Normal (Sissy), The Fifth Musketeer; and Catholic University: Miranda is Morning (Miranda), The Madwoman of Chaillot (Constance), Listen (Ruby), The Beggar's Opera (Mrs. Coaxer), Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet), Life's a Dream (Estrella). Training: The Catholic University of America (M.F.A in Acting).

Drew Kopas (Young Charlie) On the National Players' 60th tour, Drew was seen as Orlando in As You Like It and Big Brother in 1984. He also appeared in Olney's Summer Shakespeare production of Two Gentlemen of Verona as Valentine. Regional credits include Keegan Theatre: Whit in Of Mice and Men (Ireland tour/DC production); Shawnee Theatre; Cleveland Shakespeare Festival; Bard in the Barn, Unrehearsed Shakespeare Project. Film: Fire Lily.

Ian LeValley (Drumm) was last seen as Obrien in Catalyst Theater's production of 1984, directed by Jim Petosa. Other local credits include La Tragedie de Carmen, Charlie's Aunt, Holiday, Present Laughter, and To Kill a Mockingbird at Olney Theatre Center; Keegan Theatre/New Island Project's production of Closing Time where he also appeared in A Streetcar Named Desire and The Notebook of Trigorin; Sleeping and Waking at Charter Theatre; The Great White Hope, Tom Walker, and The Misanthrope at Arena Stage; Haroun and the Sea of Stories and sic at Theatre Alliance; Fifteen Rounds with Jackson Pollock with Hyacinth Theatre; and Stop Kiss and Curse of the Starving Class (in partnership with the University of Maryland) with Woolly Mammoth. Tours include National Players Tour 43, Keegan Theatre's inaugural tour to Ireland with Streetcar, and the Kennedy Center's Theatre for Young Audiences in 2001-02.

The creative team for Da includes Jon Savage (Scenic Designer), Kathleen Geldard (Costume Designer), Charlie Morrison (Lighting Designer), Chris Baine (Sound Designer), Elizabeth van den Berg (Dialect Coach), and Tim Burt (Stage Manager).

DA
By Hugh Leonard

THE CAST:
Brigid Cleary*
Nick Depinto*
Julie-Ann Elliott*
Rachel Holt
Desmond Keogh*
Drew Kopas
Ian LeValley*
James Whalen*

Mother
Oliver
Mrs. Prynne
Mary Tate
Da
Young Charlie
Drumm
Charlie
THE ARTISTIC TEAM:
Director
Scenic Designer
Costume Designer
Lighting Designer
Sound Designer
Dialect Coach
Stage Manager

Halo Wines*
Jon Savage
Kathleen Geldard
Charlie Morrison
Chris Baine
Elizabeth van den Berg
Tim Burt*
*denotes a member of Actors' Equity Association

PERFORMANCE DATES AND TIMES:
March 24 - April 25 PRESS NIGHT: Sunday, March 28 at 7:45 pm
Wed. - Sun. at 7:45 pm; Tues., April 6 and 20 at 7:45 pm; matinees on Sat. and Sun. at 1:45 pm; matinees at 1:45 pm on Wed., March 31 and April 14

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES:
§ Audio described performance: Wed., April 7 at 7:45 pm
§ Sign Interpretation: Thurs., April 8 at 7:45 pm
§ Post-show discussions: Sat., March 27 at 1:45 pm (with special guests) and Wed., April 7 at 7:45 pm (with cast members)

TICKETS: $26 - $54; discounts available for groups, seniors, military, and students

BOX OFFICE: 301.924.3400; www.olneytheatre.org

LOCATION: Olney Theatre Center
2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Maryland 20832
Located just north of Washington, DC, the theater sits 1¼ mile from the intersection of Olney-Sandy Spring Road (Route 108) and Georgia Avenue (Route 97). Parking is free.

ABOUT OLNEY:
Olney Theatre Center is a 72-year-old nonprofit professional Equity theater in Olney, Maryland. Located in arts-rich Montgomery County, Olney Theatre Center is easily accessible from Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD. Olney Theatre Center's mission is to create professional Theater Productions and other programs that nurture artists, students, technicians, administrators, and audience members; and to develop each individual's creative potential using the skills and imaginative possibilities of theater and the performing arts.

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