Annie Fitzpatrick, Brian Issac Phillips Lead Know Theatre's Collapse

Know Theatre has announced Collapse by Allison Moore which as our next production of the 2011-2012 Season. The production will be directed by former Artistic Director of Know Theatre
Jason Bruffy, with scenic and lighting design by Andrew Hungerford, costume design by Noelle Wedig, and sound design by Doug Borntrager. The production will show February 4 – March 3, 2012.

About the show: In 2007, the Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring another 145. Hannah’s husband David was driving one of the cars that went off the bridge. He’s suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, but refuses to attend a support group. Hannah’s life is falling apart. She can’t get pregnant, she’s one step away from losing her job, and she thinks her husband, who hasn’t been to work for months, may be an alcoholic. All he does is sit around the house, watering the plants with beer. When her flaky sister, Susan arrives from California for an openended stay Hannah seems ready to unravel for good. Collapse is an uncomfortably funny exploration of the crumbling structures that undergird our bridges, our economy, and our most intimate relationships.

Cast
Hannah - Annie Fitzpatrick*
David – Brian Isaac Phillips*
Susan - Torie Wiggins
Ted – Brian Griffin
David Understudy – Randy Lee Bailey
*Member of Actors Equity Association

Production Team
Director – Jason Bruffy
Scenic & Lighting Design – Andrew Hungerford
Costume Design – Noelle Wedig
Sound Design – Doug Borntrager

Production Dates
8pm: February 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, March 1, 2, 3
3pm: February 25

"I'm excited to be able to produce this brand new show right at the tail end of its rolling world
premiere through the National New Play Network. Ms. Moore has created a script that is both
humorous and tragic. It shines a light on people dealing with a unique tragedy, but shines a light on how all of us deal with adversity and fear we all face in daily life,” says Eric Vosmeier, Producing Artistic Director. “I'm delighted to have Jason Bruffy back in town to direct and I look forward to having Torie on stage again following her Know debut during Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party."

Collapse premiered at the Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley, CA and was developed as part of
Aurora’s Global Age project in February 2011. Collapse is currently a part of the National New Play
Network rolling world premiere collaboration with Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley, Curious
Theatre in Denver, and Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas.

“Most of my work plays with tone in some kind of way,” says Allison Moore. “This particular one is a comedy of anxiety. That seems to me to be an honest way to deal with very difficult topics, in a
hopefully engaging way. There’s a whole lot of denial, which is funny, because there’s a lot of humor in watching people vehemently deny anything is wrong,” Moore said. This season, tickets are $15 in advance and $18 the week of the performance (beginning Mondays at noon). Season subscription five-show flexible passes are available for $75 and guarantees the advance ticket price all season long. Tickets can be purchased by visiting knowtheatre.com or by calling the box office at 513.300.KNOW (5669)

Additional Information

Randy Lee Bailey (Understudy, David) Randy Lee Bailey is an actor, carpenter, writer, singer, husband, uncle, living in northern Kentucky. He has been seen onstage at New Stage Collective, Cincinnati Fringe Festival, Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival, Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati, Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, and the Carnegie Theater, among others.

Jason Bruffy (Director) is a Director and Producer who has worked all over the country both regionally and in New York City. He has directed and produced over 50 productions to date. Off-Broadway companies include: Soho Repertory Theatre and Ensemble Studio Theatre. Regional companies include: Interact Theatre (PA), Orlando Shakespeare Theatre (FL), Florida Studio Theatre (FL), Salt Lake Acting Company (UT), Know Theatre of Cincinnati (OH), Cincinnati Opera (OH), Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (OH), and Wayside Theatre (VA). Jason has served as Resident Director of Ensemble Studio Theatre, Associate Producer of Soho Rep (Obie Award winning Born Bad), Associate Artist of Florida Studio Theatre and Artistic Director of Salt Lake Acting Company and Know Theatre of Cincinnati. He is also the founding producer of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. As an actor Jason has been featured in national commercials for Visa, Gillette, as well as numerous stage productions. Jason Bruffy has been recognized as Person of the Year in 2009 by Cincinnati CityBeat, as well as a Cincinnati’s Theatre Entrepreneur and Arts Risk Taker (Cincinnati Enquirer), Arts Innovator (Cincinnati CityBeat), Forty under 40 Business Leaders (Cincinnati Business Courier), and one of 40 people who shaped Cincinnati in 40 years by Cincinnati Magazine. Jason Bruffy is a proud Associate Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SSDC). www.jasonbruffy.com

