Madeline George's Pulitzer Nominated Play Arrives in Redwood City this September

In The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence, playwright Madeline George weaves together the tale of three historical Watsons in this time-jumping tribute to genius. There's Watson, the trusty sidekick to Sherlock Holmes, Watson, the loyal engineer who helped Alexander Graham Bell build the telephone, and Watson, the IBM supercomputer created to beat the Jeopardy! All-Stars in 2011. Woven into a tale with Watson, a present day geek looking for love, the result is a story that examines the technological advancements that both bring people together and tear them apart. A 2014 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

The 2018 season is The Season of Everything. Theatre teaches compassion and empathy and by combining theatre with science we aim to show in 2018 that as humans, we are all connected, that science and art are intertwined, and that our words and actions make ripples both in the present and in the future. The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence exemplifies this theme with its examination of scientific advancements against the intricacies of the human heart.

Director Doll Picotto says that "[l]iving as we do in the Silicon Valley, it seems impossible to imagine a time when connecting to another person wasn't as immediate as the smartphone attached to our hands. As technology advances, connecting with other humans has become faster and easier than ever. We live in a world where connecting with someone is immediate--literally a click away. However, many scientists believe that social anxiety is dangerously on the rise--that as our technological connections become smoother, our actual human connections are becoming more difficult. Seated at a computer screen, it's easy to forget the at the other end of the disparaging comment you're leaving regarding someone's new haircut is a living, breathing person who feels pain. Connecting on a truly human level--face to face and heart to heart--involves a level of risk and bravery that many people find it difficult to give. People are inherently awkward, imperfect and uncomfortable, and our relationships are inevitably the same. The idea of giving yourself over to someone who has the power to utterly destroy you emotionally and simply trusting that they won't is a terrifying prospect. It makes us feel weak and small and afraid. But the mere fact that so much of our developing technology IS about connecting people demonstrates our need and desire to challenge that fear and continue to CONNECT. Technology can only help us so far. We are all born insufficient, and we must look to others to supplement our strength. That is not weakness, it is the first condition of human life."

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: Madeleine George grew up in Amherst, Massachussets and began writing plays as a high school student at Ameherst Regional High School. She participated in the Young Playwrights Festival at the Playwright's Horizon and The Public Theatre as a teenager. Ms. George then attended Cornell University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1996. She then obtained an MFA from NYU's Tisch School for the Arts.

Since then, Ms. George's plays have been produced at Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, Shotgun Players, and Perseverance Theater, among other venues. She has been the recipient of a MacDowell Fellowship, the Princess Grace Playwriting Award, the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award, and the Jane Chambers Award. A resident playwright at New Dramatists, George was also a founding member of the collective 13P (Thirteen Playwrights, Inc.), which won an Obie Award. Her play The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2014. She also won the Whiting Award for Drama in 2016 for the same play.

For seven years, George was the director of the Bard College satellite campus at Bayview Correctional Facility in Manhattan. She is currently based in Brooklyn, New York.

Featuring the talents of: Tasi Alabastro (Watson), Stephanie Crowley (Eliza), Gary Mosher (Merrick)

Designers & Production Team: Doll Picotto (Director), Lucy Littlewood (Assistant Director), Chrissie Schwanhausser (Stage Manager), Karl Haller (Technical Director), Emilia Wysocka-Treder (Scenic Designer), John Bernard (Lighting Designer), Ryan Short (Sound Designer), Kathleen Qui (Costume Designer), Beth Covey-Snedegar (Properties Designer), Maggie Ziomek (Graphic Designer)

WHEN: September 14th - October 7th, 2018

Thursdays - Saturdays, 8pm, Sundays, 2pm. Doors open 30 minutes before the show.

Pay what you will preview on Thurs., Sept. 13th at 8p
Opening night performance on Fri., Sept. 14th at 8p
Post-show discussion with the cast on Sunday, Sept. 23rd

This show is rated PG-13 for adult themes, sensuality, and adult language. The run time is approximately 2 hours, with one 15-minute intermission.

WHERE: The Dragon Theatre in downtown Redwood City?
2120 Broadway Street at the intersection of Broadway and Theatre Way

HOW MUCH: $35 for general admission seats; $27 for student/senior tickets.
$15 rush tickets on Thursdays and Fridays starting 2nd week. Limited availability and cash only at the door.
Pay what you will preview on Thursday, May 24 - no reservation necessary, pay cash at the door.
$175 for the VIP box (seats 4 people and includes champagne and chocolates.)

CONTACTING THE BOX OFFICE: Leave a voicemail at 650-493-2006 x 2 and your call will be returned within 2 business days. If you'd rather email, contact Nancy at tickets@dragonproductions.net. The Dragon Box Office is not staffed 7 days a week so there might be a delay in response. Buying tickets online at http://www.dragonproductions.net is the very best way to reserve a ticket in advance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

TIX & MORE INFO: http://dragonproductions.net/

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