The A.R.T. Presents PARADISE LOST

The American Repertory Theater (Diane Paulus, Artistic Director) continues its landmark season with its production of Clifford Odets's drama Paradise Lost, directed by Daniel Fish, beginning performances on Saturday, February 27 and scheduled to run through Saturday, March 20 at the Loeb Drama Center (64 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA). Written by one of the greatest twentieth-century playwrights, Paradise Lost is a poetic, humane and distinctly American drama that examines the impact of money and greed on family business and love. Paradise Lost is the second production of the A.R.T.'s festival America: Boom, Bust and Baseball which explores the hopes, disappointments, and triumphs of the past American century from the roaring twenties to the Great Depression, to the Boston Red Sox's stunning 2004 World Series victory.

In Paradise Lost, the American economy is on The Edge of catastrophe and futures are at risk. The Gordon family, losing all they have worked for, strive to preserve their trust in each other and in the promise of their nation. Odets considered Paradise Lost to be the favorite of his plays. First produced by The Group Theatre in 1935, the play voices the suffering, hope, and shattered dreams of a country in the throes of financial crisis. Three-quarters of a century later, Americans are still wrestling with the demons of nihilism and idealism, charity and greed, self-interest and compassion.

Paradise Lost features scenic design by Andrew Lieberman, costume design by Kaye Voyce, lighting design by Scott Zielinksi, sound design by Clive Goodwin, video design by Joshua Thorson, and a cast of fourteen including David Chandler (Leo Gordon), Sally Wingert (Clara Gordon), Hale Appleman (Ben), T. Ryder Smith (Julie; Mr. May), Therese Plaehn (Pearl), Thomas Derrah (Gus Michaels), Merritt Janson (Libby Michaels), Jonathan Epstein (Sam Katz), Adrianne Krstansky (Bertha), Karl Bury (Kewpie), Michael Rudko (Mr. Pike), Cameron Oro (Felix), Remo Airaldi (Phil Foley) and Anthony Gaskins (ensemble).

Tickets are priced from $25-$75 and are available in person by phone at (617) 547-8300 and online at www.americanrepertorytheater.org. The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesdays at 7:30 P.M., Wednesdays at 7:30 P.M., Thursdays at 7:30 P.M., Fridays at 8:00 P.M., Saturdays at 2:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. and Sundays at 2:00 P.M. and 7:30 P.M. Please note: there will be no 2:00 P.M. matinee on Saturday, February 27 and no 8:00 P.M. evening performance on Sunday, February 28.

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is one of the country's most celebrated resident theaters and the winner of numerous awards, including the Tony Award, the Pulitzer Prize and numerous local Elliot Norton and I.R.N.E. Awards. In 2002 A.R.T. was the recipient of the National Theater Conference's Outstanding Achievement Award and in May of 2003 it was named one of the top three theaters in the country by Time magazine.

Founded by Robert Brustein in 1980, over its twenty-nine-year history the A.R.T. has welcomed major American and international theater artists, presenting a diverse repertoire that includes new American plays, bold reinterpretations of classical texts, and provocative new music Theater Productions. A.R.T. has performed throughout the U.S. and worldwide in twenty-one cities in sixteen countries on four continents. It has presented over two hundred productions, over half of which were premieres of new plays, translations and adaptations.

A.R.T. is also a training ground for young artists. The theater's artistic staff teaches undergraduate classes in acting, directing, dramatic literature, dramaturgy, design and playwriting at Harvard University, and in 1987 the A.R.T. founded the Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University. In conjunction with the Moscow Art Theater School, the Institute provides world-class graduate level training in acting, dramaturgy and voice.

Last fall A.R.T. welcomed its new Artistic Director, Diane Paulus., who is currently represented on Broadway with her direction of the Public Theater's Tony Award-winning production of Hair. Under her leadership, and with major funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Theater has developed a new initiative, EXPERIENCE THE A.R.T., which seeks to revolutionize the theater experience through a sustained commitment to empowering the audience. This initiative recognizes that theater is not just a play on the stage, but also a social occasion for people to come together and experience community. This audience-driven vision speaks directly to the A.R.T.'s core mission - "to expand the boundaries of theater." By expanding its focus to include the audience's total theater experience, the A.R.T. seeks to give audiences a voice, a sense of ownership and a feeling of importance in the theatrical event.

To learn more about the A.R.T. and its season visit www.americanrepertorytheater.org or call the A.R.T. InfoLine at (617) 547-8300.

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