New Rep On Tour will open its ninth season with William Shakespeare's classic revenge tragedy Othello. Over six weeks, beginning November 3, 2008, the Tour will travel to over 20 Boston area schools and reach over 8,000 students. On Monday, November 10, 2008 at 7:30pm, New Rep On Tour will have a public performance of Othello in the Charles Mosesian Theater at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA.
New Rep On Tour is funded by a grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. New Rep and Bank of America have a long history of partnership. "We are eager and excited to once again support New Rep's wonderful education programs. Numerous studies show that children who are exposed to the arts tend to perform better in school and life. We are thrilled to help New Rep bring this important program to thousands of children in Greater Boston," said Robert E. Gallery, president, Bank of America Massachusetts.
"I am so pleased that New Rep On Tour's production of Othello is being so well received, and we have extended the run by one week to December 12, 2008 to meet the overwhelming demand from the schools." said Christopher Webb, Education Associate. "The program brings high quality professional productions of relevant plays from the dramatic and literary canon to area schools."
Shakespeare's classic revenge tragedy comes to life in New Rep On Tour's production of Othello. Trust and friendship are put to the test as Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, is lied to by his best friend Iago about the fidelity of Desdemona, Othello's wife and the daughter of the Senator. Did she have an affair with Cassio, Iago's rival? Is Iago telling the truth? Was that her Othello saw in the window that night? The questions plague Othello, until suspicion, revenge, and manipulation drive him to do the unthinkable. Othello will be directed by M. Bevin O'Gara and will feature
Edward M. Barker (Othello), Courtney Bennet (Desdemona), and
Dan Roach (Iago).
New Rep On Tour brings high quality professional productions of relevant plays from the dramatic and literary canon to area schools, in accordance with DOE Curriculum frameworks, and onto the stages of local High Schools and Middle Schools in special 90-minute adaptations. Following each performance, the artists lead a talkback session, allowing students to ask questions and discuss the important topics of the play. Teachers have come to rely on the Tour as an annual event in their schools, and student testimonials describe the widespread enthusiasm for these productions.
The Tour is funded by a grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. New Rep and Bank of America have a long history of partnership. "We are eager and excited to once again support New Rep's wonderful education programs. Numerous studies show that children who are exposed to the arts tend to perform better in school and life. We are thrilled to help New Rep bring this important program to thousands of children in Greater Boston," said Robert E. Gallery, president, Bank of America Massachusetts.
New Repertory Theatre can offer its vital programming thanks to the additional generosity of individuals and support from The Law Offices of Mintz Levin, Roy A. Hunt Foundation, Watertown Harvard / Watertown O'Neill Community Enrichment Fund, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the local cultural councils of Acton-Boxborough, Belchertown, Burlington, Cambridge
Arts Council, Easton, Hamilton-Wenham, Lawrence, Newton, Randolph, and Sharon
Artists
M. Bevin O'Gara (Director) directed last year's The Crucible for New Rep On Tour. Other credits include: Gary (Boston Playwrights Theatre); Tattoo Girl, Painting You, and Artifacts (
Williamstown Theatre Workshop); ANTI-Kiss (3 Monkey's Theatrical Productions); and insideshow, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and If You Can't Take the Heat (Boston University). Previously, she worked as the Artistic Associate at New Rep and is now the Artistic Associate at the
Huntington Theatre Company. She is a graduate of Boston University's College of Fine Arts.
Edward M. Barker* (Othello) comes directly from Riverside Theatre Works, where he starred as Jim in Big River. He last appeared at New Rep as Nathan in
Dessa Rose. Edward's 25-year career includes more than 100 professional productions in a plethora of NY, regional and performing arts venues around the country. Classical credits: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Peter Quince/Egeus), Twelfth Night (Feste and Antonio), Romeo and Juliet (Friar Lawrence), Taming of the Shrew (Hortensio/Pedant and Grumio), The Grapes of Wrath (Jim Casey), The Learned Ladies (Clitandre) and The Crucible (Rev. Hale). Regional theatres: North Shore Music Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, SpeakEasy Stage,
Goodspeed Opera House, Portland Center Stage, Sacramento Music Circus, Riverside Theatre (FL), Pioneer Theatre,
Phoenix Theatre (AZ), Barnstormers Theatre, Saint Michael's Playhouse, Weathervane Repertory Theatre and the Big Band Tour, In the Mood. Edward was nominated for the IRNE Award (Best Supporting Actor in a Musical) and the
Elliot Norton Award (Outstanding Musical Performance), for his portrayal of Jim Conley in SpeakEasy's production of Parade.
Courtney Bennet (Desdemona) is a midwestern transplant. She recently completed her Master's degree in history at Harvard University. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in American studies from
Northwestern University and has trained with the Yale School of Drama summer institute and various local theatre artists. Recent credits include Noises Off (Brooke), Pride and Prejudice (Elizabeth), The Crucible (Abigail) and Twelfth Night (Viola.)
Marie Polizzano (Emilia/Roderigo) is thrilled to be working again with New Rep On Tour. Last fall, she played
Mary Warren in their production of The Crucible. She recently worked for the
Huntington Theatre Company as an understudy (She Loves Me and How Shakespeare Won the West), and Commonwealth Shakespeare Company as an ensemble member in their outdoor production of As You Like It. Marie earned her BFA in Acting from the Boston University School of Theatre, where some of her favorite shows included Antigone (Ismene), SLAVS! (Katherina, Alexsii), Much Ado About Nothing (Hero), and Trojan Women (Polyxena). Marie has also studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Dan Roach* (Iago) is originally from Newport, RI. He has just recently moved to Boston, and was last seen in As You Like It (Oliver) on the Boston Common this past summer. Dan worked for many years on stages in New York City and Los Angeles before moving to Boston. He received his BA in Theatre from The University of South Carolina and his MFA in Acting from Brooklyn College.
Scott Sweatt (Cassio/Brabantio) is a recent graduate of Columbia University where he received his MFA in Acting and had the great good fortune of working with such theatrical luminaries as
Anne Bogart,
Kristin Linklater,
Andrei Serban, and Niky Wolz. Recent credits include: King Lear (Oswald), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bottom), A Streetcar Named Desire (Mitch), The Cherry Orchard (Gayev), and As You Like It (Jacques).
Schools on the 2008 Fall Tour
Prospect Hill Academy Middle School – November 5, 2008
The Wetherbee School-November 6, 2008
Matignon High School-November 7, 2008
Austin Preparatory School-November 12, 2008
Boston Day and Evening Academy-November 13, 2008
Milton Academy-November 14, 2008
Mount Alvernia High School-November 18, 2008
Wayland High School-November 20, 2008
Rockport Middle School-November 21, 2008
Rockport High School-November 21, 2008
Lawrence High School-November 24, 2008
Scituate High School-November 25, 2008
Tantasqua Regional Senior High School-December 1, 2008
Academy of the Pacific Rim-December 2, 2008
Lawrence Academy-December 3, 2008
Boston College High School-December 4, 2008
Sharon High School-December 5, 2008
Needham High School-December 8, 2008
Horace Mann School for the Deaf-December 12, 2008
For more information please visit www.newrep.org
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