Word for Word to Present Siobhan Fallon's THE LAST STAND and GOLD STAR at Z SPACE, 2/2-24

WORD FOR WORD, presents You Know When the Men Are Gone: two short stories "The Last Stand" and "Gold Star" a world premiere production of stories by Siobhan Fallon from her debut book which opens with a press night on Saturday, February 2 at 8 PM at Z SPACE, 450 Florida Street in San Francisco and runs February 2-24.

Siobhan Fallon's stunning collection of interconnected stories was described by the LA Times as a "lovely and wrenching first book... gripping... compelling... extraordinary circumstances," You Know When the Men Are Gone, provides an intimate look at life on an American military base through the eyes of the families of American soldiers deployed to Iraq.

On Thursday February 7 a post-show talk will feature military veteran Norberto Lara with the organization Wounded Warrior Project who will speak regarding his US Army experience, injury, recovery and reentry into civilian family life.

Saturday February 16, at 8pm Word for Word presents "An Evening with Siobhan Fallon " with a performance of the company's "The Last Stand" and "Gold Star", followed by an onstage conversation and reception with Siobhan Fallon.

The stories "The Last Stand" and "Gold Star" show another side of war - how those left behind must carry on in their daily lives in hope and fear, as well as what it's like for the wounded soldiers "returning to normal." The author has a first-hand knowledge of the military: Siobhan Fallon is the wife of an active duty U.S Army officer who has served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WORD FOR WORD'S production of "The Last Stand," directed by Joel Mullennix and "Gold Star," directed by Amy Kossow features actors Arwen Anderson*, Roselyn Hallett, Armando McClain, Marilet Martinez, Chad Deverman* and Ryan Tasker* (*member AEA). The production design team includes Drew Yerys (Lighting and Sound), Andrea Weber (Choreography), Delia MacDougall (Costumes and Props) and Jacquelyn Scott (Set Design) .

Word for Word's You Know When the Men Are Gone: two short stories "The Last Stand" and "Gold Star"- February 2 - 24 (Previews Jan 31, Feb 1) At: Z SPACE, 450 Florida Street, San Francisco. Performances; Wednesday-Thursday 7 pm, Friday-Saturday 8 pm, and Sunday 3 pm

Tickets: Wednesday - Thursday $30; Friday - Sunday $40; Feb 16 author night $55, with a $5 student/senior discount & $20 previews. (Previews Jan 31 & Feb. 1). Tickets at www.zspace.org.

You Know When the Men Are Gone: two short stories "The Last Stand" and "Gold Star" offers a rare glimpse of the unique challenges faced by soldiers and military families. Veterans are returning to the United States in increasing numbers, and they and their families are marked by the experience. We hope that in producing these stories we give our audience a glimpse of a world unknown to many of us and thus expand and challenge our ideas around these subjects, sparking thought and conversation. In San Francisco, where most military bases have been closed, this play and provides a way to examine the struggles faced by veterans, and their relationships with their families and the non-veteran community, illuminating The Commonalities we all share. The author has a first-hand knowledge of the military: Siobhan Fallon is the wife of a military officer, and artist Drew Cameron served in the US Army, including a tour of duty in Iraq.

"While there are a lot of books about soldiers' experiences on the battlefields, there are few about the home front. For every soldier deployed, there is a family waiting for his return, and those stories, those battles, those small and fragile moments, are extraordinary to me." - Siohban Fallon

Siobhan Fallon (author) is the author of You Know When the Men Are Gone, which was listed as a Best Book of 2011 by The San Francisco Chronicle, Self Magazine, Los Angeles Public Library, Janet Maslin of The New York Times, and won a 2012 Indies Choice Honor Award, the Texas Institute of Letters Award for First Fiction, and the 2012 Pen Center USA Literary Award in Fiction. Her collection of stories about the families of Fort Hood, Texas, during an Army brigade's deployment to Iraq, has been called "the explosive sort of literary triumph that appears only every few years" by New York Journal of Books, "a terrific and terrifically illuminating book" by The Washington Post, a "searing collection" by Entertainment Weekly, and "fascinating" by O, The Oprah Magazine. Theatrical productions of her stories include performances by Word for Word in San Francisco and Stories on Stage in Denver. More of Siobhan's work has appeared in Women's Day, Good Housekeeping, Military Spouse Magazine, New Letters, Publishers' Weekly, Huffington Post, and NPR's The Morning Edition. Siobhan has an MFA from the New School in NYC.

Amy Kossow (director) is a founding member of the Z Space Studio, and is a Charter Member of San Francisco's renowned theatre company, Word for Word. With Word for Word, Amy has directed stories by Mavis Gallant, Nathan Englander, Kay Boyle and Lawrence Block. Favorite WFW acting roles include Ottaline, in The Bunchgrass Edge of the World, Rose, in Three Blooms, Abby Borden, in The Fall River Axe Murders, and Miss Van Vluck, in Xingu. More recently, Amy appeared as Sadie in the American premiere of Any Given Day and as Mary Prime Deity in the rolling world premiere of The Lily's Revenge, both at the Magic Theatre. She also originated roles in Octavio Solis's adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Pastures of Heaven, co-created with Word for Word at California Shakespeare Theater.

Joel Mullennix (director) most recently directed the highly successful productions of "Olive Kitteridge", "More Stories by Tobias Wolff" and "Which is More Than I Can Say About Some People" for Word For Word, and "Family Alchemy" for A Traveling Jewish Theatre. He has also directed works by Chekhov, Shakespeare, Miller, Stephen Adly Guirgis and others. Joel is also an actor and has performed in many Bay Area Theatres as well as in New York and Europe.

WORD FOR WORD is the theatre company that transforms classic and contemporary fiction into performance works for the stage. Founded in 1993 by Susan Harloe and JoAnne Winter, the company is in its 19th year. Word for Word performs short stories in their entirety, preserving the author's language and honoring his or her literary intent. Word for Word has staged works throughout the Bay Area, as well as in France. In 1997, Word for Word received a special Bay Area Critics Circle Award for its unique concept and in 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2005, the Bay Area Critics Circle awarded the company numerous honors for productions including "The Halfway Diner," "Winesburg, Ohio," Stories by Tobias Wolff," and "Immortal Heart." In 2008 Word for Word received the Best Ensemble Award for "Sonny's Blues," with composer Marcus Shelby receiving the best Original Score for the production. Playwright Octavio Solis, Cal Shakes Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone, and Word for Word co-Artistic Directors JoAnne Winter, and Susan Harloe, came together in 2006 to create an adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Pastures of Heaven which premiered at Cal Shakes in 2010. Word for Word is a program of the Z Space.

Z SPACE was founded in 1993 to promote the artistic and professional advancement of Bay Area theatre. With our signature Word For Word and Youth Arts programs, along with our commissioning and careful development of new plays, we have become one of the nations leading laboratories for the development of new works and emerging playwrights. In August, 2009, we moved to our new home in Project Artaud, and commenced the upgrade and transformation of this iconic theatre venue where we will create a most welcoming hub of outstanding artistry from all disciplines including theatre, dance, music, multimedia and visual arts.

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