The Sol Project Announces Fifth Production, Noah Diaz's RICHARD & JANE & DICK & SALLY

The Sol Project (Jacob G. Padrón, Artistic Director), the national theater initiative dedicated to amplifying Latinx voices and building a body of work for the new American theater, is proud to announce the world premiere of Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally by Noah Diaz, directed by Taylor Reynolds (Plano), a co-production between Baltimore Center Stage and The Playwrights Realm. Performances at Baltimore Center Stage (700 North Calvert Street) will begin February 6, 2020 and run through March 1, 2020. Performances at The Playwrights Realm will be presented at A.R.T. / New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street) beginning on April 3, 2020, with opening night set for April 14, 2020.

Noah Diaz's Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally sees the harsh, realistic evolution of characters who became part of America's collective unconscious via a series of iconic 1950s children's books by William S. Gray and Zerna Sharp. In Diaz's theatrical universe, Dick (now Richard) and Jane are grown up; Richard is recently widowed and hasn't spoken to Jane in ages, while his children are retreating into the realm of fantasy. Richard's son Dick sports his mother's clothes in hopes of conjuring her, and his daughter Sally-who is deaf and feeling the crushing weight of her father's desire for her to fit into the hearing world-converses with the family dog, Spot. In this dramatic comedy, Diaz makes a stunningly lyrical off-Broadway debut that exposes the gap between the idealized archetypes we internalize as children and the often painful real-life experiences that drive our emotional development as adults.

The Sol Project's Artistic Director Jacob Padrón said, "This collaboration with Baltimore Center Stage and The Playwrights Realm marks our fifth production as we continue our work of amplifying some of the most exciting Latinx voices in the American theater. We are honored to support Noah Diaz and this groundbreaking play. We remain steadfast in our commitment of building a body of work that reflects the kaleidoscope of our Latinx community while seeding relationships at theaters around the country that we hope will lead to lasting change towards a more inclusive theater landscape."

This production also marks the continued expansion of The Sol Project, with another national partnership in Baltimore Center Stage. As The Sol Project continues its focused work of building meaningful partnerships in the Off-Broadway community, national partners outside of New York City ensure that Latinx playwrights are provided platforms across the country to share their artistry.

"Programming Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally in my first season at Baltimore Center Stage was a no-brainer for me; the first time I read it and talked with Noah, I knew I wanted to collaborate with this artist," said Baltimore Center Stage Artistic Director Stephanie Ybarra, "Getting to do that with The Sol Project (as the Resident Dramaturg) and my friends at The Playwrights Realm is a joy - I hope we do much more of this down the road."

"The goals and ethos of The Sol Project are an inspiring challenge for all of us in the theater community. In the three years since they have formed they have already had a sizable impact on the national conversation. Partnering with them has caused The Playwrights Realm to engage even more deeply around creating a just and inclusive theatrical landscape and I'm excited to continue working together to move these shared values forward," said The Playwrights Realm's Artistic Director Katherine Kovner.

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