Richard Greenberg's Pulitzer Prize-nominated play, Three Days of Rain, opens on Portland Center Stage's U.S. Bank Main Stage on May 22, with preview performances beginning May 17, 2015. Broadway, film and television veteran Lisa Datz will join cast members from the Portland-based NBC hit television series Grimm: Silas Weir Mitchell and Sasha Roiz in a production directed by PCS's Artistic Director Chris Coleman. The unique structure of the play -- playwright Greenberg plays with time and perception by having the actors play their own parents in the second act -- means that Mitchell will play both Walker and his father Ned; Roiz will play Pip and his father Theo; and Datz will play Nan, Walker's sister, and Lina, their mother.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.pcs.org or 503.445.3700. Regular tickets start at $41. Preview performance tickets start at $34. Rush tickets are $20. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays (excluding May 31, June 9, 14, 16 and 21); 2 p.m. matinees on select Saturdays and Sundays; and matinees at noon on select Thursdays. The production must close June 21. More information at www.pcs.org/threedays.
In Three Days of Rain, three New Yorkers grapple with the puzzles of family history and the nature of creativity. A year after he disappeared on the day of his father's funeral, Walker Janeway returns to the city. He takes up temporary residence in the studio where thirty-five years earlier his father Ned and Ned's late architectural business partner, Theo Wexler, lived and designed the iconic house that would make them famous. Now Walker and his sister Nan meet in the long-abandoned space preparing to hear the reading of Ned's will, joined by Theo's son, Pip. But even as they think they have unraveled their generation's beliefs about their parents, a newly discovered journal filled with enigmatic entries begins to open a window on two strikingly different times, and the surprising connections between them. The Los Angeles Times wrote that "Greenberg has written a kind of generational mystery in which the past really is another country, one that the present, groping for insight into its own origins, can't help misjudging."
In Three Days of Rain, Greenberg sets the first act in 1995 and moves backward in time to 1960 for the second act. Greenberg plays with the constructs of time in a number of his plays. He credits his fascination with time to the 1967 BBC television adaptation of John Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga: "That television experience was the foundation of my sensibilities. I want to get an entire life onstage while conveying a sense of how time feels, how unstoppable it is, and how we don't really know what's going on because as we're trying to weave, it's weaving us" (Los Angeles Times). Three Days of Rain was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and Hull-Warriner Award, and received an L.A. Drama Critics Award, an Olivier Award and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play. It debuted at South Coast Repertory in 1997 followed by a production Off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club later that year.
Three Days of Rain marks the PCS debut of prolific playwright Richard Greenberg. He is perhaps best known for Take Me Out (Drama Desk Award; New York Drama Critics Circle Award; Outer Critics Circle Award; Lucille Lortel Award; Tony Award for Best Play), which moved to Broadway in 2003 after successful runs at The Public Theater in New York City and The Donmar Warehouse on London's West End. Other works include The Violet Hour, The Dazzle (Outer Critics Circle Award; John Gassner and Lucille Lortel nominations), Everett Beekin, Hurrah at Last, Night and her Stars, The American Plan, Life Under Water and The Author's Voice, among many other plays. His adaptation of Strindberg's Dance of Death was seen on Broadway starring Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren and David Straithairn. Greenberg's awards include the Oppenheimer and PEN/Laura Pels awards. He is currently an associate artist at South Coast Repertory and a member of Ensemble Studio Theater.
