Cast Set For WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT at American Stage

White Rabbit Red Rabbit is not like any other play. Each night, a different actor performs it for the first and only time. No rehearsals. No director. No do-over. 

American Stage has officially announced the 15 actors taking on the wild ride that is White Rabbit Red Rabbit. This is the first production in their new “Beyond the Stage” series. True to its name, “Beyond the Stage” asks audiences and performers alike to step out of the theatre and into their own backyard to engage in new ways of storytelling. White Rabbit Red Rabbit does just that, taking audiences to places like a historic church, university, museum and warehouse . 

 “This ingeniously written play charms you with its insight into captivity, conditioning and learned behaviors,” said Helen R. Murray, Producing Artistic Director at American Stage. “It is magical, surprising, and asks us to question how we think even more than what we think. And it does it while we are laughing and delighting at an incredibly entertaining piece of theatre. I can't wait to share it with our community, because the way it bonds an audience is unforgettably unique.” 

Written by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, White Rabbit Red Rabbit was conceived when he was barred from leaving the country for refusing military service. The play became a “message in a bottle,” communicating the lived experiences of an entire generation under harsh censorship. By the time Soleimanpour was able to travel again, White Rabbit Red Rabbit had gone global, with performances held in over 30 languages. 

Despite the play’s impressive mileage, the plot has largely remained a secret– a concerted effort by both the actors and the audience.  

“I’ve had a number of friends that have done White Rabbit Red Rabbit, but I’ve never been able to see it,” said cast member Georgia Mallory Guy, Producing Art Director of ThinkTank: a Tampa-based theatre that amplifies the voices of young creatives through youth-centric productions. 

Actors are urged to sequester themselves from all things White Rabbit Red Rabbit leading up to the performance; that means no Googling, discussing amongst other actors, tweeting (or is it “X-ing?”) and most importantly, no rehearsing. That premise may be daunting to some, empowering to others. Some find it to be a mix of both.

“It’s going to be scary and amazing, and I honestly can’t wait to do it,” said Mallory Guy. It’s one of the reasons she recommends seeing the play at least twice, comparing it to a nebula. Ever-changing, and ever-spectacular.

Sarasota-based actor, educator, and director Travis Ray predicts White Rabbit Red Rabbit will be equally rewarding for its performers.

“I think that this show is allowing artists like me to play,” he said. Ray is the Director of Advancement for Urbanite Theatre, which focuses on bringing thought-provoking new works to Sarasota. Ray is tackling White Rabbit Red Rabbit at The Woodson African American Museum of Florida. 

Travis doesn’t see the inability to rehearse as a hindrance, but as an opportunity to engage in a new way of storytelling…and maybe even improvise a bit, too. 

“I was always surrounded by people who weren’t in the field of theatre, but were great storytellers,” he said. “I think the thing about being a good storyteller is loving the story that you’re telling, finding ways to engage your audience, and being excited about what you’re saying, which in itself is engaging. That’s what I try to do no matter what.” 

White Rabbit Red Rabbit runs November 2-19 in various locations across Tampa Bay. 

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