The American Conservatory Theater Master of Fine Arts Program Presents HER NAKED SKIN, Opens 10/17

The American Conservatory Theater Master of Fine Arts Program presents Rebecca Lenkiewicz's new play Her Naked Skin, directed by California Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone. Set in London in 1913, this electric new play centers on two courageous women fighting to gain the right to vote-one a renegade married aristocrat, the other a young Cockney seamstress. After meeting behind prison walls, they embark on a dangerous journey of self-discovery-but just how far will they go for political and personal change? The A.C.T. M.F.A. Program class of 2010 takes on this ambitious new work, which received four stars from the Evening Standard, the Guardian (London), the Independent, and Time Out (London) for its premiere at London's National Theatre. Incredibly, Her Naked Skin was the first play written by a living female playwright to be produced on the National's main stage, the celebrated Olivier Theatre. Her Naked Skin runs October 15-31, 2009, at Zeum Theater (Yerba Buena Gardens, Fourth and Howard streets, San Francisco). Opening night is Saturday, October 17, 2009, at 8 p.m., but contractually reviews are not allowed for this production. Tickets are $15-$20 and are available at www.act-sf.org or by calling A.C.T. Ticket Services at 415.749.2228.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the suffragette movement slowly and painfully took hold in Britain, forcing the established order to grant voting rights to women. Playwright Rebecca Lenkiewicz says of her reasons for revisiting this historical moment: "I wrote the play because I felt the suffragettes had been forgotten. They suffered so much. I admired their comradeship, strength, and old-fashioned pluck. Girls with guns, girls with bombs-but never wanting to hurt anyone."

The suffragettes were committed to the cause with their lives and usually had a total disregard for their individual status within the struggle. They threw iron balls labeled "Bomb" through windows, regularly set fire to government mailboxes, and took part in long hunger strikes. The uniqueness of Her Naked Skin comes from the personal and emotional approach it takes to this difficult and violent time in history. By focusing on the love between Lady Celia and Eve, two protagonists from very different walks of life, Lenkiewicz paints a moving and unexpected picture of the personal sacrifices that were made by women to win the right to vote.

A.C.T. Conservatory Director Melissa Smith speaks to the beauty of Lenkiewicz's drama: "I love the storytelling in the play-really taut with short, dense, and pithy scenes. The grit and courage of these women are dramatized in a really compelling way. You get a truly compelling picture of this world and this love affair between these two women." Smith also speaks to the fit of the class of 2010 and the artistic team to this complex piece of theater: "This class is full of trailblazers who want to push the envelope, and I think they will really connect with the plight of the characters in this play. It is going to require a lot of muscle, a lot of technique, and real flexibility from the actors. It also requires a real actor's director, and we are very excited to have Jonathan Moscone take on this ambitious piece."
This epic play covers more than 30 locations and over 40 characters to present a slice of life from this historic time. The design team charged with taking on the challenge includes scenic designer Martin Flynn, costume designer Callie Floor, lighting designer Heather Basarab, and sound designer Ted Crimy. Her Naked Skin is made possible by a generous grant from The Bernard Osher Foundation. Additional support provided by The William G. Gilmore Foundation and donors to A.C.T.'s season gala, Illuminate the Night.
Ranked as one of the top programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program was the first theater training program in the country not affiliated with a college or university accredited to award the master of fine arts degree. The M.F.A. Program functions as the cornerstone of the A.C.T. Conservatory, which also includes the Summer Training Congress, Studio A.C.T., and the Young Conservatory. The third and final year of the program is designed to give students the opportunity to focus primarily on performing for a public audience. Past M.F.A. Program third-year productions have included works by Christopher Durang, Charles Busch, Marc Blitzstein, Georg Büchner, Caryl Churchill, George Farquhar, Henrik Ibsen, Robert O'Hara, Harold Pinter, William Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Maxim Gorky, and Bertolt Brecht.
A.C.T.'s stage at Zeum Theater, a venue distinct from the American Conservatory Theater on Geary Street, is dedicated to the development of new works, new translations, new forms, and new artists. A.C.T.@Zeum was launched in October 2001 with the A.C.T. M.F.A. Program's world premiere staging of Marc Blitzstein's No for an Answer, directed by A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff. This unprecedented community partnership gives A.C.T. an additional stage for readings, workshops, rehearsals, and other aspects of new play and production development.

 

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