Urbanite Theatre to Kick Off 2022/23 Season With THE BURDENS This Weekend
The production, uniquely told entirely through text messages, voice mails and emails, also makes for an original method for storytelling.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Oct. 21, 2022
Urbanite Theatre will begin its 2022/23 Season with a twisted and inventive dark comedy, The Burdens by Matt Schatz. The Burdens, directed by Urbanite Theatre Artistic Director Brendan Ragan, will follow a set of clumsy siblings plotting to address a problematic grandfather.
Mordy and Jane's dreadful, centenarian grandfather is an emotional and financial tax on the family, and he just won't die. Scheming almost entirely via sarcastic and misspelled text messages, the siblings hatch an outrageous plan to relieve their family of their grandfather's burden.
"The Burdens is an excellent blend of zany, dark comedy and heartfelt storytelling," says director Brendan Ragan. "It's equal parts madcap and touching family story. Anyone with a problematic family member will immediately relate."
The production, uniquely told entirely through text messages, voice mails and emails, also makes for an original method for storytelling. "We don't see any devices on stage, the siblings deliver all their lines like dialogue," says Ragan. "But it shows you how different people talk when it's through a device. It makes for a hilarious commentary on communication in the 21st century."
Production History: The Burdens was developed during a residency at the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and has received productions at City Theatre, Bloomington Playwright's Project, and Mile Square Theatre.
The 2022/23 Season, titled Heredity, will feature four productions that investigate the complexities of interpersonal family dynamics and heritage.
Performance Details:
THE BURDENS
by Matt Schatz
Directed by Brendan Ragan
October 22 - December 4, 2022
Running time: 80 minutes
Production Schedule
Tuesday (November 22nd only) at 7:30pm
Wednesdays & Thursdays at 7:30pm
Fridays at 8:00pm
Saturdays at 2:00pm & 8:00pm
Sundays at 2:00pm
No performance November 24th & 25th
Cast:
Jane Berman - Morgan Lavenstein
Mordy Berman - Jacob Fallon
Creative Team:
Playwright - Matt Schatz
Director/Artistic Director - Brendan Ragan
Artistic Director - Summer Wallace
Production Stage Manager - Tori Heikenfeld
Scenic Design - Tom Hansen
Technical Supervisor & Sound Design - Alex Pinchin
Lighting Design - Ethan Vail
Master Carpenter - Eugene Alcorn
Costume Design - Alison Gensmer
Scenic Artist - India Marie Paul
Music Coach - Creg Sclavi
Matt Schatz
is a writer and composer. Upcoming musicals include A Wicked Soul In Cherry Hill (Geffen Playhouse, Edgerton New Play Award) and An Untitled New Play By Justin Timberlake (City Theatre/Pittsburgh CLO). Other plays and musicals include The Door You Never Saw Before (Geffen Stayhouse), No One Sings Like You Anymore (Seattle Rep Commission), Georama (St. Louis Rep, Great River Shakespeare Festival, NYMF), Dunkfest '88 (Ars Nova), and more. Awards include The Kleban Prize in Musical Theatre, The ASCAP Foundation Harold Arlen Musical Theater Award, The Reva Shiner Comedy Award, and the New York Musical Festival Outstanding Lyrics Award. Matt has been the recipient of five Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation New Play Commissions. Non-theater work includes television and film projects developed for Fox, USA, TBS, Warner Bros, CBS, and others. Matt was a writer for Netflix Animation's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.
TICKETS AND INFORMATION:
$39 regular
$25 under 40
$5 student
Tickets and Subscriptions are available online at any time at www.urbanitetheatre.com, or by calling 941-321-1397
Production URL: https://www.urbanitetheatre.com/theburdens
Urbanite Theatre is located at 1487 2nd Street, Sarasota FL 34236.
MISSION: Urbanite Theatre is committed to creating visceral, shared experiences by fearlessly lifting up the boldest new voices in theatre. We believe in inclusive, artist-first storytelling, daring honesty, and the powerful connectivity of an intimate space.
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