THE CAST: THREE PORTLAND STAGE DEBUTS:
LISA DATZ (NAN JANEWAY/LINA)
Lisa Datz's theatrical roles include Madeleine Astor in the Tony-winning production of Titanic on Broadway; Pam Lukowski in the Tony-nominated production of The Full Monty; Yitzhak in the Off-Broadway production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch with John Cameron-Mitchell; and Violet in Violet (Jeff Award nomination). Recently, Datz guest starred as Mackenzie Solloway on Bones (FOX); as Mary Fuchs on Castle (ABC); in the
feature film Time Out of Mind, directed by Oscar nominee Oren Moverman and starring Richard Gere; and Sponge Bob 2 with Antonio Banderas. Other film credits include Melody Oates in The Perfect Holiday with Gabrielle Union and Terrence Howard. In Los Angeles, she performed with Grammy-winning composer Frank Wildhorn in Frank Wildhorn & Friends at the Pantages Theatre. She played leading roles in the critically acclaimed For the Record series in Los Angeles and at the SXSW Film Festival. In New York, she performed the role of Rowena opposite rock legends Joe Jackson and Todd Rundgren in the 20th anniversary concert of Up Against It at The Public Theatre. Other film credits include Ghost Town (Paramount), leads in the indie films Stumptown and Fractured, and Spectropia (Lincoln Center Film Festival). Other television credits include Law & Order, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, The West Wing, Hope & Faith, Guiding Light, All My Children, One Life to Live, As the World Turns and Blue's Clues. Regional theatre credits include Meg in Crimes of the Heart, Julia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Kari in The Pavilion and Ace at The Old Globe. Datz is an avid equestrian, former competitive figure skater, hip hop dancer, Star Wars/Downton Abbey geek and Chicago native who currently divides her time between Los Angeles and New York. She attended the Boston University Theatre Institute and received her B.F.A from The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance.
SILAS WEIR MITCHELL (WALKER JANEWAY/NED JANEWAY)
Silas Weir Mitchell currently stars in NBC's fantastical mystery/crime show Grimm, playing Portland's own vegan horologist, Monroe. Prior to Grimm, Mr. Mitchell was most widely known for his recurring role on the tautly paced FOX drama Prison Break, starring as lead actor Wentworth Miller's deeply unstable cellmate, Charles "Haywire" Patoshik. He is also known for the role of Donny Jones, (another) ex-con and friend of
the title character played by Jason Lee in the NBC comedy My Name Is Earl. Other TV includes NYPD Blue, The X- Files, ER, Cold Case, The Mentalist, 24, Law & Order: SVU, The Closer, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Burn Notice, Dexter, Monk, Six Feet Under, Boomtown, The Shield, Portlandia. Films include: The Patriot (Steven Seagal);
Inferno (Jean-Claude Van Damme); Rat Race; The Whole Ten Yards. After graduating from Brown University with degrees in both Theatre Arts and Religious Studies, Silas went on to earn his M.F.A. at the University of California, San Diego. From there, he moved to New York and did a few plays (including Tennessee Williams' Tiger Tail at Harold Clurman Theater and Whenever I Fall at Your Feet at HERE Theatre). Thence to L.A., where he started to get film and TV jobs, as well as continuing to make his own work acting and directing in theater. L.A. directing credits: The Water Principle by Eliza Anderson (also producer) at The Complex; Three Sisters (also Tuzenbach and producer) at The Stella Adler Theatre; Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune at The Hudson Theatre; Bus Stop (also producer) at The MET Theatre, where he was artistic director from 2001-2005. Acting includes: Hurlyburly (Eddie), Amerikafka (Kafka); Gatsby in Hollywood (S.J. Perelman) all at the MET. Blood! Love! Madness! and The Women of Lockerbie at The Actors' Gang; Lascivious Something and The Chinese Massacre at Circle X.
