Casting has been announced for The Hub Theatre's spring production of Lauren Yee's time-bending comedy, A MAN, HIS WIFE AND HIS HAT. Sasha Olinickleads the cast as Hetchman, a retired hatmaker and title character of the piece. Olinick earned rave reviews as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Round House Theatre production of AMADEUS. This production marks his debut with The Hub Theatre.
Olinick stars opposite two-time Helen Hayes Award nominee, KERRI RAMBOW, who plays Hetchman's suddenly-gone-missing wife of many years. Rambow was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress for roles in the Source Theatre's production of THE MOST FABULOUS STORY EVER TOLD and Charter Theatre's production of A HOUSE IN THE COUNTRY.
The cast is completed by Hub Theatre Company Member, KRISTEN GARAFFO, who plays Voice. Garaffo dazzled audiences in The Hub's BIG LOVE last season. Opposite Garaffo, playing her fiancée, is DANIEL COREY. Maboud Ebrahimzadeh plays Hetchman's best friend, Meckel, and CHRIS STINSON makes his debut with The Hub as Golem.
The challenging play, which moves swiftly through time and space, is directed by Shirley Serotsky. For The Hub, Serotsky directed Marc Acito's Helen Hayes Award-Winning World Premiere, BIRDS OF A FEATHER. Serotsky is the Associate Artistic Director at Theater J where she directed THE HISORY OF INVULNERABILITY; THE MOSCOWS OF NANTUCKET; MIKVEH; and THE RISE AND FALL OF Annie Hall (Helen Hayes Nomination for Outstanding New Play). Recent directing credits include WORKING: THE MUSICAL (Keegan Theatre); BLOOD WEDDING (Constellation Theatre); JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK (Washington Shakespeare Company); a staged reading of BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO (National New Play Network at Arena Stage); CRUMBLE (LAY ME DOWN Justin Timberlake) and WE ARE NOT THESE HANDS (Catalyst Theater); and REFERENCES TO SALVADOR DALI MAKE ME HOT (Rorschach Theater, Helen Hayes Nominee for Outstanding Direction). Shirley was a member of the 2002 Designer/Director Workshop with Ming Cho Lee; the 2003 Lincoln Center Director's Lab; and was a 2001/2001William R. Kenan, Jr. Fellow at the Kennedy Center.
Lauren Yee was born and raised in San Francisco, and received her bachelor's degree from Yale University. Her full-length play CHING CHONG CHINAMAN was a finalist for the 2008 Princess Grace Award and the winner of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival's 2010 Paula Vogel Award, and Kumu Kahua Theatre's 2007 Pacific Rim Prize, and was named one of the top 10 plays of the year by the East Bay Express and City Pages. A MAN, HIS WIFE, AND HIS HAT was developed at PlayPenn and UCSD's Baldwin New Play Festival, produced at AlterTheater, and received its San Diego premiere at Moxie Theatre in the spring. The Bay Area Playwrights Festival, AlterTheater, the O'Neill Studio at Yale, and PlayGround have previously commissioned her work. She is currently working on new commissions for the Kennedy Center and Mu Performing Arts (with support from the MAP Fund).
In A MAN, HIS WIFE, AND HIS HAT, we meet Hetchman, a retired hatmaker-perhaps the finest hatmaker ever-who loves his hat more than anything. Except maybe his wife. He loves her too. When BOTH go missing, Hetchman vows to find them, and will stop at nothing to do so. But, can he muster the strength and energy to leave the comfort of his armchair? A fantastical series of events threatens to derail his endeavor. In Yee's time-bending, mind zapping world, people float away and hats serenade their wearers in ethereal clarinet melodies. Lost memories are sealed inside jars. And life is accompanied by a talking wall and a hungry golem. In this world where anything can happen, only the force of love can hold you to the ground. Following a successful staged reading in 2012, The Hub Theatre is thrilled to present this fully staged DC Premiere of this klezmer-inspired love triangle between a man, his wife ... and his hat.
The Creative Team for A MAN, HIS WIFE, AND HIS HAT includes: Eric ShimELONIS (Original Music) LEIGH-ANN FRIEDEL (Scenic Design), KEN WILLS (Lighting Design), KELSEY HUNT (Costume Design), PATRICK CALHOUN (Sound Design), SUZANNE MALONEY (Props Design), and REBECCA GRIFFITH (Stage Management).
Due to languge, this production is suitable for ages 16 and up.
A MAN, HIS WIFE, AND HIS HAT
By: Lauren Yee
Director: Shirley Serotsky
Scenic Design: Leigh-Ann Friedel
Lighting Design: Ken Wills
Costume Design: Kelsey Hunt
Original Music: Eric Shimenolis
Sound Design: Patrick Calhoun
Props Design: Suzanne Maloney
Stage Management: Rebecca Griffith
Where: The Hub Theatre, in residence at The John Swayze Theatre
Theatre Address:
New School of Northern Virginia
9431 Silver King Court
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Performance Dates: April 5 - 28, 2013
Curtain Times: Fridays: 8:00 pm; Saturdays: 2:00 & 8:00 pm; Sundays: 2:00 pm
Ticket Prices: $15 - $30
Tickets Available:
www.thehubtheatre.org
www.boxofficetickets.com
800-494-8497
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