SHIPWRECKED! to Make NJ Premiere at Dreamcatcher Rep

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, professional theatre in residence at Oakes Center in Summit, is producing Donald Margulies' comic romp Shipwrecked! An Entertainment: The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougement (As Told by Himself). This comedy, written by a winner of the Pulitzer Prize, is receiving its New Jersey premiere.

Shipwrecked! runs February 16 - March 5, 2017, with talkbacks following the February 19 and 26 matinees.

The adventurous Louis de Rougemont invites you to hear his amazing story of bravery, survival and celebrity that left nineteenth-century England spellbound. Dare to be whisked away in a story of the high seas, populated by exotic islanders, flying wombats, giant sea turtles and a monstrous man-eating octopus. Shipwrecked! examines how far we're willing to blur the line between fact and fiction in order to leave our mark on the world.

The production is directed by Jack Tamburri (New York City) and features Dreamcatcher ensemble members Nicole Callender (West Orange), Harry Patrick Christian (Montclair) and Scott McGowan (Maplewood). Playwright Donald Margulies is a much-honored playwright who has won numerous awards, including two OBIE Awards (for Sight Unseen and The Model Apartment), one Tony Award nomination (for Time Stands Still), two Pulitzer Prize nominations (for Sight Unseen and Collected Stories), and one Pulitzer Prize (for Dinner With Friends).

To participate in the Dreamcatcher Book Club, patrons may purchase the script in advance and then attend the matinee on Sunday, February 26. The audience is invited to begin the theatre day at noon for an optional bring-your-own-lunch to discuss the book with other patrons before the 2pm matinee. Audience talkback with the director and actors will follow immediately after the show, and will focus on how the production was brought from the page to the stage. Scripts may be purchased at Mondo Summit, 426 Springfield Avenue in Summit, or online Dramatists Play Service.

Shipwrecked! will run at Dreamcatcher from Thursday, February 16, a preview performance, through Sunday, March 5, 2017. Performances are Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets range from $20 to $35, with special rates for subscribers and groups. Purchase tickets at www.dreamcatcherrep.org or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006. Special dates: Thursday, February 16 is a preview performance; all tickets $20. Friday, February 17 is opening night, followed by a reception with the cast. Sunday, February 19 is Senior Sunday; seniors age 65+ pay $20 (advance purchases only).

Performances are at Oakes Center, located at 120 Morris Avenue in Summit. Parking is available in the lot behind the theatre at 20 Ashwood Avenue and at the Summit Recreation Center, 100 Morris Avenue. The facility is wheelchair accessible. Assistive listening devices for the hearing impaired and advance large print scripts are available for free by prior arrangement. To purchase tickets or for information on any of Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre's programs, visit www.dreamcatcherrep.org or contact Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre at Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901, business phone 908-514-9654.

Dreamcatcher was founded in 1994 as a non-profit professional ensemble of actors, a subset of whom perform in every production. The mission of our ensemble is to build community with the audience by sharing life-affirming stories in an intimate environment. We seek to expose theatregoers to ideas and lives like and unlike their own, to awaken their imaginations and create empathy for others. The company focuses on deepening the experience of our patrons by supplementing the performances with personal contact through receptions, talkbacks and interactive programs.

Dreamcatcher's core company of professional local actors performs contemporary work that entertains and challenges, and has at its heart a belief in the essential goodness of people. The company's activities include mainstage productions, improv comedy and cabarets, new play readings and a variety of educational and senior outreach programs.

Dreamcatcher's programs are funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; Dramatist Guild Fund; The Summit Area Public Foundation; the Manley-Winser Foundation; and many other corporations, foundations and individuals. Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre is an Equity Producing Theatre member of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation, incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey.

Pictured: Harry Patrick Christian plays Louis de Rougemont in Shipwrecked! (photo by Steve McIntyre)

To post a comment, you must register and login.