SASHA ROIZ (PIP WEXLER/THEO WEXLER)
Sasha Roiz is about to begin his 5th season on the Portland-based NBC hit supernatural drama Grimm. Roiz plays the mysterious, part-royal, part-creature Police Captain Sean Renard. Prior to Grimm, Roiz portrayed the role of the brutal mob enforcer Sam Adama on the acclaimed science fiction drama Caprica (with Eric Stoltz and Polly Walker). Roiz has worked extensively in television. Some of his credits include: CSI, The Mentalist,
House M.D., Castle, Warehouse 13, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and NCIS. Last year, Roiz played the role of the formidable Roman centurian, Marcus Proculus, in the blockbuster film Pompeii (alongside Kit Harington and Kiefer Sutherland). Other film credits include: The Day After Tomorrow (with Jake Gyllenhaal), 16 Blocks (Bruce Willis), Man of the Year (Robin Williams) and Unthinkable (Samuel L. Jackson). Roiz's first starring film role was in the independent science fiction thriller Extracted, which premiered at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in 2012. Select theater work includes: Past/Perfect at Centaur Theatre Company, Montreal, Canada (Best Supporting Actor nominee at Les Masques Awards); Vinci at Centaur Theatre Company and Travels with My Aunt at Knowlton Theater, Quebec. Roiz trained theatrically at Dawson College in his home town of Montreal, Canada; as well as at the Guildford School of Acting conservatoire in Guildford, England. Roiz came to Portland by way of Los Angeles, where he spent several years. Grimm brought him to Portland, which he now proudly calls home. He is an active member of this community and just this past year spearheaded the Grimm Gala, which raised over $300,000 for the Grimmster Endowment at the Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
THE CREATIVE TEAM:
PCS Artistic Director Chris Coleman (most recently the world premiere of Threesome at PCS and the world premiere of Edward Foote at Alliance Theatre) will direct, with Scenic Designer Scott Fyfe (most recently Othello at PCS), Costume Designer Alison Heryer (most recently Threesome at PCS and a faculty member at Portland State University), Lighting Designer Diane Ferry Williams (most recently Threesome at PCS), PCS Resident Sound Designer Casi Pacilio (most recently Cyrano at PCS), joined by Dialect Coach Mary McDonald-Lewis, Dramaturg Barbara Hort, Ph.D., and Stage Manager Liam Kaas-Lentz.
The production runs May 17 through June 21, 2015. *Opening Night is Friday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. Preview Performances: May 17, 19, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. Regular Run: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays (excluding May 31, June 9, 14, 16 and 21); 2 p.m. matinees on select Saturdays and Sundays; and matinees at noon on select Thursdays. On the U.S. Bank Main Stage at the Gerding Theater at the Armory 128 NW Eleventh Ave., Portland. Regular tickets range from $41-$74. Preview tickets start at $34. Rush tickets are $20. Discounts for students, those 25 or younger, and groups. Prices subject to change. For tickets and more information, visit www.pcs.org/threedays or call 503.445.3700, 12-6 p.m. PCS's box office is at 128 NW Eleventh Avenue (12 p.m.-curtain on performance days; 12-6 p.m. on non-performance days). Discounts available for groups of 10+ by calling 503.445.3794.
Note: Three Days of Rain is recommended for ages 14+; contains mature language and sexuality.
Accessibility: PCS is committed to making our performances and facilities accessible to all of our patrons. Learn more at www.pcs.org/access.
Portland Center Stage inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways. Founded in 1988, PCS is the city's leading professional theater and one of the top 20 largest regional theater companies in the U.S. PCS attracts more than 150,000 theatergoers annually with its blend of classical, contemporary and premiere works, along with its summer playwrights festival, JAW. PCS also offers a variety of education and community programs tailored for patrons of all ages.
The Gerding Theater at the Armory houses the 590-seat U.S. Bank Main Stage and the 190-seat black box Ellyn Bye Studio. It was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places - and the first performing arts venue - to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The Gerding Theater at the Armory opened to the public on Oct. 1, 2006.
Support for Three Days of Rain is provided by Show Sponsors Argyle Winery, Berry Wealth Strategies, Evie Crowell, and Drs. Ann Smith Sehdev and Paul Sehdev, and Stoel Rives LLP. Portland Center Stage's 2014-2015 season is funded in part by Season Superstars Tim and Mary Boyle and Lead Corporate Champion Umpqua Bank; Season Sponsors the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Regional Arts and Culture Council, Work for Art, and Season Supporting Sponsor KINK FM. The Mark Spencer Hotel is the official hotel partner for Portland Center Stage. Portland Center Stage is a participant in the Audience (R)Evolution Program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and administered by Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for the professional not-for-profit American theater.
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