SCOTTSBORO BOYS Among Highlights of A.C.T.'s 2011 - 2012 Season

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Carey Perloff announced the complete lineup and dates for the company's 45th subscription season today. The final show of the subscription season will be the acclaimed musical The Scottsboro Boys, which just received 12 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. Directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman (twice nominated for her work on the show), The Scottsboro Boys marked the final collaboration between the celebrated songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago and Cabaret), features a book by Tony Award-nominated writer David Thompson, and will be presented in association with The Old Globe. Also joining the lineup is the nonsubscription presentation of the world premiere of Perloff's Higher, directed by A.C.T. Associate Artistic Director Mark Rucker at the intimate Zeum Theater. Running from September 2011 to July 2012, the season will offer a diverse collection of productions, both in content and style, bringing together international stories with plays about the San Francisco Bay Area and the best of today's theatrical voices with sparkling new productions of celebrated classics.

With the 2011-12 season, A.C.T. welcomes three new core Acting Company members: Annie Purcell, who played the title role in Perloff's sold-out production of Elektra at the Getty Villa last summer and will appear in the Canadian tour of last season's The Tosca Project (now called The Tosca Cafe), and recent A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Program graduates Omozé Idehenre (The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet, and Clybourne Park at A.C.T.) and Nick Gabriel (A Midsummer Night's Dream at South Coast Repertory and Cabaret at Center REPertory Company). Perloff is expanding the idea of A.C.T.'s core Acting Company to recognize recent A.C.T. M.F.A. Program graduates and other artists that work frequently with A.C.T. for their contributions to the organization. These actors will be with A.C.T. for the season and will each take part in three mainstage productions. Perloff said: "We are thrilled that the repertoire we have chosen permits us to add three remarkable young actors to the company for the 2011-12 season. These actors are filled with the kind of passion, technique, flexibility, appetite, and commitment that lends itself so well to the company experience, and we look forward to their participation in A.C.T.'s artistic life with great anticipation."

The 2011-12 season opens with a new revival of the dazzling George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart 1930 comedy Once in a Lifetime, which has been called "[a] merry piece of evisceration about the advent of talking pictures . . . [with] burlesque, wisecracking comic style" (The New York Times) and "a tinseltown satire that still has bite" (Newsday). Once in a Lifetime will be directed by Mark Rucker and will feature an enthralling ensemble cast of 14 who take on more than 60 roles. In Rucker's unique approach to this classic comedy, the production will incorporate period film clips and dynamic backdrops that meld the worlds of theater and film, redefining audiences' experience with "Moving Pictures." "After directing this show last spring with our M.F.A. Program students, I am thrilled to bring Once in a Lifetime to our mainstage next season," said Rucker. "I'm especially excited to bring this amazing era to life using original black-and-white film clips to make ‘moving' cinematic backdrops, creating a juxtaposition of the worlds of theater and film." In Once in a Lifetime, a trio of down-on-their-luck vaudevillians decide to try their luck out west as "elocution experts," coaching Hollywood stars to make their speaking voices as beautiful as their glamorous mugs as silent films evolve into "talkies." This witty satire of the entertainment industry on the brink of transformation marked the first collaboration between Broadway luminaries Kaufman and Hart, a partnership that also produced such classic plays as The Man Who Came to Dinner and You Can't Take It with You. Once in a Lifetime performs September 22-October 16, 2011, with press night on Wednesday, September 28, 2011, at 8 p.m.

Next up, fresh from a triumphant Broadway run, is Race, David Mamet's wicked and scathing legal comedy, directed by Irene Lewis, the longtime artistic director of Baltimore's CENTERSTAGE. With his trademark verbal pyrotechnics, Mamet unleashes three attorneys as they scramble to represent a white man accused of assaulting a black woman. Race lures us into an enthralling web where "the dialogue is tasty, the confrontations spiky, and the observations more than occasionally biting" (Variety). In signature Mamet style, the play pushes buttons, exposing the dark underbelly of sexual and racial politics in the American justice system. Perloff said: "This season A.C.T. has explored the complicated kaleidoscope of race in contemporary America with Tarell Alvin McCraney's Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet and Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park. Now comes David Mamet's Race, a hilarious and unsettling look inside a top-drawer law firm as its attorneys wrestle with sex, spin, race, gender, and justice. Race packs an incredible punch, and I can't wait to add it to the pantheon of great Mamet works that A.C.T. has produced." Race performs October 21-November 13, 2011, with the press night on Wednesday, October 26, 2011, at 8 p.m.

The nonsubscription presentation of Perloff and Paul Walsh's adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol returns during the holiday season. Again featuring celebrated Bay Area actor James Carpenter as Ebenezer Scrooge under A.C.T. Associate Artist Domenique Lozano's direction, this "holiday treat for the entire family" (KGO Radio) continues to be a beloved Bay Area tradition. A Christmas Carol performs December 1-24, 2011, with press night on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, at 7 p.m.

