Second Thought Theatre's THE GREAT GOD PAN Begins Today

Second Thought Theatre follows acclaimed production of Martyr with THE GREAT GOD PAN as the second show of its 2016 season, beginning today. Carson McCain makes her STT directorial debut with this play by Amy Herzog, opening tonight, and running through May 14. All performances of THE GREAT GOD PAN will take place at Bryant Hall on the Kalita Humphreys Campus, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd. Tickets to THE GREAT GOD PAN can be purchased online at 2TT.co.

"Amy Herzog is one of America's most exciting young playwrights," said STT artistic director Alex Organ. "Fresh off STT's success with Herzog's Belleville, we were eager to continue our exploration of her work and THE GREAT GOD PAN, a quietly devastating play, provides us that opportunity. Director Carson McCain brings a fierce intelligence and thoughtful sensitivity to Herzog's work, making her the perfect choice to shepherd this play. Carson greatly impressed while serving as Assistant Director on previous productions (Booth; Belleville), and we are proud that she is making her professional debut with STT."

When an old friend reveals a secret from their childhood, Jamie's life is thrown into a tailspin. Unnerved by this encounter, Jamie goes on an investigation of his past, to discover if his identity could have been shaped by a trauma he doesn't remember. A tender, yet haunting drama, THE GREAT GOD PAN by Amy Herzog examines the strength of our memories and who we are when they fail us.

Organ, returning to the STT stage after playing Iago in last season's Othello, leads the cast as Jamie. Joining him on stage are Natalie Young as Paige, Dagny Sanson as Joelle, Drew Wall as Frank, Bob Hess as Doug, Cindy Beall as Cathy and Laura Yancey as Polly.

"I'm interested in exploring issues of identity in this play. As human beings, are we defined by something that happened to us, good or bad, outside of our control? Or can we choose not to be affected by it? This is what I find particularly haunting about the play -- that we might not have control over our fate," said director Carson McCain. "I am so impressed by the way this cast understands the rhythm and pulse of the play. They give life to the tension that exists between the identity each character hopes to portray, and the one they might actually posses."

The design team for THE GREAT GOD PAN is scenic designer Jeff Schmidt, costume designer Korey Kent, lighting designer Aaron Johansen and sound designer John Flores.

THE GREAT GOD PAN opens with previews on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:30p. Opening and press night is Friday, April 22 at 8:00pm. The PWYC performances of THE GREAT GOD PAN will take place on Wednesday, April 20; Thursday, April 21; Monday, April 25; Monday, May 2 and Monday, May 9 at 7:30p. PWYC tickets are available at the box office one hour prior to the start of the performance and are subject to availability. THE GREAT GOD PAN runs through May 14. Tickets to THE GREAT GOD PAN are on sale now at 2TT.co and can be purchased for $25. STT 2016 mini memberships can also be purchased online for $40.

Second Thought Theatre seeks to capture the moment of creation between artist and audience. Dedicated to ensemble productions that explore challenging and dramatic works from the canon of theatrical literature, STT strives to enlighten and entertain its audience by pushing the boundaries of human thought and emotion. Old works done in new ways, new works done in old ways. Everything is possible when you take a second thought.

Dagny Sanson (Joelle) Dagny is proud to be making her regional debut at Second Thought. She is a senior BFA Theater candidate at Southern Methodist University. SMU acting credits include Aunt Dan and Lemon, Bachelorette, Look Homeward, Angel, and Middletown. She would like to thank her husband Jacob for everything he does, as well as her friends and family for supporting her every step of the way.

Cindy Beal (Cathy) Cindy is delighted to join Second Thought for the first time to play the role of Cathy in THE GREAT GOD PAN. Favorite roles include Susan Slater in Becky Shaw and Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Kitchen Dog Theatre); Madam Pernelle in Tartuffe, and Volumnia in Coriolanus (Shakespeare Dallas); Miss Videllia Sparks in The Sugarbean Sisters, Flora Humble in Humble Boy, Penny in You Can't Take It With You, and Mrs. French in Ravenscroft (WaterTower Theatre); Ethel in Moon Over Buffalo (Pocket Sandwich Theatre); Mrs. Wire in Vieux Carre (Theatre Three); Sarah Bernhardt in Ladies of the Camellias (Echo Theatre); Sylvia Lovejoy in Fortitude (Our Endeavors). Cindy has a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Houston, and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Antioch University.

