Artists Repertory Theatre Presents LONG DAYS JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, Opens 8/13

Beginning August 13, Artists Repertory Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company will bring a world-class production of Eugene O'Neill's gut-wrenching autobiographical play Long Day's Journey Into Night to Portland. So close to his own life, Long Day's Journey Into Night is a story O'Neill did not want shared until 25 years after his death. The play runs in Portland at the Newmark Theatre from August 13 to August 29, 2010. Tickets go on sale July 1, 2010.

In the play, actor James Tyrone, his wife Mary and their two adult sons, Jamie and Edmund, have taken up residence for the summer at their holiday home in Connecticut. During the course of the ‘long day' of the play's title this family battles to unearth, and conceal, a series of appalling truths. O'Neill's own life reflects those depicted in Long Day's Journey, providing for intimate scrutiny into the real life of one of America's most treasured playwrights.

EuGene O'Neill finished Long Day's Journey Into Night in 1942 and gave a sealed copy to Random House stipulating that it not be published for 25 years. He went so far as to have a formal contract drawn up in 1945. The rights to the play were given to Yale University by O'Neill's third wife, Carlotta Monterey, thus releasing it to the public. In 1956, three years after O'Neill's death, the play was first published. Long Day's Journey Into Night has its world premiere in 1956 in Stockholm and went on to be produced several times within the 25-year timeframe. In 1957, O'Neill posthumously received the Pulitzer Prize for the work.

Like the characters in the play, O'Neill grew up on the road; his father a traveling actor, his mother tormented with illusions and his older brother a bitter alcoholic. O'Neill characterized himself as a disillusioned idealist on the path toward death. The abiding familial love, addiction and overwhelming disappointment throughout the play provide agonizing dramatic fodder as reserve dissolves and emotions escalate. Character truths, flaws and insights are revealed about O'Neill's own life, as the play's Tyrone family struggles to confront lifetimes of resentment and misplaced love.

Portland-cast actor, Todd Van Voris (Jamie) says: "This show is about reality, real people, real life. It is about hard truth and pain and about a family with deep love dealing with it. This type of script is why I got involved in acting in the first place." Van Voris was cast by director Andrew Upton after auditions were held in Portland last Fall.

William Hurt and Robyn Nevin lead an Australian and American cast in EuGene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night, a scorching portrait of a family haunted by shadows of the past and paralyzed by the prospect of the future. Sydney Theatre Company's co-Artistic Director Andrew Upton directs the co-production for Sydney Theatre Company and Artists Repertory Theatre. The production begins June 29, 2010 in Sydney, Australia and August 13, 2010 in Portland, Oregon.

The cast of Long Day's Journey Into Night is appearing with the permission of Actor's Equity Association and the Media, Entertainment, and Arts Alliance pursuant to an exchange program between the two unions.

The 2010/11 Artists Repertory Theatre season is presented by U.S. Bank. The 2010/11 radio sponsor is KINK.FM. Long Day's Journey Into Night is supported by U.S. Bank and individual producers Ronni Lacroute, Lynn & Jack Loacker, and Wayne & Sandy Ericksen. Media Sponsors for Long Day's Journey Into Night are The Oregonian, Oregon Public Broadcasting and OregonLive.

Long Day's Journey Into Night
By EuGene O'Neill

Director Andrew Upton
Set Design: Michael Scott Mitchell
Costume Design: Tess Schofield
Lighting Design: Nick Schlieper
Sound Design: Max Lyandvert

With William Hurt, Luke Mullins, Robyn Nevin, Emily Russell and Todd Van Voris.

THE PLAYWRIGHT
Eugene O' Neill (1888-1953) was among the first playwrights to introduce realism into American drama, a technique usually associated with the likes of Chekhov, Ibsen and Strindberg. His plays were known to involve some degree of tragedy and personal pessimism, always featuring edgy characters struggling to fulfill their dreams while living outside mainstream society.

