ACT Presents Ruhl's 'Eurydice' Opening 9/11

 Cross the River of Forgetting on a one-way cruise to the Underworld in ACT – A Contemporary Theatre's production of Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, a fantastic, highly original contemporary retelling of a classic story from one of the most distinct theatrical voices of a new generation of writers.

"Sarah Ruhl is the most exciting young playwright to emerge from the American theatre in more than a decade. Her funny, poetic mind moves through Eurydice like a benediction," said ACT Artistic Director Kurt Beattie. "The great myth finds a new expressiveness in her heartbreaking interpretation, which is as beautifully momentary as the wind, and as eternal as anyone can imagine."

In Eurydice, written in 2000 and inspired by the death of her father in 1994, Ruhl flips the classical myth of Orpheus to focus not on his descent to the underworld to rescue his young bride from death, but on Eurydice's experience of her death and the journey taken. Reunited with her father in Hades, Ruhl's Eurydice is confronted with the surprising and excruciating choice of leaving her father again to re-join her new husband. The play inventively expands on the themes of the myth to embrace not only the powerful force of romantic love, but also the deep bond shared between father and daughter. Ruhl's playfulness and her characteristic light touch in the face of almost unbearable loss catapults the play into a gorgeous, surreal realm of wonder and enchantment.

At the age of 34, the gifted Ruhl has already been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize (in 2005 for The Clean House, produced last season at ACT), and in 2006 she was awarded a half-million dollar MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant to write more plays.

Continuing the synergy of playwright and director ACT began last year with The Clean House, Allison Narver will once again step into the director seat to direct Eurydice. Performed in the round, an all local cast will be featured in this production, including Renata Friedman [Vincent in Brixton, The K of D, The Importance of Being Earnest Off-Broadway] in the title role, Trick Danneker [The Sweetest Swing in Baseball at ArtsWest, American Buffalo at Theater Schmeater] as Orpheus and Mark Chamberlin [A Christmas Carol, Stuff Happens] as Eurydice's father.

Additional presentations in conjunction with Eurydice include Project Orpheus by Seattle Dance Project (September 13-October 4, 8:00 p.m.) produced by The Central Heating Lab at ACT, as well as pre- and post-show discussions.

Director Allison Narver and cast members are available for interviews. Pre-production photos will be available by August 22. For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Jacquelyn Rardin at (206) 292-7660 ext. 1327 or jacquelyn.rardin@acttheatre.org.

 

Cast

Renata Friedman                       Eurydice

Trick Danneker                         Orpheus

Mark Chamberlin                      Father

Paul Morgan Stetler                   Nasty Interesting Man/Child

Anne Allgood                            Loud Stone

Tim Hyland                               Big Stone

Tracy Hyland                            Little Stone

 

Production Team

Allison Narver                           Director

Melanie Taylor Burgess             Costume Designer

Matt Smucker                           Scenic Designer

Michael Wellborn                      Lighting Designer

Chris Walker                             Sound Designer

Lynne Ellis                                Assistant Lighting Designer

JR Weldon                                Stage Manager

Erin Zatloka                              Assistant Stage Manager

 

Performance Schedule:

Fri., Sept. 5, 8:00 p.m. - Preview

Sat., Sept. 6, 8:00 p.m. - Preview

Sun., Sept 7, 7:30 p.m. – Preview (Pay-What-You-Will Performance)

Tues., Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. – Preview (Behind the Scenes)

Wed., Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m. - Preview

Thurs., Sept.  11, 7:30 p.m. - OPENING

Fri., Sept.12, 8:00 p.m. (Beer Tasting)

Sat., Sept 13, 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Project Orpheus)

Sun., Sept 14, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Tues., Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m.

Wed., Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m.

Thurs., Sept. 18, 2:00 p.m. (Pay-What-You-Will Performance) and 7:30 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 19, 8:00 p.m. (ACTivation Celebration and Project Orpheus)

Sat., Sept. 20, 8:00 p.m. (Project Orpheus)

Sun., Sept. 21, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Tues., Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m.

Wed., Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.

Thurs., Sept. 25, 7:30 p.m.

Fri., Sept 26, 8:00 p.m. (InterACT and Project Orpheus)

Sat., Sept. 27, 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Project Orpheus)

Sun., Sept. 28, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Tues., Sept 30, 7:30 p.m.

Wed., Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m.

Thurs., Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 3, 8:00 p.m. (Project Orpheus)

Sat., Oct. 4, 8:00 p.m. (Project Orpheus)

Sun., Oct. 5, 2:00 p.m.

 
ACT Special Events (open to the public):

Behind the Scenes, September 9, 2008, 6:00 p.m.

Before the Tuesday night preview of each Mainstage production, Artistic Director Kurt Beattie and

members of ACT's artistic team give audiences a the heads-up and the lowdown on what it takes to make that night's magic. Made possible by KING FM with delicious bites provided by Cater Seattle.

 
Beer Tasting, September 12, 2008, 6:30 p.m.

Who says beer and theatre don't mix? Before the show, audiences can sample delicious brews, along with carefully paired snacks. This event takes place courtesy of Beverage Bistro of Redmond. Sponsored by Seattle Weekly.

 
ACTivation Celebration, September 19, 2008, post-show

Rejoice in the magic on stage while celebrating the magic created by favorite local non-

profit organizations. A portion of single ticket sales (10%) from the second Friday show of each Mainstage production will be donated to one of Seattle's hard-working non-profit groups.  Following the performance that evening, complimentary hors d'oeuvres will be served alongside live music!

 
InterACT, September 26, 2008, 6:30 p.m.

Make a night of it! Bring friends (or cozy up to some new ones) to the most collectively

connected night of theater in town. Audiences mix and mingle at ACT before the third Friday performance of each Mainstage production with complimentary cocktails and scrumptious snacks. Then, enjoy the performance and stick around for additional post-play entertainment. Sponsored by Red Diamond Wine.

 
About Sarah Ruhl

Sarah Ruhl's plays include The Clean House (Susan Smith Blackburn Award, 2004, Pulitzer Prize finalist, Pen Award), Melancholy Play, Eurydice, Late: a Cowboy Song, Orlando, Demeter in the City (NAACP image award nomination),  Passion Play, a Cycle (Fourth forum freedom award, Kennedy Center) and Dead Man's Cell Phone. Her plays have been performed at Lincoln Center Theater, Second Stage, Playwrights Horizons, the Goodman Theater, Yale Repertory Theater, Woolly Mammoth, Berkeley Repertory Theater, the Wilma, Cornerstone Theater, Madison Repertory Theater, Clubbed Thumb, and the Piven Theatre Workshop, among other theaters across the country. Her plays have been translated into German, Polish, Korean, Russian and Spanish, and have been produced internationally in London, Canada, Germany, Latvia, and Poland. Sarah received her M.F.A. from Brown University, and is originally from Chicago. She is the recipient of a Helen Merrill award, Whiting Writers' Award, and a Macarthur Fellowship. She is a proud member of New Dramatists and 13P.

 
About ACT – A Contemporary Theatre

For the past 43 seasons, ACT's mission has been to present a broad spectrum of the very best of Contemporary Theatre that speaks to audiences of all backgrounds. A significant part of ACT's mandate is to commission new works and to foster the development of those works in a supportive and inspiring workplace. Through The Central Heating Lab, ACT seeks to heat things up and create a conversation with its season that reaches for a deeper impact.

To post a comment, you must register and login.