Spectacle Meets Sleight of Hand in THE MAGIC PLAY at Actors Theatre

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Kevin E. Moore announce the cast and creative team for The Magic Play. Featuring magic created by Brett Schneider, The Magic Play by Andrew Hinderaker will be directed by Halena Kays. Performances begin January 23 and run through February 11 in the Pamela Brown Auditorium, as part of the Brown-Forman Series. Tickets are available at 502.584.1205, online at ActorsTheatre.org or in person by visiting The Actors Theatre Box Office at 316 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202.

The Magic Play is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the importance of letting go, complete with surprising twists and dazzling spectacle. This one-of-a-kind performance begins when the successful Magician (Brett Schneider) takes the stage to perform card tricks and share personal anecdotes. As memories surface, he, and the audience, realize that sometimes even sleight of hand can't summon the magic we need most.

Playwright Andrew Hinderaker's work strives to call attention to the power of theatre as a live event, and The Magic Play is no exception. During each performance, The Magician chooses four random volunteers to assist him with certain pieces of magic, and each piece can change from show to show depending on the audience's response.

"I often describe The Magic Play as a kind of physical poetry," says director Halena Kays, who helmed its world premiere at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in 2016 and a second production at the Olney Theatre Center in Washington, D.C. last spring. "Seeing a sleight-of-hand magician display his skillset is like watching a dancer or an athlete."

But The Magic Play isn't just a visually arresting series of tricks. At its core, it's a poignant and relatable look at two people navigating a romantic relationship-and, in The Magician's case, grappling with the difficulty of being present and open with another person.

"The Magic Play is a love story," Schneider elaborates. "It asks us to consider, what is intimacy? What is vulnerability? How do you balance wanting to control a situation with surrendering to the moment, especially with someone you love?"

Brett Schneider leads as The Magician. TimeOut Chicago described him as "a highly intelligent and vulnerable actor and a first-rate magician," following The Magic Play's Chicago premiere. Schneider created all the magic featured in the production and often works as an illusion designer and magic consultant for theatre (Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Lookingglass Theatre Company, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Roundabout Theatre), television and film. He is a resident member of the famed Magic Castle in Los Angeles, California.

Jon Hudson Odom plays The Diver. He has worked across the country including productions at Olney Theatre Center, McCarter Theatre Center and Centerstage. Odom is a company member at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, an Artistic Associate at Olney Theatre Center and a member of The Ensemble at Forum Theatre. Jack Bronis appears as Another Magician. His acting credits span theatre, film and television, including Best If Used By, For A Good Time and Chicago Fire. He is a longtime faculty member of The Second City and Acting Studio Chicago.

Playwright Andrew Hinderaker's work includes I Am Going to Change the World, Dirty, Kingsville, and Suicide, Incorporated, which premiered at the Gift and was subsequently produced Off-Broadway at the Roundabout Theatre Company. He currently holds commission from the Roundabout Theatre Company and Marc Platt Productions. Hinderaker is an Emeritus Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists and was a member of the 2013-2014 Playwrights Unit at The Goodman Theatre.

This production marks director Halena Kays' Actors Theatre debut. She previously directed The Magic Play at Goodman Theatre and Olney Theatre Center. Kays is the former Artistic Director of The Hypocrites and co-founder and former artistic director of Barrel of Monkeys. She has been nominated for a Jefferson Citation for Best Supporting Actress and Best Direction and is a recipient of the 3Arts Award. She is professor of directing at Middle Tennessee State University.

The creative team for The Magic Play includes scenic design by Lizzie Bracker (The Magic Play at Olney Theatre Center and Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, The Neo-Futurists) costume design by Alison Siple (Angels in America, The 39 Steps, The Hypocrites' HMS Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance at Actors Theatre), lighting design by Jesse Belsky (59E59, Arena Stage, Studio Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre), sound design and original music by Matthew M. Nielson (The Public Theater, Lincoln Center Theater, 59E59), and media design by Philip Allgeier (Angels in America, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity at Actors Theatre, The Christians at Mark Taper Forum, Glory of the World at BAM). Flying Effects provided by ZFX, Inc. Jim Steinmeyer will be the Magic Consultant. Sylvia Hernandez will be the Aerial Consultant.

Learn more about the cast and creative team by visiting ActorsTheatre.org.

Actors Theatre is committed to providing an accessible theatergoing experience and offers an open-captioned performance on February 3 and an audio-described performance February 4 during the run of The Magic Play. For more information about our facilities and all services offered, visit ActorsTheatre.org. Tickets are on sale to the public with seats starting at $25. Tickets can be purchased by calling The Actors Theatre Box Office at 502.584.1205 or online at ActorsTheatre.org. Special rates for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 502.585.1210.

The Magic Play is made possible in part by production sponsor Brown-Forman, the Kentucky Arts Council and Fund for the Arts. Additionally, Actors Theatre's educational outreach for The Magic Play is made possible by Yum! Brands Foundation and their sponsorship of Actors' Student Matinee Series.

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