Theatre Nova Presents BRIGHT HALF LIFE by Tanya Barfield

Following its short summer hiatus, Theatre Nova is preparing to open Pulitzer Prize nominee Tanya Barfield's BRIGHT HALF LIFE on October 1. The play whisks the audience through the romance of Erica (Alysia Kolascz) and Vicky (Breon Canady), their courtship, marriage, and life together continuing backward and forward in time at a breathless pace. A conversation that begins at the office might continue at an amusement park later, and conclude while they're skydiving; the dreamlike narrative promises a unique, witty, and heartfelt look at love, pain, and hope over the course of a lifetime.

Theatre Nova is proud to present the play's Michigan premiere, following its February debut at the Women's Project Theater in New York. The initial production received raves from numerous outlets; The New Yorker called it "a well-written, engaging portrayal of smart women finding themselves, and each other," the New York Times added "BRIGHT HALF LIFE shows the volatility in a long-term partnership, the joy and desolation, the hurt and help - all intermingled, all at once," while Time Out New York concluded, "For sheer loveliness, you won't surpass Tanya Barfield's exquisite BRIGHT HALF LIFE."

Artistic Director Carla Milarch said that Barfield's script is specific to its two characters, while also resonating with anyone who has been through the highs and lows of a marriage or a long-term relationship. She noted that the Theatre Nova team feels "especially privileged to be presenting it at this particular moment in history," adding that "for us, and we hope for our community, it is both a celebration of this particular moment in time and the recent marriage equality victory, but also an exploration of how individual, and memorable life-making moments we share over time with those we love make us a family and cement us together."

Both Canady and Kolascz are making their Theatre Nova debut with BRIGHT HALF LIFE. The production is directed by Dan Walker, who also provides the show's production design. The show's stage manager is Roberta Lake. The production will run October 1-25, with performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm.

All performances will be at the Yellow Barn (416 W. Huron, Ann Arbor), which Theatre Nova converts into a professional thrust-configured theater venue six-times a year. The location offers free parking, as well as quick walking access to downtown; nearby reference points are the Ann Arbor YMCA, the Big City Small World bakery, The Last Word, and the Sun Moon Yoga Studio. The entrance for parking is near the intersection of Huron St. and Chapin St/3rd St.

Theatre Nova has marked all performances as pay-what-you-can, with a suggested donation of $20. The company is also offering annual memberships that include tickets to all six season productions, every show in the Michigan Playwrights' Festival in November, and each of its three children's show in collaboration with Spinning Dot theatre in August, September and October.

Theatre Nova is Michigan's only theater exclusively producing new plays. Its mission is to raise awareness of the value and excitement of new plays and rising artists, and provide resources for playwrights to develop their craft by importing, exporting, and developing new work. It seeks to create a sustainable theater for generations to come, built on the cornerstones of accessibility, transparency, artist-leadership, and equality. It is a nonprofit 501c(3) organization. Visit theatrenova.org for more information.

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