Stoneham Theatre presents the New England Premiere of GABRIEL

What if you couldn't remember which side you're on?

WWII. German occupied Guernsey Island. When a mysterious man washes up on shore with no memory of who he is, 10-year-old Estelle and her family must decide - shelter this lost stranger or turn him over to the Nazis. Stoneham Theatre continues its 17th Season with Gabriel by Moira Buffini, Directed by Weylin Symes. Performances run from April 27 - May 14, 2017. The Press Opening is Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 3:00pm.

Shares Symes, "I chose this play because writing a fresh original play about WWII is not easy. But everything about this play feels new, from its unique setting (an island off the coast of England that was surrendered to the Germans without a shot being fired), to its use of a 10-year-old girl as one of the primary characters through whom we experience much of the play, and the character of Gabriel himself, who serves as a kind of Rorschach test for everyone else in the play. The amnesiac Gabriel is perceived completely differently by everyone else in the story and yet remains entirely unknown to himself. He doesn't even know which side of the war he's on."

This riveting tale of wartime intrigue and romance features Thomas Derrah* (Von Pfunz), Georgia Lyman* (Jeanne Becquet), Cheryl McMahon* (Lake), Alexander Molina* (Gabriel), and Josephine Moshiri Elwood (Lily). Marissa Simeqi (Estelle Becquet), a student actor, makes her Mainstage debut performing alongside the professional artists as part of the young company comes to Mainstage program.

"It is fascinating to have two main characters be true innocents in a play about WWII. What can a 10-year-old girl and an amnesiac man know or understand about war? How can they hope to make sense of the world in which they find themselves? These wonderfully unique aspects all combine to tell a gripping story of perseverance, struggle and hope in the most difficult of times. With a touch of melodrama, Gabriel explores the nature and limits of family and loyalty against the backdrop of perhaps the greatest evil the world has known," says Symes.

The design team is comprised of Scenic Designer Matthew Lazure, Lighting Designer Jeffrey E. Salzberg, Costume Designer Gail Buckley, Sound Designer David Reiffel, and Props Master Elizabeth Rocha.

Single Tickets for Gabriel: $45-$50 Adults; $40-45 Seniors; $20 Students (with valid ID). Thrifty Thursday tickets cost $15 at the door and are available for the Thursday, April 27, 2017 performance at 7:30pm. Student Rush Tickets start one hour prior to each performance, and 2 Student tickets may be purchased for the price of one (subject to availability). For more information or to purchase tickets, call Stoneham Theatre's Box Office at (781) 279-2200, or visit www.stonehamtheatre.org.

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