PURE Theater Presents SPEECH AND DEBATE 7/30-8/15 With Pay What You Can Preview On 7/29 At Lance Hall

PURE Theatre's production of Speech & Debate by Stephen Karam plays July 30 & 31, August 1, 5, 6, 8, 14, 15 with a Pay What You Can Preview July 29 and a special matinee performance August 9 at PURE Theatre, at Lance Hall, 150 Meeting Street, Downtown Charleston, on the grounds of the Circular Congregational Church

TICKETS: Wednesdays $20; Thursdays $25, Friday/Saturdays $30; Sunday $25

Available at puretheatre.org or by phone at 843.723.4444. Tickets can also be purchased the night of the show at the PURE Theatre Box Office at The Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting Street. Seating is limited, and advance ticket purchases are strongly encouraged. Call 843.723.4444 for box office hours.
INFO: 843.723.4444

PURE Theatre is excited to bring you this year's Summer Slam of Speech & Debate by Stephen Karam. Co-directed by PURE Theatre Artistic Director Sharon Graci and David Mandel featuring Addison Dent, C. Kathleen Donnelly, Sullivan Graci Hamilton, and Will Northcutt, the production opens Thursday, July 30th, in PURE's space at Upper Lance Hall, located on the grounds of The Circular Congregational Church.

Speech & Debate is a hilarious look at three misfit teenagers in Salem, Oregon that the New York Times calls "A triumph...hilarious, cliché-free, and immensely entertaining."
Speech and Debate is PURE's fourth Summer Slam production. "We love to wait until the heat-soaked days of July and August are fully upon us to open a run of an exceptionally funny, irreverent play that just lifts the oppression of the dog days, right off," says Sharon Graci, PURE Theatre's artistic director and the production's co-director along with David Mandel. Speech and Debate is a riotous tale of three high school misfits who, for their own reasons, agree to help start a speech and debate team at their high school. The backdrop for the team's events is a group dramatic interpretation of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, including a teenage Abraham Lincoln. Also featured are online chat rooms, George Michael's "Freedom," and the theme of what it means to be human. "Or maybe humane is a better word for it," says Graci.

Speech and Debate welcomes to the stage something new to PURE, a cast dominated by actors under the age of 18. While the story is decidedly adult, the actions, attitudes, and even innocence of the characters are that of high school students, so PURE stayed true to the story and cast appropriately. Sullivan Graci Hamilton plays the role of Diwata, the mastermind behind the formation of the speech and debate teaM. Hamilton was seen most recently in PURE Theatre's production of Hogs by Rodney Lee Rogers. Returning to the PURE stage in the role of Howie is Will Northcut, last seen as the young teenager in PURE's production of David Lindsay Abaire's Rabbit Hole. Addison Dent takes on the role of Solomon, a wide-eyed teenage investigative journalist.

"Its no secret that PURE artists are theatre geeks," says Graci. "We've built our reputation on our unyielding commitment to not just producing theatre, but making art. Its been great to work with three young actors who are true champions of the art of theatre. They're disciplined, open, enthusiastic, and committed. Its been a real pleasure to see them in the rehearsal room everyday."
"Their technique is still very new to them, so we spend time talking about the basics of the craft of acting, learning new skills, and new ways of looking at the rehearsal process," continues Mandel, "its a mini-theatre class everyday, and its great."

Co-director David Mandel was eager to collaborate on the project with Graci. "Sharon's directed me in plenty of shows at PURE, and I've directed her," says Mandel. "We can finish each other's sentences to find common ground during the rehearsal process, and yet we always bring different, complementary ideas to the table." Like the kids in the play, Mandel was involved with the debate team when he was a student at Porter-Gaud. As a former state champion in Dramatic Interpretation ("D.I.") and Humorous Interpretation ("H.I."), Mandel brings some sardonic expertise to the project. "Diwata decides to start up the debate team primarily because she is denied a starring role in the school musical. She winds up turning a rejection into an opportunity, and what she gets out of that outlet is probably more than most kids get out of just having a part in a play. Within the play are these 'dramatic interpretation,' 'original oratory,' and 'group interpretation' pieces that showcase the kids as multitalented writers, editors, directors, and quadruple-cast performers. And at the end of the day, mostly these kids are hilarious freaks with a fresh perspective on what it means to grow up. And you better listen up," says Mandel.

PURE Theatre has garnered a reputation for artistic excellence, risk taking, and thinking outside of the box. The company's intrepid approach to the art and craft of theatre has garnered them numerous critics and audience awards, as well as a loyal following of patrons.

PURE will continue popular special events such as their Bring Your Own Baby performance on Sunday, September 6th. BYOBaby is a unique opportunity for parents of young children to enjoy professional theatre without incurring the cost of child care. Child care is provided free of charge by PURE Theatre, and staffed by childcare professionals from The Circular Congregational Church in their downstairs facility. PURE Theatre also offers a special Pay What You Can preview performance on Wednesday, July 29 at 7:30.

TICKETS:

Phone: PURE Box Office: 843.723.4444 or 800.838.3006

On Line: www.puretheatre.org

In Person: PURE Theatre Box Office

Lance Hall @ Circular Congregational Church

150 Meeting Street

Charleston, S.C. 29401

SPECIAL EVENTS:
BYOBaby. Its BRING YOUR OWN BABY to PURE

PURE knows how difficult it can be to find the time and often the money to do, well really much of anything, when you are busy raising a young family. That's why we are doing our part to help make life a little simpler, and theatre a little more accessible, for young families.

During the run of each show, PURE will offer a Bring Your Own Baby performances and provide childcare at no charge, right downstairs below the theatre, in the Circular Church Nursery. The Church's trained nursery staff provides the sitting, while PURE provides the theatre. Its a great opportunity get out of the house and get PURE.

So, even if your babies have babies of their own, we're pretty certain there is someone in your life who would love a night out at the theatre, with the added piece of mind of knowing that the children are well taken care of, and it didn't cost a thing.
BYOBaby Performance of Speech & Debate Sunday August 9th.

Pay What You Can Preview

See PURE Theatre at a price that can fit any budget on Wednesday, July 29.

INFO: 843.723.4444 or www.puretheatre.org

 

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