A.C.T. Stages MONSTRESS This Fall

American Conservatory Theater continues its 2015-16 season with Monstress, two world-premiere one-act plays about love, longing, and the American dream. Based on the short stories by Lysley Tenorio, Monstress was adapted for the stage by Bay Area playwrights Philip Kan Gotanda and Sean San José. In these two tales of contemporary Filipino-American life in the Bay Area, a vibrant array of characters strive for personal transformations that are seemingly impossible, wonderfully moving, and distinctly theatrical. The infamous headline-making eviction of Filipino residents from San Francisco's International Hotel in the 1970s sets the background for Philip Kan Gotanda's stirring Remember the I-Hotel, which illuminates the dangers of love that crosses forbidden territories. Sean San José's retelling of the title story "Monstress" moves us from the streets of Manila to the Bay Area, where a B-movie director has been seduced by the opportunity to work with a shady American filmmaker. An evening of song and story about love and family, hope and indifference, triumph and failure, Monstress explores the resilience of a community struggling to find a home in the ever-shifting sands of the American dream. Performances of Monstress will take place at A.C.T.'s Strand Theater (1127 Market St., San Francisco). Press nights for Monstress will be on Wednesday, September 30, and Thursday, October 1. Single tickets (ranging from $20-$100) are available by calling the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or online at www.act-sf.org .

A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff says: "As soon as I came across Lysely Tenorio's magical collection of stories called "Monstress," I wondered if there was a play hidden inside...or several plays. Tenorio's tender and complex look at Filipino-American life in the Bay Area has so much resonance for us at A.C.T. as we open a new theater adjacent to one of the biggest hubs of Filipino culture. Working with Sean San José and Philip Kan Gotanda to theatricalize these tales has been a great adventure, creating worlds of longing, music, movement and movie-making set right in our own neighborhood. Monstress will be a highly unusual world premiere that heralds new experiments at the Strand and new connections to our community. This is what we dreamed of when we built the new theater."

Directed by Perloff, the cast of Monstress (in alphabetical order) includes: Rinabeth Apostol, Melody Butiu, Danielle Frimer (10/20-11/22), Nick Gabriel, Jomar Taqatac, Sean San José, Kelsey Venter (9/16-10/19), and Ogie Zulueta. The creative team for Monstress includes associate director Sean San José, lighting designer Robert Hand, costume designer Lydia Tanji, set designer Nina Ball, and sound designer Jake Rodriguez.

In association with Monstress, A.C.T. will offer numerous InterACT events-many of which are presented free of charge-that will give patrons opportunities to get closer to the action while having an entire night out at the theater. Visit act-sf.org/interact to learn more about subscribing to these events throughout the season:

Bike to the Theater Night:
Wednesday, September 16
Providing a greener alternative to theater transportation, A.C.T. and the San Francisco Bike Coalition offer free valet bike parking, as well as a special discount on tickets, for these select performances.

Prologue:
Tuesday, September 29, 5:30 p.m.
Before the curtain goes up, get behind the artistic process at this fascinating preshow discussion with the director and artistic staff.

Theater on the Couch:
Friday, October 10, following the 7:30 p.m. performance
Led by Dr. Mason Turner, chief of psychiatry at San Francisco's Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, this exciting postshow discussion series explores the minds, motives, and behaviors of the characters and addresses audience questions.

Audience Exchanges:
Tues., October 13, 7 p.m. | Wed., October 28, 2 p.m. | Sun., November 8, 2 p.m.
After the show, stick around for a lively Q&A session with the actors and artists who create the work onstage.

OUT with A.C.T.:
Wednesday, October 21, following the 7:30 p.m. performance
The best LGBT night in town! Mingle with the cast and enjoy free drinks and treats at this popular after-party.

Wente Vineyards Wine Series:
Tuesday October 27, 6:30 p.m.
Before the show, raise a glass at this wine-tasting event featuring the Bay Area's hottest local winery.

PlayTime:
Saturday, November 14, 12:45 p.m.
Before this matinee performance, get hands-on with the artists who make it happen at this interactive theater workshop.

A.C.T.'s production of Monstress is made possible by executive producers Doug Tilden and Teresa Keller; Jack and Susy Wadsworth and producers Jerome L. and Thao N. Dodson; Dr. Gideon and Cheryl Sorokin. Special support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

A.C.T. would also like to acknowledge its 2015-16 company sponsors Frannie Fleishhacker; Priscilla and Keith Geeslin; Jeri Lynn and Jeffrey W. Johnson; Fred M. Levin and Nancy Livingston, The Shenson Foundation; Burt and Deedee McMurtry; Barbara Ravizza and John S. Osterweis; and Arthur Rock and Toni Rembe.

A.C.T.'s 2015-16 season will continue with Eugene O'Neill's classic comedy, Ah, Wilderness!; the Bay Area's favorite holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol; OBIE Award winner John Douglas Thompson in Terry Teachout's Satchmo at the Waldorf; the groundbreaking new musical, The Unfortunates; the West Coast premiere of Will Eno's inventive new comedy, The Realistic Joneses; and a brand-new, fully staged production of Jason Robert Brown's powerful and intimate musical, The Last Five Years.

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