Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs Present VENUS and WAITING FOR GODOT, 3/1-18

The Brown University/Trinity Rep MFA Programs will present two plays running in rotating repertory on the stage of the Pell Chafee Performance Center next month: Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, directed by Aubrey Snowden (Brown/ Trinity Rep MFA Programs '13), and Venus, by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Ryan Guzzo Purcell (Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs '13). Performances are March 1-18 in the Citizens Bank Theater, PellChafee Performance Center, 87 Empire Street, Providence.  Tickets are $10 (general admission) and $5 (students and seniors), and are now on sale at the Trinity Rep box office, by phone (401) 351-4242, and online at www.trinityrep.com. Waiting for Godot and Venus alternate taking the stage of the Pell Chafee Performance Center throughout the March 1- 18 run.

Since its 1953 premiere, Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot has been considered one of the most important theatrical works of the 20^th century. Two men, Vladimir and Estragon, perpetually wait on the side of a road for a man named Godot to arrive. In an effort to "hold that terrible silence at bay," they sing, play games, exercise, exchange clothing, and eat rotten vegetables, among other seemingly futile activities. As the audience observes the comical and desperate ways that the men attempt to pass the time waiting for the eponymous and ever- delayed guest, the absurdist play's conversation spans two brilliant acts exploring the notion of time and existence.   

Beckett's ability to blend elements of absurdity and despair into one story is what drew director Aubrey Snowden to Waiting for Godot. Her production will also emphasize Beckett's use of extended silences and innovatively scarce, yet impactful language: "I want my audience to truly hear the play as much as they see it." As Waiting for Godot has inspired countless interpretations from scholars and audiences over the years, Snowden anticipates that her audience will leave the theater as impacted by Beckett's work as she first was, explaining, "Waiting for Godot is the only play I have found that could make me laugh and then, on a dime, leave me feeling naked to experience the humanity of life."  

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks based Venus on the true story of Saartjie Baartman, a member of the Khoi-San tribe of South Africa, who was transported to London in 1810, put on public display (nearly nude), and dubbed as "The Venus Hottentot." Baartman leaves South Africa under the false pretense of opportunity, struggles with her new identity, and engages in a destructive love affair with an English doctor. Parks' tale of exploitation challenges her audience to consider the implications of this story, demanding that we come to terms with history in order to move beyond it. 

Director Ryan Purcell particularly values the work for the way in which it examines objectification and the media for contemporary audiences. "It asks us to look closely at how we treat and look at women, minorities, the disabled, and ultimately ourselves," he noted. In his production, Purcell will fully utilize the intimate space of the Pell ChafeePerformance Center and also incorporate singing and dancing in order to fully illuminate the world of the play. 

The cast for Waiting for Godot includes second-year MFA acting students Alston Brown (Vladimir), Leicester Landon (Estragon), Drew Ledbetter (Pozzo) and Peter Mark Kendall (Lucky).  

The cast for Venus includes second- year MFA acting students Liz Morgan (Venus), Grant Chapman (Chorus),Caitlin Davies (Chorus), Amanda Dolan (Chorus), Daniel Duque- Estrada (The Baron Docteur), Barrie Kreinik(The Man's Brother/ The Mother Showman), and Brandon Vukovic (The Negro Receptionist). 

Both Waiting for Godot and Venus will feature set design by Patrick Lynch, lighting design by Kristen Opstad, sound design by Nathan Roberts, and costume design by Christine Mok.

Aubrey Snowden is a second year directing student at the Brown/Trinity MFA Programs.  Her extensive training includes a B.A. in Theater Studies from Manhattanville College, acting and directing training at the National Theater Institute, as well as Suzuki/ Viewpoints under the Siti Company in New York. She is a member of Wide Eyed Productions in New York City. Recent directing credits include the short film Doggy Bag and the Brown/Trinity Rep productions of The Glass Menagerie and Macbeth. 

Ryan Guzzo Purcell's many directing credits include productions at The Hangar Theatre, LaMama ETC, Brown Playwrights' Rep, The Village Gate, The 14^thStreeet Y, the Olney Theatre Center, FringeNYC, The Magic Theatre as part of their Virgin Play Series, and the Kennedy Center as part of the American College Theatre Festival. He received a Fulbright Scholarship to develop a theatre piece about Afro-Brazilian slave arts in Salvador, Brazil. The work, Marinheiro  is now being further developed by Magic Theatre in San Francisco. He is a member of CollaborationTown: A Theatre Company, as well as Drama League Directing fellow.

Performances for Waiting for Godot are Thursday, March 1 at 7:30pm; Saturday, March 3 at 7:30pm; Sunday, March 4 at 2:00pm; Friday, March 9 at 7:30pm; Saturday, March 10 at 2:00pm; Monday, March 12 at 5:00pm; Friday, March 16 at 7:30pm; and Saturday, March 17 at 2:00pm.

Performances for Venus are Friday, March 2 at 7:30pm; Saturday, March 3 at 2:00pm; Monday, March 5 at 5:00pm; Thursday, March 8 at 7:30pm; Saturday, March 10 at 7:30pm; Sunday, March 11 at 2:00pm; Thursday, March 15 at 7:30pm; and Sunday, March 18 at 2:00pm.  

The Brown University/Trinity Rep MFA Programs provides a three-year professional training program for eighteen students under the auspices of an Ivy League University and Rhode Island's Tony Award-winning theater company. Brown University's Department of Theatre, Speech and Dance is internationally recognized for the quality of its faculty and instruction. Trinity Rep, with its deep tradition of resident artists, provides powerful artistic assets and creates a firm foundation for a new generation of theater artists.

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