As a young adult, O'Neill suffered from alcoholism and depression and began writing and traveling extensively as a means of escape. In 1912, after six months spent in a sanatorium recovering from tuberculosis, he decided to devote himself full time to writing plays. His major works include Beyond The Horizon, The Emperor Jones, Anna Christie (Pulitzer Prize 1922), Strange Interlude (Pulitzer Prize 1928), Desire Under the Elms, Mourning Becomes Electra and Ah, Wilderness! In 1936 he received the Nobel Prize for Literature. After a 10-year pause, O'Neill's now-renowned plays The Iceman Cometh and A Moon for the Misbegotten were produced.

After suffering from multiple health problems (including depression and alcoholism) over many years O'Neill died in Boston, on Nov. 27, 1953, at the age of 65.

THE DIRECTOR
Andrew Upton is currently the Co-Artistic Director and Co-CEO of the Sydney Theatre Company (STC), with Cate Blanchett.

In 2006, Upton made his directorial debut for STC with his translation of Dissident, Goes Without Saying for Wharf 2Loud. He went on direct David Mamet's Reunion for STC later that year followed by Ruby Moon by Matt Cameron and in 2009, he directed part two of The Mysteries by Lally Katz and Hilary Bell. In 2010, he directs William Hurt and Robyn Nevin in EuGene O'Neill's Long Days Journey Into Night as part of STC's Main Stage season.

Uptons's most recent adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov's The White Guard is currently being presented to great acclaim at the National Theatre London where the extended run is completely sold out. His adaptation of Maxim Gorky's Philistines also received great critical acclaim at the National in 2007. His original play, Riflemind, directed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and starring Hugo Weaving, was staged as part of STC's 2007 season. Riflemind also had a London season for The Ambassador Theatre Group in late 2008.

Upton's first adaptation for STC was Cyrano de Bergerac which debuted in 1999 and was reprised at the Melbourne Theatre Company, starring David Wenham, in 2005. Upton's adaptation of Don Juan was produced by STC in 2001. His third major adaptation, Hedda Gabler, was staged by the STC in 2004 and toured to New York for an exclusive season at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music in early 2006. His adaptation of The Cherry Orchard was directed by Howard Davies for the STC in 2005. Upton's original play Hanging Man was staged by the STC in its 2002 season.

In late 2007, Upton adapted the Luigi Pirandello play Right You Are (If You Think You Are), which was staged by Francesco Vezzoli at the Guggenheim Museum in New York for a one off performance. In 2008 he wrote the libretto to Alan John's opera Through the Looking Glass (Malthouse Theatre & Victorian Opera) which won best New Operatic Work at the 2008 Green Room Awards.

CAST BIOS

William Hurt (James Tyrone) has appeared on stage with Artists Rep twice in the past, during the 2003/04 season in Drawer Boy and again during the 2006/07 season in Vanya. Hurt played the role of Edmund, the youngest son, in Oregon Shakespeare Festival's 1975 production of Long Day's Journey Into Night. Though his roots are on stage, Hurt is best known for his numerous film roles. He won the Academy Award for his role in 1985's Kiss of the Spider Woman and was also nominated for Children of a Lesser God, Broadcast News, and A History of Violence. He recently released the much-anticipated film, The Yellow Handkerchief. He has also been featured in Into the Wild and Vantage Point. Hurt will next be seen in Ridley Scott's Robin Hood film with Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett.

Robyn Nevin (Mary Cavan Tyrone) is one of the most respected figures in Australian theater. She served as Artistic Director of Sydney Theatre Company for eight years, has dozens of credits with many Australian theater companies as both actor and director, and was made a Member of the Order of Australia for Services to the Performing Arts in 1981. Her awards include: Australian Creative
Artists' Fellowship, Green Room Award for Best Actress for August: Osage County, Helpmann Award for Best Actress for The Women of Troy, Sydney Critics' Circle Award for Best Actress for Diving For Pearls, Sydney Critics' Circle Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Theatre, Sidney Myer
Performing Arts Award, Logie, Penguin and Sammy Awards for Best Actress for Water Under the Bridge, 1995 Matilda Award for Contribution to Queensland Theatre. Her film credits include The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, The Castle, Emerald City, Careful He Might Hear You. Television credits include The Dismissal, A Toast to Melba, Water Under the Bridge, Halifax f.p.

