Bristol Riverside Theatre Presents AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, Now thru 5/31

Community and collaboration are the watchwords of Bristol Riverside Theatre's production of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, running tonight, May 12-May 31.

Co-directed by Susan D. Atkinson and Amy Kaissar, the high-voltage drama, which concludes BRT's Mainstage Season, features an ensemble of professional actors Keith Baker, Kevin Bergen, Mark Collmer, Brian Brillinger, Laura Giknis, Marc LeVasseur, Shamus Hunter McCarty, P. Brendan Mulvey and Sabrina Proffitt performing alongside Bucks County community members. The production is supported in part by a generous grant from PECO.

Ringing with contemporary resonance as headlines debate the thin line between whistleblower and traitor, ethics are pitted against economics in Ibsen's explosive drama when one man's quest to do right is at odds with the interests of his community. After Dr. Stockmann discovers a possible toxic contamination endangering the town's sole industry, his brother, the Mayor, launches a counter attack that threatens to tear their community-and family-apart. Sometimes the strongest man in the world is the man who stands most alone.

"It is no surprise that theater audiences are changing. In a trend that is sweeping the nation, people want to participate in the creative process, not just be passive audience members," said Director Susan D. Atkinson. "In following up on the enormous success of Inherit the Wind, our pilot community outreach project, we are once again providing an opportunity for members of the community to create theater working alongside professionals."

Previews begin Tuesday, May 12 with opening night on Thursday, May 14. Performances run Tuesday through Sunday until May 31. Tickets start at $31, with discounts for students, groups and military personnel. Tickets are available by visiting brtstage.org or calling the BRT Box Office at 215-785-0100. Bristol Riverside Theatre is located at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, PA.

Susan D. Atkinson (Co-director) theatrical career spans 40 years of directing and producing on both the east and west coasts. She has directed well over 150 plays and musicals in her career, including world and area premieres from such playwrights and composers as Doug Katsoras, Mark St. Germain, Jon Marans, Alan Knee and Larry Gatlin. For BRT, Atkinson has directed this season's smash hit Always...Patsy Cline, as well as Tuesdays with Morrie and Little Shop of Horrors last season as well as What A Glorious Feeling and Inherit The Wind, The Good Earth, Wintertime, Irma La Douce, Alive and Well, The Price, 110 in the Shade, A Sunbeam, Inspecting Carol, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Arsenic and Old Lace, A Little Night Music, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Holiday, Talley's Folly, Proof, Little Women, A Raw Space and Steel Magnolias. In 1998, Atkinson directed Larry Gatlin's Texas Flyer both here at BRT and at Theatre Under The Stars in Houston, Texas.

Amy Kaissar (Co-director) was the Managing Director of Bristol Riverside Theatre from 2009-2014 and is delighted to be back, in a different role, again. She is currently a producer on The Heidi Chronicles, now on Broadway starring Elisabeth Moss and Jason Biggs and is also represented on Broadway with the new Jeanine Tesori musical Fun Home. Her directing work has been seen at The Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Abingdon Theatre, Stone Soup Productions, The Theatre Studio (NYC), The Philadelphia Dramatists Guild, on PBS (WQED-Pittsburgh), and at Epiphany Theater, a company she co-founded in 1999. In its 10 years, Epiphany supported the work of over 200 early career artists including future winners of the Tony, Jonathan Larson, Richard Rodgers, Reva Shiner, Heideman, and ASCAP awards.

Keith Baker (Morten Kiil) has appeared in BRT productions of Inherit the Wind, Deathtrap, A Raw Space, Barrymore, Old Wicked Songs, Defiance, Proof, Hamlet, A Little Night Music, Arsenic and Old Lace, and A Moon for the Misbegotten. Elsewhere, recently, he took over the role of Jeeves in the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn musical By Jeeves at the Goodspeed Opera House and appeared on TV in two episodes of Stella for Comedy Central. Baker has been nominated eleven times for the prestigious Carbonell Awards, for which he was twice the recipient for Best Actor. He has directed more than 40 productions for BRT including Chicago (nominated for six Barrymore Awards), The Balkan Women (winner of a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play), The Dresser (nominated for a Barrymore Award for Best Director of a Play) and Dear World (nominated for three Barrymore Awards).