Annie Fitzpatrick (Hannah) Annie Fitzpatrick is delighted to be making her debut at Know Theatre. She recently appeared in Snow White and Ghost-writer at ETC and in A Man For All Seasons this fall at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. She has worked regionally at Cincinnati Playhouse In the Park, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Geva Theatre, Florida Stage, Florida Studio, CATCO, New Edgecliff Theatre, Human Race Theatre Co., and Porthouse Theatre. She was a founding member of The New Group in New York and toured internationally with Murder à La Carte. She has appeared in numerous soaps, local and national commercials, local short films, and the movie Milk Money. Next October she can be seen in the feature film Fun Size.

Brian W. Griffin (Ted) Brian is thrilled to making his debut at the Know Theater. Brian is a proud father who tries to act or write plays whenever any spare time is to be found. Some acting credits include, Felix in The Odd Couple at the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center, Cyrano in Cyrano Rehearsed at New Edgecliff, Brian Penn in Praying for Rain at ETC, The Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Vladimir in Waiting for Godot. Brian is the winner of the 2000 Creative Loafing Atlanta's "Best Local Playwright, Readers Choice Award". His produced plays include, Whiskey Soaked Lover, Acting Schmacting!, Victim Schmictim! and Zürich Plays: a DaDa history of the DaDaists (written in collaboration with Marc Cram). His works girlfight and KAZ/m (written in collaboration with Nathan Singer) both premiered in the 2007 & 2009 Cincinnati Fringe Festivals.

Allison Moore (Playwright): Allison Moore is a displaced Texan based in Minneapolis. Her play, Slasher, premiered at the 2009 Humana Festival and has been produced at theaters around the country. Other plays include: My Antonia (2010 Illusion Theater), End Times (Kitchen Dog Theater), American Klepto (2006 Illusion Theater), Hazard County (2005 Humana Festival), Split (2005 Guthrie Theater commission), Urgent Fury (2003 Cherry Lane Mentor Project, Mentor: Marsha Norman), and Eighteen (2001 O’Neill Playwrights’ Conference). Her newest play, Collapse, will receive a rolling world premiere in 2011 at Aurora Theater (Berkeley), Curious Theater (Denver) and Kitchen Dog Theater (Dallas). She is a two-time Playwrights’ Center Jerome Fellow, two-time McKnight Fellow, and Bush Artists Fellow.

Brian Isaac Phillips (David) Brian Isaac Phillips is delighted to return to Know Theatre of Cincinnati after directing Angels in America: Millennium Approaches in 2010. He has been appearing on area stages since 1998 working with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, New Stage Collective, The Children's Theatre, Cincinnati Opera and most frequently with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, where he proudly serves as Producing Artistic Director. Recent credits include Dead Man's Cell Phone and The Seafarer at Ensemble, The Goat or Who is Sylvia? with New Stage and Carmen with Cincinnati Opera. Favorite roles with CSC include A Streetcar Named Desire, Henry IV, Arcadia, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Fuddy Meers, Nocturne and the title characters in Macbeth (2006), Henry V (2005) and Hamlet (2004). Brian is the lucky husband of the most beautiful actress in town and the proud father of Holden Willis Phillips. He is a proud member of SDC and AEA.

Torie Wiggins (Susan) Torie Wiggins has been performing since the age of two. She graduated from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with a BFA in Dramatic Performance. Her directing/dramaturgy credits include Relationships in Black, and four one-woman shows that she also wrote and produced across the country including Torie On Ice and Your Negro Tour Guide, both directed by Jeff Griffin. Currently residing in New York, she has appeared on All My Children, the feature film Love Me Through It and her voice can be heard on national television and radio commercials.

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