Todd Van Voris (James "Jamie" Tyrone, Jr.) is a resident company member at Artists Rep and has appeared as Iago in Othello, Otto Sylvus in Design for Living, Joe Foster in Becky's New Car and Nicholas/Grandma in Holidazed, and in past seasons as The Nasty Interesting Man in Eurydice, Ivan in The Seafarer, Andrey in Three Sisters, Giles Mace in House and Garden, Orson Welles in Orson's Shadow, Larry in Inspecting Carol, Trigorin in The Seagull, Felix in Humble Boy. Van Voris has also worked in Portland at Imago Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Lakewood Theatre, Profile Theatre, Theatre Vertigo, Quintessence, and Backstage Theatre (Breckenridge, CO), H.E.R.E. and at the Ontological/Hysteric Theatre (NYC). Van Voris attended NYU where he studied acting at Playwrights Horizons Theatre School.

Luke Mullins (Edmund Tyrone) was a member of Sydney Theatre Company's resident Acting Company from 2007-2009. He has received the George Fairfax Memorial Award. His credits with STC include The War of the Roses, Gallipoli, The Serpent's Teeth, Tales From The Vienna Woods, The Season at Sarsaparilla. He has extensive stage credits appearing in productions for Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Stuck Pigs Squealing, Little Death/ Theatreworks/Griffin Stablemates, Theatreworks/God Be in My Mouth: Grace, Liminal, Victorian Trades Hall, Uncle Semolina and Friends, Original Voices, Wrecked all Prods. He has also worked in film and TV.

Emily Russell (Cathleen) was a member of the STC Actors Company and has performed in The War of the Roses, Gallipoli, The Serpent's Teeth, Tales From The Vienna Woods, The Season at Sarsaparilla, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Art of War. Her credits also include work with Bell Shakespeare Company, Theatre of Image and Picture This Productions as well and film and television roles.

THE PRODUCERS

As the largest of Australia's state theatre companies, Sydney Theatre Company has been a major force in Australian drama since 1978. The company presents an annual program at its home base, The Wharf , the nearby Sydney Theatre (which STC also manages), and as the resident theatre company of Sydney Opera House. Current Artistic Directors Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton joined the company in 2008. The company actively fosters collaborations with International Artists and companies. Renowned artists Liv Ullmann, Steven Soderbergh, Michael Blakemore, Max Stafford-Clark, Howard Davies, Declan Donnellan and Philip Seymour Hoffman have directed productions for
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STC in recent years, and in 2010 Tamás Ascher will direct for the Company. In addition to bringing productions to various locations in Europe and New Zealand, Sydney Theatre Company productions have also toured to the United States: in recent years the Company has presented three productions at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music in New York City - The White Devil (2001); Hedda Gabler (2006); A Streetcar Named Desire (2009) which also toured to Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center, where it was awarded three Helen Hayes Awards.

Founded in 1982, Artists Repertory Theatre is the oldest professional theater in Portland. Artists Rep strives to challenge artists and audiences with plays of depth and vibrancy in an intimate setting. Artists Rep explores the strengths, frailties, and diversity of the human condition primarily through regional premieres, commissioned works, and selected classics appropriate to contemporary issues.
Producing Artistic Director Allen Nause has been leading the company for 22 years, during which the organization has experienced significant financial and artistic growth. The company produces six to eight productions in two intimate, three-quarter thrust theaters.

Artists Rep's partnership with the STC is consistent with both companies' tradition of actively fostering relationships and collaborations with International Artists and companies. A 1997 tour of Pakistan included an Artists Rep production, which represented the U.S. in an international play festival on human rights. In 2000, Artists Rep participated in the Vietnam America Theatre Exchange, the first-ever reciprocal artistic collaboration between the United States and Vietnam that culminated in a bilingual, bicultural production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and a Vietnamese production of A Glass Menagerie. Additionally, Producing Artistic Director Allen Nause directed All My Sons with the Palestinian National Theater in Jerusalem in 2007.

Performance Dates: August 13-29, 2010
Venue: Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205
Performances: Evening - Tuesday-Sunday, 7:30 p.m.
Matinee - Wednesday, Sunday, 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: Tickets go on sale July 1, 2010
www.artistsrep.org
Artists Rep Box Office: 503.241.1278
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