Cast and Creative Team Announced for 2024 World Premiere of SIMONA'S SEARCH at Hartford Stage

Hartford Stage announces the cast and creative team for Martín Zimmerman's Simona's Search, directed by the theater's Artistic Director Melia Bensussen. This new, mysterious, and witty story makes its world premiere at the Tony-Award winning theater, running January 18 through February 11, 2024, at 50 Church Street, Hartford, CT.

 

Curious about her father's life in Latin America before moving to the United States, Simona obsesses over his secrets. She finds herself dedicating her life to genetic research on inherited family trauma, but not without becoming haunted by the mystery of her father's past.

Can scientific discovery help Simona discover what's hidden in her own family?

 

The three-person cast includes Christopher Bannow as Jake (and other roles), Alejandra Escalante as Simona, and Al Rodrigo as Papi (and other roles). Escalante previously played Simona in the virtual reading of Simona's Search as part of the 2021 American Voices New Play Festival, a celebration of Latine and Hispanic Playwrights. Both Bannow and Escalante are making their Hartford Stage debuts, with Rodrigo returning for his second production (previously Pericles in 1987). Christopher Bannow recently won a 2023 Lucille Lortel Award for his performance in Hansol Jung's Wolf Play; he is a graduate of the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale and his credits include Broadway (Oklahoma!), Off-Broadway, regional productions, and television. Alejandra Escalante's regional credits include The Goodman Theatre, the Guthrie, American Repertory Theatre, and six seasons with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Measure for Measure, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Henry IV parts 1 & 2, among others). Al Rodrigo works extensively in voice overs for theatrical, animation, and video game projects; he previously worked with director Melia Bensussen in the 1992 production of Blood Wedding at The Public.

 

“I am thrilled to include Simona's Search in Hartford Stage's long and exciting history of presenting new works,” says Bensussen. “A play close to my heart in its exploration of family relationships and cultural identity, Simona's Search asks the question: what do we inherit from our parent's experiences? Around 10 years old, a young Simona realizes she knows very little of her father's childhood, yet something begins to haunt her … follows her … and she sets off on a life-long search to find these missing pieces. Martín and I have worked closely in developing this play these past few years to truly do it justice in its world premiere and are eager to experience this mystery anew with the Hartford community.”

 

The creative team includes Choreographer Shura Baryshnikov, Dramaturg Kristin Leahy, Scenic Designer Yu Shibagaki, Costume Designer Olivera Gajic, Lighting Designer Aja M. Jackson, Sound Designer Aubrey Dube, Projections Designer Yana Biryukova, with casting by Alaine Alldaffer. The production Stage Manager is Nicole Weigert and the Assistant Stage Manager is Julius Cruz.

 

Simona's Search will run Thursday, January 18, 2024 through Sunday, February 11, 2024. Tuesday through Thursday evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday evening performances begin at 8:00 p.m.; matinee performances on Saturdays, Sundays, and a select Wednesday begin at 2:00 p.m.

 

Tickets for Simona's Search start at $30. Discounts are available for students and groups. Groups wanting to create a special occasion out of their visit can reserve a private space at the theater to enjoy a reception before or after the performance. Email boxoffice@hartfordstage.org for more information about pricing and availability.

 

Musicians from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford will be performing pre-show on Thursday, January 18 and Friday, February 2, 2024. The Live Music in the Lobby series is curated by Chadwick G. Thomas in collaboration with The Hartt School.

 

An open-captioned performance for patrons who are deaf or have hearing loss will be on Sunday, February 4 at 2:00 p.m. An audio-described performance for patrons who are blind or have low vision will be on Saturday, February 10 at 2:00 p.m. Post-show conversations with members of the cast and crew will take place on Sunday, January 28; Tuesday, February 6; and Wednesday, February 7.

There are three ways to purchase tickets: online at HartfordStage.org, by phone at 860-527-5151, or in-person through the box office at 50 Church Street. The theater advises audiences to be careful and not purchase tickets through any other website. Third party re-sellers will try to sell tickets for twice the price or more. If you have any doubts or questions, please contact the Hartford Stage box office directly. Hartford Stage does not charge any additional fees for tickets.

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