Dorset Theatre Festival Presents CRY IT OUT

Dorset Theatre Festival, under the leadership of Artistic Director Dina Janis, Producing Director Will Rucker, and Executive Director Marissa Hutton, opens the 41st Season with CRY IT OUT, by Molly Smith Metzler, directed by Marc Masterson. CRY IT OUT will begin performances June 21, 2018 at the Dorset Playhouse (104 Cheney Road, Dorset, VT 05251), and will run through July 14, 2018.

CRY IT OUT: A laugh-till-you-cry comedy for anyone who's ever known a baby. Jessie can't find any Mom Friends in her new Long Island neighborhood until she and larger-than-life Lina start sneaking out for coffee between their duplexes during nap times. When a wealthy neighbor comes down from the hill overlooking their hangout, the sleep-deprived comedy of new parenthood shows a different side of itself. CRY IT OUT is an honestly absurd look at the dilemma of returning to work after childbirth and how class impacts parenthood and friendship.

"CRY IT OUT has connected with audiences because it is both funny as well as poignant, and looks at parenthood in a whole new way. It just won the Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Citation, which is a very big deal, and it occurred to me that the play has not yet been produced on the East Coast. It's new, fun and exciting, and is perfect for our audiences. It's one terrific play, and it is going to be a hit." - Dina Janis, Artistic Director

CRY IT OUT was written by playwright and screenwriter Molly Smith Metzler whose plays include ELEMENO PEA, CRY IT OUT, CARVE, THE MAY QUEEN, TRAINING WISTERIA, and CLOSE UP SPACE which have been produced Off-Broadway and across the country. Metzler's awards include the Lecomte du Nouy Prize from Lincoln Center, the National Student Playwriting Award from The Kennedy Center, the Association for Theatre in Higher Education's David Mark Cohen Award, the Mark Twain Comedy Prize, and a finalist nod for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. In television, Metzler has written for CASUAL (Hulu), ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (Netflix), CODES OF CONDUCT (HBO), and is currently a writer/producer on SHAMELESS (Showtime). She is also currently adapting Ali Benjamin's award-winning novel THE THINGS ABOUT JELLYFISH into a film for OddLot Entertainment with Made Up Stories and Pacific Standard (Reese Witherspoon's company).

Marc Masterson will direct CRY IT OUT. As Artistic Director of South Coast Repertory, Marc produced dozens of world premieres including A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2 by Lucas Hnath, VIETGONE by Qui Nguyen, MR. WOLF by Rajiv Joseph and OFFICE HOUR by Julia Cho. Recent directing credits include SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, ALL THE WAY, ZEALOT, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, EURYDICE and ELEMENO PEA (South Coast Rep); HAND TO GOD at the Alliance Theatre; BYHALIA, MISSISSIPPI by Evan Linder at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival; AS YOU LIKE IT for the Houston Shakespeare Festival; and THE KITE RUNNER at Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Cleveland Play House. He served for 11 years as artistic director of Actors Theatre of Louisville and produced the Humana Festival of New American Plays, where he produced more than 100 world premieres. Plays directed at the Humana Festival include works by Charles Mee, Wendell Berry, Craig Wright, Eric Coble, Adam Bock, Gina Gionfriddo, Melanie Marnich, and Rick Dresser. He served as artistic director of City Theatre in Pittsburgh for 20 years and was founder and chairman of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Alliance.

"After producing the world premiere of Molly's play ELEMENO PEA when I was Artistic Director of Actors Theatre of Louisville, I commissioned her to write another play. The result is CRY IT OUT, which was produced by that company after I left to become Artistic Director of South Coast Repertory. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to direct this play at Dorset which I find funny and human and warm - completely insightful and recognizable to anyone who has had children and faced the prospect of reimagining their lives."

- Marc Masterson, Director

The cast for CRY IT OUT includes: Clea Alsip (Broadway: M. BUTTERFLY) playing the role of Jessie. Alsip is returning to the Dorset Theatre Festival where she was last seen in the 2013 production of CLYBOURNE PARK. Andrea Syglowski (Lincoln Center: QUEENS) will reprise the role of Lina that she originated in the award-winning premiere production at the 2017 Humana Festival of New American Plays. Syglowski was last seen at the Dorset Theatre Festival in the 2016 production of DEAR ELIZABETH. Janie Brookshire (Broadway: THE PHILANTHROPIST, TV/Film: BLUE BLOODS, THE GOOD WIFE, FOREVER, DAWSONS CREEK, and SO GOOD TO SEE YOU opposite Sienna Miller) will play Adrienne in her third production at Dorset Theatre Festival. Ms. Brookshire appeared in the 2011 production of DIAL "M" FOR MURDER and 2015's INTIMATE APPAREL. Greg Keller (Broadway: WIT, UNCLE VANYA, OUR MOTHER'S BRIEF AFFAIR) will play Mitchell in his debut production at Dorset Theatre Festival.

"We are so honored that many of our favorite actors, directors, and designers are excited and eager to return to our stage. Our mission and commitment to new work is continuing to build the Festival's reputation on a national level as a destination theatre for the best up-and-coming plays in American Theatre."

- Dina Janis, Artistic Director

CRY IT OUT by Molly Smith Metzler, directed by Marc Masterson, featuring Clea Alsip, Andrea Syglowski, Greg Keller, and Janie Brookshire. Scenery: David L. Arsenault, Costumes: Sydney Maresca, Lights: Michael Giannitti, Sound: Sinan Refik Zafar, Stage Manager: Carolynn Richer, Casting: Judy Bowman, CSA.

Subscriptions for the 2018 Summer Season and single tickets are on sale now. The box office may be reached by calling (802) 867-2223 ext. 101, Tuesday through Saturday, 12 - 6 pm. For more information, or to purchase subscriptions and tickets online, visit www.dorsettheatrefestival.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.DORSETTHEATREFESTIVAL.ORG

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