Third Annual World Premiere Trick or Treat Starring Gordon Clapp to Play Northern Stage

Trick or Treat, written by Jack Neary, runs live on stage at the Barrette Center for the Arts in White River Junction, VT, January 18 - February 5. For tickets and information, call 802-296-7000 or visit www.northernstage.org. Tickets start at $15 for students and $30 for adults.

This piece first appeared at Northern Stage in last year's New Works Now new play festival. Neary centers the plot on a family in crisis on Halloween. Starring NYPD Blue's Gordon Clapp as Johnny, this world premiere features a distraught husband, a nosy neighbor, and a dark secret that set the wheels in motion for story of mystery, confrontation, and suspense.

Audiences may remember Gordon Clapp as Scrooge in Northern Stage's 2014 production of A Christmas Carol. Other credits include Glengarry, Glen Ross on Broadway and Grey's Anatomy and Chicago Fire on television. Jenni Putney and David Mason, who both appeared in Living Together at Northern Stage last spring, join Clapp onstage. Putney, who plays the character Claire, has also been seen at Northern Stage in Blithe Spirit, Clybourne Park, and The Fox on the Fairway. Her regional credits include the Kennedy Center and La Jolla Playhouse. David Mason, playing Teddy, has regional credits that include the Denver Center Theatre Company, Geva Theatre Center, and television credits in House of Cards and Law and Order: SVU. Katie Bruestle, playing Hannah, makes her main stage debut at Northern Stage with this production, after having been a part of the 2015 New Works Now staged reading of The Last Queen of Canaan. Her regional credits include Merry Go Round Theatre and the New London Barn Playhouse. Producing Artistic Director Carol Dunne directs the play, and says; "We chose Trick or Treat for our New Works festival a year ago to showcase a role written for one of our valued company members, Gordon Clapp. The audience response to the staged reading was overwhelmingly positive, and we knew instantly that this was a play that is as entertaining as it is topical and that it would fit perfectly in Northern Stage's 20th season."

The creative team is completed with Joshua M. Feder, Michael Ganio, Allison Crutchfield, Kathy Manfre, Tyler Perry, Ben Montmagny, Paul West, Whitney M. Keeter, and Jillian Gowac. Playwright Jack Neary shares his thoughts about the piece: "The play takes place in a working class home in eastern Massachusetts. It also takes place on Halloween. Both of these elements, along with the story, style, and characters of the play inform the designers who have succeeded in addressing the subtle nuances so crucial to this kind of story. An audience member will have a strong feel for place and character as soon as the lights come up and the actors appear. Trick or Treat is part comedy, part thriller, and part drama. This is a big challenge, which Northern Stage has taken on with enthusiasm and expertise."

Stave Puzzles and Wells Fargo Advisors sponsor performances. The production is recommended for ages 14 and up due to the subject matter and strong language. An optional post-show conversation with the company follows performances January 24 - February 4. $15 Anytime Student Tickets and $5 Access for All tickets (for EBT card holders) are available for any performance. Adult ticket prices range from $30-$55. $20 Tuesday, a special discount night at the theater, is slated for Tuesday, January 24. A complimentary post-show reception with the cast follows the opening night performance on Saturday, January 21. A free "Spot On" Conversation titled The Process of Creating a New Play: Trick or Treat's Evolution will be held in the theater on Sunday, January 22 from 3:30-4:30 PM featuring the playwright.

During the run of Trick or Treat Northern Stage will also host a second Stakeholder's Panel Discussion. Invited guests from the community will share the impact of Northern Stage on their lives and their hopes for the company's future. This free event includes complimentary drinks and snacks, and all members of the public are invited to attend on Tuesday, January 31 from 7:30-9:00 PM. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to the box office:boxoffice@northernstage.org or 802.296.7000.

Northern Stage is a regional non-profit LORT-D professional theater company with a mission to change lives, one story at a time. Based at the crossroads of New England -- the Upper Valley of the Connecticut River -- Northern Stage's intimate space sets the stage for actively involving its audiences with ambitious productions and expansive educational programs. Founded in 1997, Northern Stage has offered more than 115 high-quality, professional productions of new works, classics, and musicals. The company celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season this year and annual attendance is now over 30,000.

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