The New Year welcomes acclaimed clown and actor Lorenzo Pisoni back to his hometown with his acclaimed one-man show, Humor Abuse, which he created with Erica Schmidt. In this love letter to the Bay Area and to the passionate, no-holds-barred life of the performer, Pisoni-the youngest member of the Pickle Family Circus and son of Pickle cofounder Larry Pisoni-tells the story of his life growing up (often literally) in his father's stage trunk. As he launches into this vivid scrapbook of poignant memories and impressive routines, Pisoni creates an unforgettable theatrical high-wire act, balancing physical pratfalls with heartfelt recollections. About bringing the show to the Bay Area, Pisoni, who last appeared on the A.C.T. stage in 2005's hugely popular The Gamester, says: "Ever since Erica and I created Humor Abuse, I've wanted to do it in San Francisco. I had a wonderful experience the last time I was on the A.C.T. stage, so now I am thrilled not only to have a chance to return to A.C.T., but also to bring this piece with me. I know many A.C.T. audience members will have a deep nostalgic connection to what happens in the play because the Pickles were a part of San Francisco's culture for so long." The show has received high acclaim from critics: Pisoni has been called "a performer of charisma and charm with the split-second timing and aplomb of Buster Keaton" (New York Post) and "a one-man whirlwind" (WOR Radio), and the New York Times praised his performance as "breathtaking"; Bloomberg News called Humor Abuse "funny, poignant, and inspired." Variety raved that the show is "surprising, funny, and entirely theatrical," challenging, "Other solo performers take note: you can describe your troubled childhood, but can you do it with balloons?" Humor Abuse, presented in association with Seattle Repertory Theatre, performs January 12-February 5, 2012, with press night on Wednesday, January 18, 2012, at 8 p.m.

February introduces a celebrated Middle Eastern voice to the Bay Area with the West Coast premiere of Wajdi Mouawad's haunting play Scorched. After receiving more than 100 productions (in several languages) worldwide, the Lebanese-Canadian writer's haunting new play will be directed at A.C.T. by Carey Perloff in a beautiful translation from the original French by distinguished Canadian author Linda Gaboriau. The Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe- and Academy Award-nominated actor David Strathairn (Temple Grandin and Good Night, and Good Luck; The Tempest at A.C.T.) leads the cast. Scorched was also produced in Canada as the feature film Incendies, which was nominated for the 2010 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. "Scorched continues our deep relationship with the cutting edge of Canadian theater, and brings the turmoil and tribalism of the Middle East to the forefront for the first time at A.C.T.," says Perloff. In Scorched, twin siblings Janine and Simon embark on a life-changing journey to their mother's homeland to fulfill her dying wish: finding the father and brother they never knew they had. Mouawad weaves this riveting mystery into a complex, captivating tapestry, inviting us to slowly unravel an astonishing truth. Deftly leaping across decades and continents, Scorched immerses us in powerful cycles of violence and renewal, where the chaos of conflict has never been so immediate-or so human. Philadelphia Weekly called Scorched "a work of raw power . . . delicately lyrical and unforgettable." Perloff adds: "Mouawad is a major new writer whose work is acclaimed internationally but relatively unknown in the United States; A.C.T. is thrilled to introduce him to the Bay Area." Scorched performs February 16-March 11, 2012, with press night on Wednesday, February 22, 2012, at 8 p.m.

Also in February is the nonsubscription presentation of the world premiere of Carey Perloff's Higher at Zeum Theater. Directed by Mark Rucker, this new play about the high-stakes drama of international architecture will be presented at San Francisco's intimate Zeum Theater. In Higher, a high-powered Jewish architect, madly in love with an equally talented colleague, discovers that she is his rival in a competition to design a memorial in Israel. As they roam from the sleek rooms of plush New York apartments to the muddy shores of Israel, the two architects are stretched to the limits of their creativity-and sanity. Memory, desire, and design fuel this thrilling new work. Perloff, whose work as an award-winning playwright includes Luminescence Dating, The Colossus of Rhodes, and Waiting for the Flood, said: "Higher grows out of my fascination with architects and with the ego and obsession it can take to imagine and create a signature building. Of course, this process is made infinitely more complicated when love, desire, betrayal, and professional jealousy are involved. After collaborating with Mark Rucker on a site-specific reading at the Contemporary Jewish Museum last year, I'm thrilled to finally have a chance to see the play come alive in a full production in San Francisco." Higher performs February 1-18, 2012, at Zeum Theater (221 Fourth Street, San Francisco) with press night on Saturday, February 4, 2012, at 8 p.m.

The season continues with the West Coast premiere of a brand-new work fresh from the esteemed Humana Festival of New American Plays: the West Coast premiere of JorDan Harrison's Maple and Vine, directed by Mark Rucker. Katha and Ryu, overwhelmed by the infinite choices of the modern world, stumble upon an enticing escape route: ditching the urban frenzy of New York to leap into a charming community of 1950s re-enactors, where life is simpler, passion is risqué, and a sparkling cocktail is a daily accessory. This provocative comedy transports us to the peaceful, tree-lined streets of a carefully constructed 1955, where Katha and Ryu exchange high-rises for hi-fis and sushi lunches for Tupperware parties. But in this aggressively "authentic" world, strictly enforced gender roles and shockingly retro attitudes about race and sexuality create complicated situations for the couple and their clean-cut neighbors Ellen and Dean. Perloff says: "In the wake of our wildly provocative breakout hit Clybourne Park, Maple and Vine jumped out at us as another chance to stimulate rich dialogue about gender roles, race, sexuality, and the way we live our lives today. We found the play both hilarious and deeply disturbing and look forward to the many passionate postplay discussions it will engender." This "cleverly executed fantasy" (The New York Times) audaciously stirs up powerful questions: How much are we willing to sacrifice for happiness-and how we can ever know if it's real? Maple and Vine performs March 29-April 22, 2012, with press night on Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at 8 p.m.