Kevin Bergen (Doctor Stockmann) has appeared in several productions at People's Light & Theatre Company, including Man from Nebraska, for which he was nominated for a Barrymore Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play as well as in Row After Row, Bach at Leipzig, The Rainmaker, and King Lear. He has also been featured at Arden Theatre Company in Water by the Spoonful and August: Osage County, Walnut Street Theatre in An Ideal Husband, and Delaware Theatre Company in Nora.

Mark Collmer (Horster) returns to BRT where he played George Sillers in Inherit the Wind. He has appeared as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at both Walnut Street Theatre and Maui Onstage, and was also featured in Sunset Boulevard at Media Theatre.

Brian Drillinger (Mayor Stockmann) appeared as Stanley in the Broadway/National Tours of both Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound. A frequent guest at LA's Hudson Theatre and NYC's Jewish Repertory Theatre, other regional credits include productions at South Coast Repertory, Seattle Repertory, Alley Theatre, Old Globe, and Pioneer Theatre Company. He is the winner of the LA Indies Award for Best Supporting Actor in How to Go Out on a Date in Queens.

Laura C. Giknis (Petra Stockmann) has been seen at Bristol Riverside Theatre in Little Shop of Horrors, Steel Magnolias and Up. She has appeared as Chiffon in the 11th Hour Theatre Company/Theatre Horizon production of Little Shop of Horrors as well as in their production of Reefer Madness. Recently starring as Sandy in Grease at the Walnut Street Theatre, where she also appeared in Hairspray, other local performances include productions at Arden Theatre Company and People's Light & Theatre Company.

Marc LeVasseur (Hovstad) appeared last season in BRT's production of Pride and Prejudice. He has been a frequent guest at Aquila Theatre and Peterborough Players. His New York credits include productions at the Pearl Theatre, New York Classical Theatre, Flea Theatre, and New York Neo-Classical Ensemble.

Shamus Hunter McCarty (Billing) makes his BRT debut, having appeared locally in several productions at Quince Production, Hedgerow Theatre, and The Renegade Company. He was a Broadwayworld.com Award nominee for Best Actor in a Play in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Tudor Theatrical Productions, and Best Supporting Actor in a Play in The Homosexuals at Quince Productions.

P. Brendan Mulvey (Aslaksen) is an audience favorite at BRT where he has appeared in Gypsy, Zorba, Dear World, The Rothchilds, Man of La Mancha, and The Philadelphia Story. In addition to the national touring production of Cabaret, he has been featured in several productions at Media Theatre, Bucks County Playhouse and Off-Broadstreet Theatre. His film credits include National Treasure and Standing Ovation.

Sabrina Profitt (Mrs. Stockmann) has appeared locally at the Walnut Street Theatre in Mickle Street and at Montgomery Theatre in Rumors. She is a frequent guest at Asolo Theater where she has starred in Dancing at Lughnasa, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Tartuffe and Extremities, as well as at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, appearing in Othello and As You Like It.

Community ensemble members, working as actors, dramaturgs, and documentarians, include Charles Acosta, Donovan Adams, Dallas Andrews, Rocco Angelastro, Kelly Armstrong, Donald Ballentine, Richard Blanck, Joshua Boruch, Faith Brachelli, David Cashell, Steven Ciceron, Scott Cronin, Anthony Daniels, Pam Dickler, Lauren Esser, Nathan Esser, David Feeney, Nolah Flynn, Camille Foster-Swartley, Miriam Foster-Swartley, Susan Garner, Regina Gluhoski, Scott Harris, Tim Irvine, Manny Jones, Stan Karuzis, Baird Kline, Dasha Mamantova, John Means, Lloyd Miller, Richard Pine, Denise Smith, Rachel Sydney, Michelle Tobin, Rebekah Weagraff, Sharon Wilhelm, Betty Wilson, Lyn Yetto, Julianna Zannikos, Margie Zielinski, and Neal Zoren.

An Enemy of the People brings together the creative team of Set Designer Jason Simms, Costume Designer Gina Andreoli, Lighting Designer Deborah Constantine, and Sound Designer Brad Ward.

Since 1986, BRT has brought consistently acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County and maintains a long-term commitment to finding and developing new plays. The theatre is the recipient of over 70 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by Theatre Philadelphia. In addition to its Mainstage productions, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community, with such programs as children's theatre, community concerts and exhibitions of local visual arts. Currently under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker, Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, and Managing Director Jameson Gilpatrick, BRT concludes its 28th season. For information, visit www.brtstage.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.