Orbiter 3 to Stage PEACEABLE KINGDOM, a New Play from the Mind of Mary Tuomanen

Orbiter 3, the acclaimed theatre company helmed by some of Philadelphia's most renowned playwrights, will produce their fifth world premiere this May. From the playwright who brought you Marcus / Emma at InterAct and Hello! Sadness! at FringeArts, comes her most ambitious play yet: Mary Tuomanen's Peaceable Kingdom.

Written by Tuomanen, one of Philadelphia's most celebrated theatre artists, and directed by her longtime collaborator Rebecca Wright, Peaceable Kingdom also marks the debut of a brand new program at Christ Church Neighborhood House for Philadelphia artists to develop new work.

Peaceable Kingdom, which was developed through Orbiter 3 as well as InterAct's Core Playwright Program, is a dark comedy about the Quaker settlement of Pennsylvania. Inspired by the famous series by Philadelphia painter Edward Hicks (1780 - 1849), Peaceable Kingdom is a fable about the longing for utopia.

"This project is very dear to me," explains Tuomanen. "It combines a love of Philadelphia history, a love of choral music, a longing for utopia, and an obsession with a painting I've stared at since I was a child in my grandmother's house."

The play depicts a mythical Quaker colony inhabited by wild creatures both native and foreign to the Americas. The audience is offered a birds-eye-view of two cultures encountering each other for the first time. Peaceable Kingdom is also a warning: an exploration of how ecosystems are impacted by invasive species, be they squirrels, giant cats, or human beings.

Neighborhood House, a program of Christ Church Preservation Trust, serves Philadelphia artists through subsidized rehearsal and performance rentals. In 2016, Neighborhood House invited Orbiter 3 to create and present Peaceable Kingdom in residence at their Old City performance space, piloting a new initiative through which artists will receive more fully subsidized opportunities in 2018 and beyond.

Of the partnership, Neighborhood House program director Abigail Guay says, "When we heard from Mary last year that she was writing a play inspired by the Quaker founding of Philadelphia, we couldn't imagine a better venue than our home on the Christ Church campus, with its own extraordinary religious, political, and social histories."

"We're so honored to be partnered with Christ Church Neighborhood House for this show," says Tuomanen. "They acknowledged the project as ambitious, both a bold re-definition of dramatic form and a radical act of community engagement. I'm overjoyed to be a part of this exciting partnership that could open future doors for local artists!"

Peaceable Kingdom will feature an all-star cast of 9 performers who will be accompanied by a 20-member choir. The cast will feature the talents of John Jarboe of The Bearded Ladies, newcomer First Nations actor Carla-Rae Holland as well as Cathy Simpson, Alexandra King, Stephanie Walters, Thomas Choinacky, Chris Davis, Eliana Fabiyi, and Daniel Park. The production features lighting design by Maria Shaplin, scenic design by Apollo Weaver, costume design by Rebecca Kanach, and props by Emily Schuman.

In their first year of producing work, Orbiter 3 was nominated for seven Barrymore Awards, including the Virginia Brown Martin Award. Beginning last July and continuing through 2017, Orbiter 3 will produce seven new plays in the city of Philadelphia. In 2018, the collective will dissolve.

Members of Orbiter 3 include Emily Acker, Lauren Feldman, Emma Goidel, Sam Henderson, James Ijames, Mary Tuomanen and Douglas Williams, the collective is led by Artistic Director Maura Krause.

IF YOU GO:

Peaceable Kingdom

Produced by Orbiter 3

May 10th - 28th

At Christ Church Neighborhood House at 20 N. American St.

Tickets are $15 - $25 and available online at www.orbiter3.org

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