Third Rail Announces Big Changes for 2014-15

Third Rail is beyond thrilled to announce that we are taking our first steps towards finding a permanent theatre to call our own! When we leave the Winningstad Theatre for the CoHo Theatre in January of 2015, it will be for the last time as we go searching for the brick and mortar space that will be our home for years to come.

These exciting developments necessitate a slight re-jiggering of our season schedule to accommodate the flexibility we'll need for our spring show. Dan Rebellato's wildly theatrical play Static will now close our season in a yet-to-be-determined temporary space as our board and company begin the process of finding a permanent home.

Same shows. Different order. Same thrilling theatrical experience you've come to expect from Third Rail.

Middletown

by Will Eno

directed by Marcella Crowson

Sep 26 - Oct 19

Winningstad Theatre

We begin our season with a play Third Rail has been dying to produce since it was the hit of Portland Center Stage's 2009 JAW Festival, MIDDLETOWN by Will Eno. The residents of Middletown lead lives that are probably not too different from ours. They wake up, go to work, say hello to their neighbors, fix the plumbing, seek advice on parenting, and try to live lives that are as rewarding as possible. It's all fairly ordinary. And yet...ordinary doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of this quirky, word-frenzied, refraction of OUR TOWN. MIDDLETOWN is a quizzical fable about life in all its sweetness and pain, joy and wonder, beginnings and endings.

The Mystery of Irma Vep

by Charles Ludlam

directed by Philip Cuomo*

Dec 5 - Jan 11

Winningstad Theatre

Last year Third Rail made a splash at the holidays with our record-setting production of NOISES OFF, which many consider the funniest play written in the past 25 years. This year we're at it again with perhaps the funniest American play of the past 25 years: Charles Ludlam's quick change romp, THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP. Two actors play all the roles in this hilarious send up of Victorian melodrama, farce, 50's horror movies, Wuthering Heights, and Hitchcock's Rebecca. With elaborate quick changes performed in mere seconds, wildly absurd characters, and an absolute distaste for anything serious, IRMA VEP should be the perfect gut-busting escape from all that holiday noise!

The Night Alive

by Conor McPherson

directed by Scott Yarbrough*

Feb 20 - Mar 14

Coho Theatre

Tommy has been renting a room in his uncle's house for a few years, doing odd-jobs and trying get-rich-quick schemes with his buddy, Doc. Not a fan of the past, Tommy barely keeps his ex-wife and kids at arms length. One night he offers a helping hand to Aimee, a young woman in distress, a choice which fills both their lives with unexpected promise. But unforeseen evil lurks around the corner and they soon find that their pasts won't let go so easily. Conor McPherson's THE NIGHT ALIVE is a joyous, funny, terrifying and amazing new work by an author known for amazing works.

Belleville

by Amy Herzog

directed by Philip Cuomo*

Mar 27 - Apr 18

Coho Theatre

Abby and Zack are newlyweds subletting an apartment in the Belleville area of Paris. She's a yoga instructor and he's a Doctor Without Borders. Their life is idyllic, if not especially noteworthy. That is until Abby walks in on Zack with his pants literally around his ankles. As she starts pulling at little threads having to do with how Zack spends his day, BELLEVILLE builds toward a climax that asks if we can ever truly know another person. This sexy, funny, scary, and tense pseudo-thriller from one of America's hottest new playwrights will unnerve as quickly as it entertains.

Static

by Dan Rebellato

- American Premiere -

directed by Scott Yarbrough*

Apr 24 - May 17

Location TBA

"You know when a song starts and it feels loose and chaotic? But then the drums come in and everything makes sense. That's what he was in my life. He walked into my life and everything made sense. He was the moment when the drums come in."

Sara's life is thrown into disorder when her husband, Chris, dies unexpectedly. Trying to cope with her loss she discovers a compilation tape, apparently made for her by him. The only thing is, by the time he died, Chris was profoundly deaf. With the help of a friend she begins to unravel the secret of the tape, hoping that it may be his final message to her from beyond. STATIC is a beautiful, vibrant play of love, music, movement, and the difficulties of connecting no matter the language. In a bold theatrical move, it is also written to be performed bilingually, in both English and Sign Language.

From our humble beginnings at the IFCC to our future home on the horizon, from one-off productions to a season of 5 shows, the story of Third Rail is a story of growth. Hop on board the Third Rail train, see where it takes you!

It's easy to subscribe!

ONLINE: Go to thirdrailrep.org and click on "Tickets"

BY PHONE: Call us at (503) 235-1101

*Denotes Third Rail Company Member

About Third Rail Repertory Theatre:

Promoting new plays. Exploring the edges of theatrical style. Sharing a range of experiences with the audience and the community. Third Rail is artist-driven theatre. More information about Third Rail can be found at thirdrailrep.org.

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