Arden Theatre Company continues its 26th season of great stories with Stick Fly by Lydia R. Diamond under the direction of Walter Dallas. The production appears on the Arden's Arcadia Stage from tonight, October 24 through December 22, 2013 at 40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia.
Stick Fly takes place on one summer weekend in Martha's Vineyard as the LeVay brothers bring their girlfriends home to meet the parents. Between breakfast and board games, rivalries ignite, opinions flare, and secrets unravel for this African American family. "Stick Fly continues the Arden's commitment to telling great stories of the American Family on our stage," says Arden Producing Artistic Director Terrence J. Nolen. "I'm so proud to introduce our audiences to Lydia Diamond's influential contemporary voice."
Playwright Diamond's plays include The Bluest Eye, Smart People, The Gift Horse, and Stage Black. Stick Fly was performed at The
McCarter Theatre, Huntington Theatre, and
Arena Stage before the Broadway production opened in late 2011. Diamond is currently a resident playwright at the American Voices New Play Institute at
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater.
Walter Dallas, former artistic director of Philadelphia's Freedom Theatre, returns to direct Stick Fly following Arden productions of A Raisin in the Sun (2013), Blue Door (2010), and The Piano Lesson (2008).
Actor U.R., most recently seen at the Arden as Walter Lee Younger in A Raisin in the Sun, reunites with Dallas in this production to play Flip, the older of the two LeVay brothers. Also returning to the Arden is actress Juliana Zinkel (Rabbit Hole, Crime and Punishment) as Flip's girlfriend Kimber. The other members of this ensemble cast makes their Arden debuts in Stick Fly: Biko Eisen-Martin (regional credits at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Berkely Rep, and Denver Center) as younger brother Kent; Jessica Frances Dukes (The Raisin Cycle at Centerstage, plus additional regional credits at Woolly Mammoth and
Folger Theatre) as Kent's girlfriend Taylor;
Jerome Preston Bates (Stick Fly and Seven Guitars on Broadway) as family patriarch Joe LeVay; and Philadelphia actress Joniece-Abott Pratt (The Good Negro at New York's Public Theatre, regional credits at
Huntington Theatre Company and Yale Repertory) in her professional Philadelphia debut as Cheryl, the daughter of the family maid.
The team who will create the upscale Martha's Vineyard home of the LeVays on the Arden's stage includes: scenic designer David P. Gorgon (Freud's Last Session, Ghost-Writer, Barrymore Award for If You Give a Mouse a Cookie), costume designer Alison Roberts (A Raisin in the Sun, Superior Donuts, A Moon for the Misbegotten), lighting designer
Thom Weaver (Parade, A Little Night Music, Next to Normal), and sound designer
Robert Kaplowitz (A Raisin in the Sun, Superior Donuts, Tony Award for Fela!).
Stick Fly previews begin on Thursday, October 24, 2013 Preview performances run October 24, 25, 26, 27 and 29. Opening night is set for 7pm Wednesday, October 30. The final performance is scheduled for December 22, 2013. Single ticket prices are $36-$48, with discounts available for seniors, students, military and educators. Groups of 15+ enjoy significant discounts; please inquire about group rates. Mainstage Subscriptions are on sale for $84-$160. Call the Arden Box Office at 215.922.1122, order online at
www.ardentheatre.org, or visit the box office at 40 N. 2nd Street in Old City, Philadelphia.
A Pay What You Can performance will be held on Wednesday, October 23 at 8pm with all proceeds benefitting the New Freedom Theatre, Pennsylvania's first African-American theatre at which Stick Fly
Walter Dallas, U.R., and
Joniece Abott-Pratt all have worked.
Post-show discussions will be held following performances on November 7 at 8pm, November 17 and December 15 at 2pm, November 20 and December 4 at 6:30pm.
The Arden is wheelchair accessible and provides assisted listening devices and large-print programs at every performance. Open Captioned and Audio Described performances will take place on Friday, November 22 at 8pm and Saturday, November 23 at 2pm. Reservations are required for accessible seating and may be made by calling the Arden's Box Office at 215.922.1122.
The Scene, the Arden's young professionals networking event, will be held on Friday, November 15. Tickets are $30 and include a pre-show reception at the Arden, a ticket to the show, and a post-show party with the staff and cast. Tickets are available online at
www.ardentheatre.org/thescene or by calling 215.922.1122 and mentioning The Scene.
Teen Arden, a program for area teenagers passionate about theatre, hosts Drama, Bites, Access! on Friday, December 13 at 8pm. Tickets are $10 and include a pre-show party at the Arden, a ticket to the show, and a post-show meet and greet with members of the creative team and cast of Parade. Tickets are available online at
www.ardentheatre.org/tickets/teenarden or by calling 215.922.1122. Teen Arden is made possible by the Albert
M. Greenfield Foundation.
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