Photo Flash: First Look at Mad Horse Theatre's THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE

Mad Horse Theatre Company explores love and language in Julia Cho's quietly beautiful THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE. This charming and heartfelt play, directed by company member Christopher Price, opens the 2018/2019 season.

George is a dedicated scientist, consumed with preserving and documenting the dying languages of far-flung cultures. Closer to home, though, language is failing him. He doesn't know what to say to Mary, his wife of many years, to keep her from leaving him, and he doesn't recognize the deep feelings that his young lab assistant has for him. By turns humorous and heartbreaking, THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE is a deeply affecting story about our universal struggle to hear and be heard, in the world's some 6300 languages, for who we truly are.

The cast includes company members; Mark Rubin, Marie Stewart Harmon, and Tootie Van Reenen, with guest artists; Mary Fraser and Payne Ratner. Company member Jennifer Halm-Perazone is the stage and production manager. The crew includes company members; Christopher Price (set design), Stacey Koloski (props), Jake Cote (sound design) and guest artists, Emily Dixon (lighting design) and Anna Halloran (Costumes).

THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE by Julia Cho received the 2010 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, awarded to women who have written distinguished works for the English-speaking theater. Cho's talent is her freedom to insert surreal surprises into her plays in a style that recalls the works of Sarah Ruhl. By turns whimsical and bittersweet, the yearnings of the characters are often portrayed with playfulness as they explore attempts at love and happiness.

Director Christopher Price says:
"The obvious irony of a linguist who can't express his feelings is central to this play but, at it's core, I believe that it's less a love story than a deliberation on love itself; what it means to love in all it's ramifications; joy, sadness, frustration, holding close, letting go. Words often fail us because language and communication are not synonymous. I think Julia Cho writes with great honesty, tenderness and poignancy and the courage to explore the difficulties of being present and heard by those we're closest to. While pensive, funny and sometimes melancholic, it's ultimately affirming and a pleasure to work on."

THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE runs September 20 - October 7, 2018, at the Mad Horse Theater in the historic Hutchins School, 24 Mosher Street, South Portland.??Performance times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm, and Sunday afternoons at 2 pm. There will be an Opening Night Reception immediately following the Friday, September 21 performance. Everyone is invited to stay after the show, enjoy light snacks, and mingle with the cast, crew, and fellow theater lovers.

A Talkback is scheduled for Sunday, September 30, immediately following the 2pm matinee. This is an opportunity to discuss the play with the director and actors. The talkback is open to everyone and usually starts around 4:15 pm.

Tickets are $23 for adults and $20 for seniors and students. As always, Mad Horse offers Pay What You Can performances. Pay What You Can dates for THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE are Thursday, September 20, Sunday, September 23 and Thursday, September 27. Pay What You Can tickets are only available at the door on a first come, first served basis.

Reservations are strongly recommended. Purchase tickets online at www.madhorse.com or call 207-747-4148 for more information. Please call for group rates.

Photo Credit: Craig Robinson

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