NCTC Stages Regional Debut of Douglas Carter Beane's THE NANCE, Starting Tonight

This month, New Conservatory Theatre Center presents the return of Douglas Carter Beane's sophisticated wit and thrilling theatrical ambition with the regional premiere of THE NANCE. After hit productions of Beane's The Little Dog Laughed and As Bees in Honey Drown, NCTC bring his latest and "finest" (Time Out NY), what The New York Times calls "a heartfelt new play set in the twilight of burlesque."

This "bold, brave play" (Backstage) -- which debuted at Lincoln Center Theater on Broadway in 2013 -- recreates the naughty, raucous world of burlesque's heyday and tells the backstage story of headliner Chauncey Miles, who plays "the nance," a flamboyantly effeminate stock character -- usually played by a straight man. Set amid Mayor Fiorello La Guardia's crackdown on burlesque before the 1939 World's Fair, a time when it was easy to play gay yet dangerous to be gay, Chauncey's uproarious antics on the stage stand out in marked contrast to his offstage life.

THE NANCE marks the return of P.A. Cooley, who will star as Chauncey. Cooley starred in several acclaimed productions with NCTC, including a celebrated star turn in Terrence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion!, Theater District by Richard Kramer, and the west coast premiere of McNally's Some Men. Frequent NCTC collaborator Dennis Lickteig directs, with musical direction by Scrumbly Koldewyn, and choreography by Rory Davis.

THE NANCE runs tonight, October 2, through November 1, 2015. Opening Night is Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 8pm. Tickets are $25-45 and available at nctcsf.org or by calling (415) 861-8972.

Playwright Douglas Carter Beane has written The Little Dog Laughed (Tony nomination, Best Play); books for the musicals Xanadu (Drama Desk Award; Tony nomination, Best Book of a Musical), Lysistrata Jones (Tony nomination, Best Book of a Musical) and the new adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (Tony nomination, Best Book of a Musical); As Bees In Honey Drown (Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Playwriting Award, Drama Desk Best Play Nomination); The Country Club (LA Times Critics' Choice & Dramalogue Awards); Music From A Sparkling Planet; Advice From A Caterpillar (Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination); White Lies; Devil May Care and Old Money. His screenplays include To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar; Advice From a Caterpillar (Best Film, Aspen Comedy Festival, Best Feature, Toyota Comedy Festival) and Skinner's Eddy. His plays include Beane has also revised the libretto for the Metropolitan Opera's new production of the operetta Die Fledermaus which will be performed in 2013- 2014.

Director Dennis Lickteig recently directed the hugely successful NCTC production of Avenue, which plays its third engagement this winter. Past NCTC collaborations include the world premiere of Brad Erickson's American Dream, The Lisbon Traviata, Lips Together, Teeth Apart, The Story of My Life, The Busy World is Hushed, Anita Bryant Died for Your Sins, The Sugar Witch, Act A Lady, Thrill Me, Farm Boys, Theatre District and Harvey Milk -The Musical. Other recent directing projects include: Parade for Palo Alto Players, , The Story of My Life (Contra Costa Civic), Thoroughly Modern Millie and The King and I (Broadway By the Bay), Forum, Sunday in the Park with George, Anything Goes (CCMT), A Little Night Music, Closer Than Ever, Crimes of the Heart (Hillbarn Theater).

In addition to Cooley, the cast of THE NANCE features Brian Herndon, Nathaniel Card, Courtney Hatcher, Shay Oglesby-Smith and Mia Romero.

The creative team of THE NANCE also includes Scenic Design by Kuo Hao Lo, Costume Design by Jorge R. Hernandez, Lighting Design by Christian V. Mejia, Sound Design by James Ard, Prop Design by Amy Crumpacker.

New Conservatory Theatre Center is San Francisco's premier LGBTQIA 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 nurturing emerging artists and playwrights to expand the canon of queer and allied dramatic work.

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