The Lyric Stage Company Of Boston Presents World Premiere MR. PARENT By Melinda Lopez

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston presents the World Premiere production of Mr. Parent by Melinda Lopez with Maurice Emmanuel Parent and co-conceived and directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian°. Performances begin Friday, January 7 and run through Sunday, February 6. Press Performance is Sunday, January 9 at 3pm.

Maurice Emmanuel Parent* returns to the Lyric Stage (Into The Woods (Wolf/Cinderella's Prince), On The Town (Figment/ensemble), Man of La Mancha (Dr. Carrasco/The Duke); Director - Breath and Imagination) in this one-person show that is based on his time and adventures teaching in an urban public school system.

Scenic Design is by Cristina Todesco**, Costume Design by Yao Chen, Lighting Design by Karen Perlow**, and Sound Design by Arshan Gailus**.

Artistic Director Courtney O'Connor says, "When I became artistic director, I wanted Lyric Stage to find a commitment to local voices that equaled its leadership to hiring local talent as actors, directors, and designers. Not only does this world premiere honor us with the opportunity to work with three of Boston's most vibrant artistic voices in Maurice, Melinda and Megan, to bring to life this world premiere play, it's also set in our city. Mr. Parent is at times hilarious, but it also challenges its audiences in Greater Boston to consider their responsibility to the students and schools in their neighborhood, but also those in adjacent communities.

Director Megan Sandberg-Zakian° says, "It has been a joy and an honor to develop Mr. Parent over the past few years with the two most brilliant, inventive, and hilarious collaborators any artist could imagine. At each stage of the process, I've been so moved by how Maurice's story asks huge questions - 'how do I care for my community AND myself?', 'what do I do when pursuing the work I love feels like it's slowly killing me?', - while also providing a deeply personal inventory of how the education system fails both students and teachers. We're really grateful for the support we've received along the way from Actors Shakespeare Project, The Huntington Theatre Company, and TheatreWorks Hartford, and ecstatic to be bringing it to a first full production here at the Lyric Stage."

Maurice Emmanuel Parent*- Lyric Stage: Into The Woods (Wolf/Cinderella's Prince), On The Town (Figment/ensemble), Man of La Mancha (Dr. Carrasco/The Duke); Director - Breath and Imagination (starring Davron Monroe and Yewande Odetoyinbo). Other credits (select): Actors' Shakespeare Project (resident company member), Barrington Stage, Boston Theatre Works, Cape Playhouse, Central Square Theater, Commonwealth Shakespeare Co, Fulton Opera House, Greater Boston Stage, Huntington Theatre, Music Theatre of Wichita, New Repertory Theatre, Northern Stage, Off the Grid Theatre Co., SpeakEasy Stage, Wheelock Family Theatre. Television: Castle Rock, Kevin Can F*** Himself. Commercials: Wayfair, Bank of America, WB Mason, Flooring America, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. Winner of 2 Elliot Norton Awards, 3 Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards, and one ArtsImpulse Award. After 6 years in the Boston Public School system, Maurice began teaching in higher education. Currently he is a Professor of the Practice in the Tufts University Department of Theatre Dance and Performance Studies where he will be directing a production of Spring Awakening this Spring. He is a Co-founder/Co-Producing Artistic Director of The Front Porch Arts Collective, a Black theater company committed to advancing racial equity through art. www.mauriceparent.com / www.frontporcharts.org.

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