NCTC to Present World Premiere of Andrew Alty's BEFORE THE SWORD Beginning in September

In September, New Conservatory Theatre Center will start a brand new season of LGBTQ+ stories with the world premiere of Andrew Alty's captivating story of a life before a legend, Before the Sword, directed by NCTC Founder and Artistic Director, Ed Decker.

In a small British village in 1936, author T.H. White stares at the blank pages that will become his future masterpiece. Upon meeting Freddie, a troubled young man with a mysterious past, White begins to write the modern classic The Sword in the Stone – inspired by his new student and the ancient legend.

Playing September 15 – October 15, 2023, Before the Sword's Opening Night is Saturday, September 23 at 8pm. Wednesday and Thursday evening performances will have a new showtime of 7:30pm.  Tickets are $25–65 and will be on sale starting August 9th at nctcsf.org, by emailing boxoffice@nctcsf.org, or by calling (415) 861-8972. Pay-what-you-wish tickets are available for preview performances, September 15-22, and can be reserved starting one week before the first performance through the box office. An enhanced safety performance with additional COVID safety precautions will take place on Wednesday, September 28. 

Audiences can enjoy these special events during the run of the show:

• Low-cost Previews: Friday, Sept 15 - Friday, Sept 22, 2023

• A Conversation with the Playwright, a pre-show chat with NCTC Founding Artistic Director Ed Decker and playwright Andrew Alty will take place on Friday Sept 22, 2023

• Opening Night will take place on Saturday, Sept 23, 2023 at 8pm

• Enhanced Safety Performance with limited capacity seating and additional COVID safety precautions will take place on Wednesday, Sept 28, 2023 at 7:30pm

• Onstage Insight, Post-Show Discussion featuring the cast, and moderated by the director will take place after the performance on Sunday, Oct 8 at 2pm.

• Additional special events to be announced!

Playwright Andrew Alty (Pronouns: he/him) has written extensively for theatre, radio, and television. His first play, The Left-over Heart won the Charringtons Award for Best First Play in 1993 and was subsequently broadcast on Radio 3. Other plays include Asylum (Royal Court Theatre,1993), Something About Us (Lyric Hammersmith,1995, U.S. Premiere at NCTC, 1996 ) and The Road to Hell (Birmingham Repertory,1996). His original play for radio, Buried Treasure was broadcast on Radio 4 in 1996, and he has recently delivered a new piece for radio, Halfway to Heaven. He is the founding Artistic Director of Fast Forward Theatre Company, and the Creative Learning Projects Manager at New Wimbledon Theatre.

The cast of Before the Sword includes Kimberly Donovan (Hannah Wharton), Henry Halkyard (Freddie), Jeffrey Hoffman (Roger Reynolds), Adam KuveNiemann (Tim (T.H) White), Radhika Rao (Clare Reynolds), and Mark Robinson (Jonathan Wharton). The creative team includes costume design by Keri Fitch, production management & casting coordination by Toni Guidry, set design by Devin Kasper, stage management by Kaitlin Rosen, and sound design by Kalon Thibodeaux.

New Conservatory Theatre Center has been San Francisco's premier LGBTQ+ and Allied performing arts institution and progressive arts education conservatory since 1981. NCTC is renowned for its diverse range of innovative, high-quality productions, touring productions and shows for young audiences; its foundational anti-bullying work with youth and educators through YouthAware; and its commitment to developing new plays to continue expanding the canon of queer and allied dramatic work.

Supported in part by The Bernard Osher Foundation, Horizons Foundation, Grants for the Arts, and the generosity of NCTC's individual donors.

The play is written by Andrew Alty (pronouns: he/him), directed by Ed Decker (pronouns: he/him), with Costume Design byKeri Fitch (pronouns: she/her), Production Management & Casting Coordination by Toni Guidry (pronouns: she/her), Set Design by Devin Kasper (pronouns: he/him), Stage Management by Kaitlin Rosen (pronouns: she/her), Sound Design by Kalon Thibodeaux (pronouns: he/him)

The cast includes Kimberly Donovan (pronouns: she/her) as Hannah Wharton, Henry Halkyard (pronouns: he/him) as Freddie, Jeffrey Hoffman (pronouns: he/him) as Roger Reynolds, Adam KuveNiemann (pronouns: he/him) as Tim (T.H.) White, Radhika Rao (pronouns: she/they) as Clare Reynolds, and Mark Robinson (pronouns: he/him) as Jonathan Wharton.

 

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