DREAMSCAPE, THE BARGAIN & THE BUTTEFLY and More Set for 2014 Studio SCR Series

The 2014 Studio SCR series at South Coast Repertory offers five works that:

• Earned honors including Best Comedy at the Hollywood Fringe Festival and Ovation Awards;
• Have been created by a MacArthur Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation fellowship recipient;
• Found inspiration in the writings of Tennessee Williams and Nathaniel Hawthorne; and
• Push the boundaries of the theatrical form through hip-hop culture, improvisation and science.

Now in its fourth year, Studio SCR offers a mix of ambitious, provocative and experimental theatrical works in partnership with some of southern California's most innovative companies, presented in SCR's intimate 94-seat Nicholas Studio.

The 2014 season-with performances in January, February and June-includes:

• Jan. 16-19, 2014: Dreamscape, written and directed by Rickerby Hinds and presented by Hindsight Studio Productions. Dreamscape depicts the inner life and death of "Myeisha Mills." The piece was inspired by the real-life fatal shooting of Tyisha Miller in Riverside. Through beatboxin', spoken word and dance, Mills reminisces about her life, her impending passing, the pleasures of softball, dancing and kissing. Dreamscape was recently performed at Mark Taper Forum's New Play Festival and London's Royal Court Theater.

Performances are Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 18, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 19, at 3 p.m.

• Feb. 13-16: St. Jude, written and presented by Luis Alfaro. Alfaro conjures up memories of his youth-some good and some harsh-from picking grapes to gospel-infused tent revivals, from family holidays to running away from home at age 16. His journey is rich with laughter, pathos and some surprising revelations. Alfaro is an SCR-commissioned playwright, part of the Hispanic Playwrights Festival, and is a MacArthur Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation fellow. Note: Contains adult content.

Performances are Thursday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 14, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 15, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 16, at 3 p.m.

• Feb. 27-March 2: Tennessee Williams UnScripted, by Dan O'Conner and presented by Impro Theatre. Passionate, smoldering secrets lurk beneath the surface of genteel society-and explode in a climax of accusation, confession and consequence. Inspired by Tennessee Williams' masterful storytelling and language, Impro Theatre builds improvised, full-length plays that are hilarious, yet as tragic as a Southern belle's broken heart. Impro has performed at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Broad Stage in Santa Monica and Pasadena Playhouse, among others. Note: Contains adult content and situations.

Performances are Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 1, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, March 2, at 3 p.m.

• June 5-8: Absolutely Filthy, an award-winning comedy written by and featuring Brendan Hunt, presented by SacRed Fools Theater and directed by Jeremy Aldridge. The story follows a homeless man living in a permanent cloud of dust and grime who stumbles upon the funeral of his long-estranged best friend. As he attempts to reconnect with his former childhood playmates, he realizes he just may have a shot at redemption. SacRed Fools has earned praise for its vibrant productions, with Absolutely Filthy being named winner of Best Comedy at the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival. Note: Contains nudity, profanity and adult situations.

Performances are Thursday, June 5, at 7 p.m.; Friday, June 6, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, June 7, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, June 8, at 3 p.m.

• June 12-15: The Bargain & The Butterfly presented by Ghost Road Company and directed by Katharine Noon, is fresh off a Los Angeles premiere and a successful production in Warsaw, Poland. Inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, "The Artist of the Beautiful," this haunting play explores the delicate intersection of genius and madness. Annie-the brilliant, but tense daughter of a scientist and a watchmaker-has one desire: to restore the soul of her twin brother. With blueprints for a synthetic soul in hand, she turns to a local glassblower to create the central, fragile piece.

Performances are Thursday, June 12, at 7 p.m.; Friday, June 13, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, June 14, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, June 15, at 3 p.m.

Ticket prices vary with each production, with a range between $15-$25, with discounts for students and senior citizens. Tickets are available now through the SCR Box Office at (714) 708-5555 and online beginning Tuesday, Dec. 17, at www.scr.org.

Find complete information about Studio SCR's season at www.scr.org/studioSCR.

ABOUT South Coast Repertory: Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, founded in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson, is celebrating its 50th Season. Now under the leadership of Artistic Director Marc Masterson and Managing Director Paula Tomei, SCR is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theatres in the United States. SCR is committed to theatre that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its wide array of education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theatre, SCR is renowned for its extensive new-play development program, which includes the nation's largest commissioning program for emerging and established writers and composers. Each year, it showcases some of country's best new plays in the Pacific Playwrights Festival, which attracts theatre professionals from across the country. Of SCR's more than 460 productions, one-quarter have been world premieres, whose subsequent stagings achieved enormous success throughout America and around the world. Two SCR-developed works have won Pulitzer Prizes, and another eight were named Pulitzer finalists. In addition, SCR works have won several Obie Awards and scores of major new-play awards. Located in Costa Mesa, California, SCR's Folino Theatre Center is home to the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio. Today, SCR produces 13 shows and eight public readings each season. More information is available at www.scr.org.

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