Theatrical Hybrid THE MAGIC PLAY Runs 3/3 - 4/1 at The Armory

Andrew Hinderaker's stunning theatrical hybrid The Magic Play begins preview performances at The Armory on March 3, opens on March 9 and runs through April 1 on the U.S. Bank Main Stage. The Armory's production brings together the artistic team from the celebrated world premiere at Goodman Theatre/Olney Theatre Center, including director Halena Kays; magic creator/actor Brett Schneider; actor Sean Parris; master illusionist Jim Steinmeyer; scenic designer Lizzie Bracken, costume designer Alison Siple; aerial choreographer Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi; and flying effects by ZFX, Inc. Portland Center State at The Armory's run of The Magic Play is a co-production with Actors Theatre of Louisville and Syracuse Stage.

TICKET INFO

Regular tickets start at $25 and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at www.pcs.org, 503.445.3700, or in-person from the box office (128 NW Eleventh Avenue, Portland, OR). Rush tickets are $20. Students and patrons who are 30 or younger can purchase $30 premium tickets. $5 tickets are available for Oregon Trail Card holders through the Arts for All program. Discounts for groups of 10+. Active duty or veteran military personnel and their immediate families get 50% off the price of regular tickets. Performance times are Tuesday through Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.; Thursday matinees at noon; date exclusions apply, see below for more information. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Contains adult situations and explicit language. For more information visit www.pcs.org/magic.

ABOUT THE PLAY

Theater is a realm of illusion. So is a magic show. Playwright Andrew Hinderaker mashes these traditions together with alluring results. The Magic Play follows a young magician trying to get through a live show just hours after his partner has left him. As the performance progresses, he confronts the fact that the spectacular tricks that impress people on stage don't serve him as well when it comes to building truthful personal relationships. This mesmerizing new play questions the extent to which we must be honest with ourselves in order to be so with those we love.

PRODUCTION HISTORY

The Magic Play is the result of a collaboration between playwright Andrew Hinderaker, actor/magician/illusionist Brett Schneider, for whom the central role was written, and director Halena Kays. It was developed at Goodman Theatre's 2014 New Stages Festival and had a rolling world premiere in 2016 at Goodman Theatre and Olney Theatre Center. In Chicago, the Sun-Times called it "highly original, altogether remarkable" and TheaterMania noted that "Andrew Hinderaker's script deftly interfolds scenes of a troubled relationship into the Magician's routine, creating a memory play that is introspective and deeply human." During the Olney run, DC Metro raved: "Hinderaker has found a vivid metaphor for the dynamics of honesty, trust and control that underpin our most important relationships. His immensely entertaining and profound new work, The Magic Play, combines a jaw-dropping performance of classic card tricks with a compelling backstory of tender love. The result is breathtaking."

PLAYWRIGHT Andrew Hinderaker

Andrew Hinderaker's plays include I Am Going To Change The World, Dirty, Kingsville and Suicide, Incorporated, which premiered at The Gift Theatre in 2010 and was subsequently produced Off-Broadway at Roundabout Theatre. Hinderaker's theatrical hybrid Colossal, featuring a dance company, a drumline and a fully-padded football team, received the 2015 Helen Hayes Award for Best New Play and was the recipient of multiple awards from The Kennedy Center. Hinderaker is an ensemble member of The Gift Theatre in Chicago and a three-time Jeff Award nominee. His plays have been produced and/or developed by Manhattan Theatre Club, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, The Araca Group, ALLIANCE THEATRE, Mixed Blood, No Rules Theatre Company, Victory Gardens, Rattlestick, Stage Left and others.

THE CAST

Actor, magician and illusion designer Brett Schneider takes on the central role of The Magician and creates the magic for the production. He has performed this role at Goodman Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. His other acting credits include The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle at Steep Theatre and The Glass Menagerie at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. His illusion design has been featured at Roundabout Theatre Company, Lookingglass Theatre Company and many others. Schneider is joined by Sean Parris as The Diver who played the role at Goodman Theatre. Parris' other credits include Drunken City at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and The Whipping Man at Northlight Theatre. Jack Bronis takes on the role of Another Magician, which he also played at Actors Theatre of Louisville. His other recent credits include The Underpants, Flanagan's Wake and Roasting Chestnuts at Noble Fool Theater.

THE CREATIVE TEAM

Members of the creative team from the world premiere at Goodman Theatre/Olney Theatre Center reunite for the Portland production, including scenic designs by Lizzie Bracken (Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Hypocrites); costume designs by Alison Siple (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf Theatre Company); lighting designs by Jesse Belsky (The Magic Play at Olney Theatre Center); magic designs by Jim Steinmeyer (special illusions for Broadway productions of Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods and many others); aerial choreography by Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi (co-founder/artistic director of The Actors Gymnasium); and flying effects provided by ZFX, Inc. (Wicked and many others). The creative team is completed with sound designs by Matt Nielson (The Magic Play at Actors Theatre of Louisville; Astoria: Part One and Two at The Armory); media designs by Phillip Allgeier (The Magic Play at Actors Theatre of Louisville); and Stage Manager Kelsey Daye Lutz.

March 3 - April 1, 2018*
*Opening Night/Press Night: Friday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Preview Performances: March 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 at 7:30 p.m.

On the U.S. Bank Main Stage at The Armory

128 NW Eleventh Ave., Portland, Ore., 97209

Regular tickets range from $25 to $82. Rush tickets are $20. Students and patrons who are 30 or younger may purchase premium tickets for $30. $5 tickets are available for Oregon Trail Card holders through the Arts for All program. Discounts for groups of 10+. Active duty or veteran military personnel and their immediate families get 50% off the price of regular tickets. Prices vary by date and time, and are subject to change.

Online: www.pcs.org

By Phone: 503.445.3700, 12-6 p.m.

In Person: The box office is at 128 NW Eleventh Avenue

12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on performance days

12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on non-performance days

Groups: Discounts available for groups of 10+ by calling 503.445.3794.

More Info: www.pcs.org/magic

PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY

Portland Center Stage at The Armory is the largest theater company in Portland and among the top 20 regional theaters in the country. Established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the company became independent in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director Chris Coleman since 2000. Around 150,000 visitors attend The Armory annually to enjoy a mix of classical, contemporary and world premiere productions, along with a variety of high quality education and community programs. Eleven productions are offered each season, in addition to roughly 400 community events created - in partnership with 170+ local organizations and individuals - to serve the diverse populations in the city. As part of its dedication to new play development, the company has produced 26 world premieres and presents an annual new works festival, JAW: A Playwrights Festival. Home to two theaters, The Armory was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED Platinum rating.

THE 2017-2018 SEASON

The 2017-2018 season is funded in part by Season Superstars Tim and Mary Boyle and Lead Corporate Champion Umpqua Bank. Further support comes from Season Sponsors the Regional Arts and Culture Council, The Wallace Foundation and Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the state of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts. Support for The Magic Play comes from Jess Dishman; Paul and Tasca Gulick; and Willamette Week. Mark Spencer Hotel is the official hotel partner for the company. Portland Center Stage at The Armory was selected as a participant of the Wallace Foundation's Building Audiences for Sustainability Initiative, a four-year effort with a nationwide cohort of 26 performing arts organizations.

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