The Circuit Playhouse Begins New Year with SWEAT

The Circuit Playhouse, in partnership with super sponsor Dr. Thomas Ratliff, offer the 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner as its first play of the new year.

Sweat takes us to Reading, PA; one of the poorest cities in America. A group of factory workers struggle to keep their lives afloat; ignorant of the financial devastation looming quietly in the future. Set in 2008, Sweat is a poignant and timely reflection of America's economic decline.

Resident Company Member, Kim Sanders (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Junk) leads an all-star cast of Ostrander winners as Tracey. Greg Boller (All Saints in the Old Colony) returns to The Circuit Playhouse as Stan. Also returning, are community favorites Jai Johnson (Disgraced) as Cynthia and Darious Robertson (Junk) as her son Chris. Associate Company Members Ryan Negron (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Junk) and Talen Piner (Little Women: The Broadway Musical) take on the roles of Oscar and Jason. Anchoring this production as director, is multi-time Ostrander winner Irene Crist.

Lynn Nottage is a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and a screenwriter. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. In the spring of 2017, Sweat (Pulitzer Prize, Obie Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Tony Nomination, Drama Desk Nomination) moved to Broadway after a sold out run at The Public Theater. It premiered and was commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival American Revolutions History Cycle/Arena Stage. Ms. Nottage's work has experienced much acclaim in the Memphis area. The University of Memphis, Rhodes College, and Southwest Tennessee Community College all produced work by Nottage in the Fall of 2018 dubbing the collaboration "Nottage Fest."

The complete cast for Sweat is as follows:

CAST LIST

• Stan - Greg Boller
• Evan- Marcus Cox
• Jessie - Tracie Hansom
• Cynthia - Jai Johnson
• Oscar - Ryan Negron
• Jason - Talen Piner
• Chris - Darious Robertson
• Tracey - Kim Sanders
• Brucie - JS Tate

Directed by Irene Crist

• Stage Manager - Savannah Thibodeaux
• Costume Designer - Lindsay Schmeling
• Lighting Designer - Trey Eikleberry
• Scenic Designer - Andrew Mannion
• Properties Designer - Brandyn Nordlof
• Production Manager/Technical Director - Phillip Hughen

Performances will run Thursday - Saturday 8:00 pm curtain and with 2:00 pm curtain on Sunday. For tickets, call the Box Office at (901) 726-4656 or visit our website www.playhouseonthesquare.org. Follow with social media using #WEARESWEAT. Group rates available.

Special ticket pricing for opening weekend $25. Pay What You Can performance, sponsored by Arts First and the First Tennessee Foundation is January 31st.

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