Renaissance Theaterworks Closes AMERICAN FIESTA, 5/23

Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) concludes its 2009-10 mainstage season and AMERICAN FIESTA by Steven Tomlinson on May 23. Milwaukee Director, Jenny Wanasek will direct this play featuring John McGivern.

AMERICAN FIESTA Synopsis
An obsessive collector deals with his Oklahoma parents' opposition to his same-sex marriage, as he travels across America to find the "perfect piece" of vintage Fiestaware. His comical journey reveals a fresh, hopeful look at our country's cultural/political divide and the many ways we can find common ground. Milwaukee's own John McGivern will tickle your funny-bone and touch your heart as he plays over 20 different characters in this tour de-force role.

Director's Bio
Jenny Wanasek returns to Renaissance Theaterworks having directed FULL GALLOP (1999) and MEMOIR (2003). She has distinguished herself as an actress, director, and now teacher. She is a 1980 graduate of UWM. She has acted with The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, The Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act Theatre, First Stage, The Skylight Opera Theatre, among others. Favorite roles include Mrs. Shubert in SHEAR MADNESS, Esther in THE PRICE, Martha in STRANGE SNOW, the title role in SISTER MARY IGNATIUS EXPLAINS IT ALL FOR YOU. Additional directing credits include those with The Chamber Theatre, Next Act, First Stage, and various universities. Wanasek is also co-founder of The Center For Applied Theatre (CAT) which provides workshops, theatre experiences, and staff trainings to release potential in individuals and organizations. In the past year CAT has led workshops on issues such as bullying, violence, and drug addiction.

Cast Bio

John McGivern makes his Renaissance Theaterworks debut with AMERICAN FIESTA. John is the first actor to play the roles in American Fiesta other than its playwright, Steven Tomlinson. John is also the author and star of many personally written one-man shows and has received critical acclaim all over the country. His first show, MIDWEST SIDE STORY, opened to rave reviews at the Baliwick Theater in Chicago. He has won numerous awards for this show including the 1994 John W. Schmid Award for "Best Writer of a New Work" and the "After Dark Award" for outstanding performance by an actor. John has toured to sold out houses in many states across the country including his hometown of Milwaukee.

Through the years his shows have taken on slightly different names including MORE MIDWEST SIDE STORIES, John McGiverN LIVE, ONE OF THE BOYS, LATE NIGHT WITH John McGiverN, THAT John McGiverN THING, AN EVENING WITH John McGiverN, and MIDSUMMER NIGHT McGIVERN. These monologues are based on his real life experiences as a Catholic boy growing up in an Irish-Catholic family. His stories about family and friends are told with sincerity, compassion, and humor. Born in Milwaukee, one of six children in an Irish Catholic working class family, his topics include parents, nuns, school, and being the one who could never throw a ball!

John has appeared in numerous productions written for the stage. He is probably best known for his role of Tony Whitcomb in the long running comedy hit, SHEAR MADNESS. He has played the role in Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, D.C., Tampa, St. Paul, and San Francisco. He is also proud to have been part of the Studio Theater's Helen Hayes award winning production of MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS as Mendel. John was also seen in A LAWYER, A PRIEST AND AN ATHEIEST WALK INTO A BAR at The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center .

John is a member of Milwaukee's #1 Morning Radio show with Dave and Carole on 96.5 WKLH. He was seen on Milwaukee's WTMJ-4 with his entertainment segment called THE DAILY DISH McGIVERN STYLE and can be seen doing special projects for MPTV and TIME WARNER. You may remember John from his PBS Specials A MIDSUMMER NIGHT McGIVERN and John McGiverN'S WINTER TALES and his new PBS Special, THE EARLY STORIES OF John McGiverN, which aired in December on Channel 10. John can be seen on TIME WARNER in JOURNEYS WITH John McGiverN and as the host of East Town's BATTLE OF THE CHEFS.
John is proud to have been part of WE'RE FUNNY THAT WAY on HBO and OUT THERE II on Comedy Central. He was seen sitting next to Sally Field on POLITICALLY INCORRECT and knighted by Julie Andrews in the hit film THE PRINCESS DIARIES.

John has appeared many times on stage in his hometown of Milwaukee:
He appeared in the production of LOVERS AND EXECUTIONERS in the role of Guzman the servant.
He performed over forty characters in a one-man show entitled FULLY COMMITTED
He played a seedy diplomat in the production of HOMEBODY/KABUL
He took on the role of Felix Unger in the production of THE ODD COUPLE
He played an elf in the David Sedaris play entitled THE SANTALAND DIARIES
He was Mason the accountant in TAKE ME OUT

Production Team
Julie Swenson (Producer), Brandy Kline (Stage Manager), Steve Barnes (Set Design), Jason Fassl (Lighting Design), Aliceson Hackett-Rubel (Costume Design), Victoria Delorio (Sound Design), Jim Guy (Prop Design), Tim Chiappeta (Videographer).

Ticket Information
Tickets to AMERICAN FIESTA are $32 for all performances. Tickets are available through The Broadway Theatre Center box office by calling (414) 291-7800 or online at www.r-t-w.com. All performances are at The Studio Theatre, 158 N. Broadway. Monday, April 26, 2010 will be the Pay-What-You-Can performance at 7:30 p.m. (Tickets for the April 26 performance will be available at the door at 6:30 p.m. No phone-in orders or advanced sales will be accepted for the Pay-What-You-Can performance.)

Presenting Sponsors: Polly & Giles Daeger Opening Night Sponsor: Equality Wisconsin Fund
Season Sponsors: Time Warner Cable, M & I Foundation, Wisconsin Energy Foundation, The Richard & Ethel Herzfeld Foundation, Wisconsin Arts Board, CAMAPC, UPAF

The mission of Renaissance Theaterworks is to create moving theater that awakens our recognition of what it is to be human - from classic to world premieres - with attention to women's roles onstage and off. Founded in 1993, Renaissance Theaterworks is Milwaukee's only women-founded and women-run theatre company. Renaissance Theaterworks is a member of Theater Wisconsin and the Third Ward Arts District. Renaissance Theaterworks receives support from the Wisconsin Arts Board, Milwaukee Arts Board, CAMPAC, United Performing Arts Fund, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, private donors and foundations.

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