Alex Organ (Jamie/STT Artistic Director) Alex is the Artistic Director for Second Thought Theatre. At STT he's appeared in Othello (Iago) and Red Light Winter (Davis), and he's directed A Behanding in Spokane and Cock. He is a member of the Brierley Resident Acting Company at the Dallas Theater Center, where his credits include All The Way, A Christmas Carol, Sense and Sensibility, The Rocky Horror Show, The Fortress of Solitude, and Fly By Night. Elsewhere in DFW he's been seen at Undermain Theater (The Droll; The Flick; Profanity), Trinity Shakespeare (Julius Caesar; Macbeth; Taming of the Shrew; As You Like It), Theater Three (The Farnsworth Invention), WaterTower Theater (Putting It Together; Little Shop of Horrors), Lyric Stage (The Most Happy Fella), and Shakespeare Dallas (Coriolanus; Hamlet, Two Gentlemen of Verona; As You Like It). Regionally he's appeared at the Alley Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Elm Shakespeare Festival, and New York's Epic Theater Ensemble. Alex is a proud member of Actors Equity and a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.

Laura Yancey (Polly) Laura is grateful to be at Second Thought Theatre again, where she played in The Country Wife in the early days of the company. Her other acting credits include Richard III, All's Well That Ends Well, Coriolanus (Shakespeare Dallas); Tomfoolery, Comic Potential, First Lady Suite (Theatre Three); The Women, True West (Contemporary Theatre of Dallas); Full Moon Murders! (Pegasus Theatre); Shoe Confessions (WingSpan/Festival of Independent Theatres); Surviving Grace (Rover Dramawerks); A Flea in Her Ear, Romeo and Juliet (Classical Acting Company). Laura has also performed in staged readings for Kitchen Dog Theater, Shakespeare Dallas, and Echo Theatre. She holds an MFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University.

Natalie Young (Paige) Natalie is as delighted as always to be working with STT again. Others here include Edmond, Some Girl(s), Red Light Winter and Bull. Select favorites elsewhere include The Ugly One (Watertower Theater), Oleanna (Dallas Actors Lab), Party Mouth (The Ochre House), Melancholy Play (Upstart Productions), The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare Dallas) and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Risk Theatre Initiative). Natalie has also acted in several short films and web commercials that you've probably never seen. Natalie is co-director of Choreo Records Youth Ensemble as well as a member of The Polyphonic Spree. When not touring with the band, she lives at home with her husband, Nick Earl, and her cat, Clementine, both sources of inspiration.

Bob Hess (Doug) is delighted to be back at STT after last appearing in their production of Scapino back in 2007. He has appeared on nearly every stage in the Metroplex over the last 35 years, most recently in Sexy Laundry (WaterTower Theater/Stage West); The Nance and Vanya, Sonia, Masha And Spike (Uptown Players); Miracle on 34th Street (Dallas Children's Theater); On Golden Pond, The Interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald, and Big River (Casa Manana); The Quixotic Days and Errant Nights of Don Quixote (Amphibian Productions); To Kill a Mockingbird (Dallas Theater Center); Light Up the Sky, The Odd Couple and Vieux Carre (Theatre Three); and The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?(Kitchen Dog Theatre). A recipient of numerous Dallas Critics' Forum Awards, Bob currently serves as an adjunct professor of theatre at University of North Texas and is represented by The Mary Collins Agency.

Drew Wall (Frank) Drew is currently the Director of Operations for Second Thought Theatre and has been working with the company since 2007. During that time, he has served as an actor, designer, Producer, Production Manager, and Resident Artist. Second Thought acting credits include Belleville, Nocturne, Booth, Red Light Winter, A Behanding in Spokane, The Bombitty of Errors, A Skull in Connemara, The Country Wife, and Lobby Hero. Other (select) credits include Long Way Go Down, Beauty Queen of Leeann, Totalitarions (Kitchen Dog Theater); On The Eve, Defiance (Theater Three); The Dog Problem (Undermain Theater). Drew holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Baylor University, is represented by the Kim Dawson Agency, also a company member of Kitchen Dog Theater, and would like to thank his friends and family for their constant love and support.

Carson McCain (Director) Carson McCain is so excited to be back working with Second Thought Theatre on her professional directorial debut, THE GREAT GOD PAN. She is a 2014 graduate of Southern Methodist University, where she studied acting, directing and playwriting. She has previously worked with Second Thought on Belleville by Amy Herzog, and Booth by Steven Michael Walters. She has also served as assistant to the director on Dallas Theater Center's production of FLY. Directing credits include Middletown by Will Eno, Delirium by Enda Walsh and Theatre O, and the world premiere of Michelle with Wet Eyeballs by Claire Carson.

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