May will be filled with love and Shakespeare at A.C.T. with a new production of Twelfth Night directed by Carey Perloff-the first Shakespeare play to grace the American Conservatory Theater stage in 15 years. One of Shakespeare's most rambunctious and stirring comedies, Twelfth Night follows the story of Viola, who is shipwrecked and loses her twin brother, Sebastian, on an unfamiliar shore. She masquerades as a young man to serve the dashing Duke Orsino, with whom she promptly falls in love. Flummoxed by mistaken identities and clever gender-switching, the star-crossed lovers dive with abandon into some of the most beautiful love poetry in the English language. "Twelfth Night is one of the most perfect odes to love in all its folly and confusion," says Perloff. "It's filled with exquisite language and a fascinating blend of eros, comedy, and darkness that leaves enormous room for exploration and for rich visual and musical imaginings." This joyous production swirls to life with evocative music, vibrant costumes, and an unforgettable group of irrepressible comic characters, brought to life by many of A.C.T.'s celebrated core Acting Company members. Perloff adds: "We've been longing to do a major Shakespeare on the A.C.T. stage for a long time, and Twelfth Night is a perfect fit for our core Acting Company, our remarkable M.F.A. Program actors, and key members of our extended artistic family." The first Shakespearean work produced at the American Conservatory Theater since it reopened in 1996 after the devastation of the Loma Prieta earthquake, Twelfth Night celebrates the work of one of the world's most enduring playwrights in one of the country's most beautiful-and enduring-theaters. Twelfth Night performs May 10-June 9, 2012, with press night on Wednesday, May 16, 2012, at 8 p.m.

The season culminates with five-time Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman's (The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Contact on Broadway) production of The Scottsboro Boys, which received 12 Tony Award nominations this year, including Best Musical, Best Direction, and Best Choreography. The final collaboration between the legendary songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago and Cabaret), The Scottsboro Boys features a book by Tony Award-nominated writer David Thompson (1996 revival of Chicago and Steel Pier on Broadway) and will showcase many of the original Broadway cast members. Hailed as "the best new musical of the year" (Entertainment Weekly) and "dazzling . . . vibrant [and] dynamic" (The New York Times), this daring and visionary musical transforms the true story of nine young African American men-unjustly accused of a shocking crime-into a vivid, unforgettable theatrical event. "Susan Stroman is an American treasure whose work has never been seen on the A.C.T. stage," says Perloff. "It's such an honor to welcome her to San Francisco with this seamless, passionate, and imaginative staging of Kander and Ebb's fascinating tale. With The Scottsboro Boys, Stroman manages to fuse astonishing dancing with heartfelt and complex storytelling in a unique and masterful way that will provide a wonderful complement to A.C.T.'s history of edgy musicals like The Threepenny Opera, Urinetown, Sweeney Todd, and our upcoming production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City." The Scottsboro Boys, presented in association with The Old Globe, performs June 19-July 15, 2012, with press night on Wednesday, June 22, 2012, at 8 p.m.
Season subscriptions, available in seven-, five-, and four-play versions, offer incredible savings, unparalleled access, exclusive benefits, and personalized customer service and can be purchased via the A.C.T. subscriptions office.

To subscribe or to receive a season brochure, please call 415.749.2250 or log on to act-sf.org.
Subscriptions for all seven plays start at $70, for five plays at $87, and for four plays at $72, and subscribers save as much as 50% off single-ticket prices. Educators and administrators are eligible for half-price subscriptions. To make subscriptions more affordable, A.C.T. also offers subscribers one free seat upgrade (subject to availability-limitations apply) and an extended payment plan that offers payment in two easy installments. A.C.T.'s competitive subscriber benefits include easy ticket exchanges up to the day of scheduled tickets, priority access to the best seats, and ticket insurance. Subscribers also get access to easy prepaid parking one block away from the theater, advance access to Words on Plays (A.C.T.'s in-depth, behind-the-scenes performance guide), and amazing discounts on acting classes in our conservatory and costume rentals.

Single tickets for all of A.C.T.'s productions in the 2011-12 season will be available in August.
A.C.T. is supported in part by Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts, and company sponsors Priscilla and Keith Geeslin, Ambassador James C. Hormel and Mr. Michael P. Nguyen, Nancy Livingston and Fred Levin, The Shenson Foundation, Burt and Deedee McMurtry, Patti and Rusty Rueff, Kathleen Scutchfield, Mary and Steven Swig, Jeff and Laurie Ubben, and Susan A. Van Wagner.

 

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