Stageview #3 20156

APRIL - JUNE 2016 SYRACUSE STAGE: [1] TIMOTHY BOND [5] THE CHRISTIANS [7] BASKERVILLE DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA: [9] A FLEA IN HER EAR

AUGUST WILSON'S MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM

2008

A IN JULY, TIM BOND moves on to the University of Washington after serving as producing artistic director of Syracuse Stage for nine seasons. By the time he completes his tenure, Tim will have produced 61 plays at Syracuse Stage. Of those, he will have directed 14, including The Brothers Size, which became the first Syracuse Stage production to make an international transfer when it moved to theatres in South Africa. Tim introduced many new playwrights and theatre artists to Syracuse Stage audiences. His artistic vision for the theatre is one of inclusion where the expressions of diverse cultures are given voice. Through Tim’s artistic leadership, we have come to see our community and its connection to the world of theatre in new and enriching ways.

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SYRACUSE STAGE

AUGUST WILSON'S FENCES

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THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

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THE PRICE

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LOOK BACK PHOTOS FROM L - R TOP ROW: DOUG ESKEW, EBONY JO-ANN PHOTO: T. CHARLES ERICKSON ARIELLE LEVER PHOTO: T. CHARLES ERICKSON KENNETH TIGAR PHOTO: T. CHARLES ERICKSON BOTTOM ROW: STEPHEN TYRONE WILLIAMS, KIM STAUNTON AND JAMES A. WILLIAMS PHOTO: CHRIS BENNION CRYSTAL FOX AND RICHARD BROOKS PHOTO: T. CHARLES ERICKSON

AUGUST WILSON'S RADIO GOLF

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PHOTOS CONTINUED PAGES 3 - 4, FROM L - R TOP ROW: SEAN PATRICK FAWCETT AND ALANNA ROGERS PHOTO: T. CHARLES ERICKSON JOSHUA ELIJAH REESE PHOTO: T. CHARLES ERICKSON

ABDUL SALAAM EL RAZZAC, ROBERT MANNING, JR., G. VALMONT THOMAS, AND ERIKA LAVONN PHOTO: MICHAEL DAVIS JONATHAN PECK AND GREGORY PERRI PHOTO: MICHAEL DAVIS BOTTOM ROW: ADRIANA GAVIRIA PHOTO: MICHAEL DAVIS ERIKA LAVONN AND MARCEA BOND PHOTO: MICHAEL DAVIS BARBARA BROUGHTON, DORI LEGG, AND D'ARCY DERSHAM PHOTO: PATRICK WEISHAMPEL SERA BULLIS AND MARK MURPHEY PHOTO: MICHAEL DAVIS

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THE BOYS NEXT DOOR

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THE BROTHERS SIZE

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CELEBRA

THE GLASS MENAGERIE

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AUGUST WILSON'S THE PIANO LESSON

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AUGUST WILSON'S TWO TRAINS RUNNING

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THE WHIPPING MAN

2014

ATING BOND

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OTHER DESERT CITIES

2015

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

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v d e a n tur n a ous “WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PREACHER.” But Lucas Hnath (pronounced nayth) did not grow up to become a preacher. Instead, while a student at New York University in the late 1990s, he decided to become a playwright.

That change in career trajectory worked out spectacularly well for him.

In 2014, his new play The Christians, about a foundation-shaking split in beliefs at a fictional 21st century non-denominational Christian church, premiered at the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Humana Festival of New American Plays to rave reviews. Keith Waits of arts-louisville.com wrote that the play “proves fulfilling wherever your beliefs position you in society” while KDHX’s Chuck Lavazzi praised the play’s “smart, well-crafted script.”

The success of The Christians at the Humana Festival led to a run at New York City’s Playwrights Horizons, where the New York Times’ Charles Isherwood declared it a Critics’ Pick, and called Hnath “an adventurous thinker in terms of style and content.” Regional theatres from Houston, Texas, to here at Syracuse Stage have since selected the play for their seasons. Such a turn of events cemented Hnath as a breakout star of the American theatre scene.

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THE CHRISTIANS

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wed. APR 6 7:30 pm p thur. APR 7 7:30 pm p fri. APR 8 8 pm op sat. APR 9 3 pm, 8 pm

So how does a Christian boy from Orlando, Florida go from an aspiring preacher to a pre-med student to one of the most talkedabout new American playwrights?

Lucas Hnath’s childhood home in Orlando, Florida, was minutes away from Disney World. Religion was a major part of his life from the beginning. His family was very involved in the church. When Hnath’s mother attended a seminary during his time in middle school, he tagged along to classes with her. One of his friends from high school went on to become a preacher.

But the young Hnath was also fascinated by theatre, particularly special effects, because of his life’s geographical proximity to the Magic Kingdom. In high school, he acted in plays and was even cast as a singing pageboy in a production of As You Like It at the Orlando Shakespeare Festival.

By the time he entered New York University as a pre-med student, Hnath had decided that worrying about peoples’ souls was not something he wanted to focus on. Then, he realized medicine wasn’t for him either. “I didn’t want to worry about other peoples’ bodies,” he told Playwrights Horizons in 2015.

But, after discovering the works of Caryl Churchill and Richard Foreman, Hnath went on to earn a BFA and an MFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University. Now, he is a faculty member at the University.

Hnath feels that this marriage of influences led him to see the church as the perfect setting for a theatre piece. “The church is a kind of theatrical space already,” he says.

This metaphor influences The Christians and is reflected in the set design, which includes a cross hanging on the wall, a pastor’s podium, and handheld microphones. From the moment the audience walks into the theatre, they feel that they have stepped into a worship space. The production includes a live choir performing gospel songs, a sermon, and even prayers.

The choir at Syracuse Stage is made up of members of the local community.

The substance of the play concerns a decision by the church’s pastor, Paul, to alter a long-held belief of the congregation. The impact of this decision prompts reactions and consequences Paul did not fully anticipate and that touch not only the congregation but the pastor and his family as well.

Throughout, Hnath refuses to show whether Paul’s beliefs are right or wrong, or even if they hold up against church doctrine. The play does not label anybody as a ‘good guy’ or a ‘bad guy’. Hnath leaves the audience wondering what will come of Paul, his wife and child, his congregation, and even his former congregants.

Hnath realizes that contemporary audiences find stability in resolution. But, with The Christians, he refuses to provide it, preferring to leave his audience with more questions to stimulate thought, rather than provide concrete answers. “That lack of obvious resolution can be uncomfortable,” he admits. “With a lot of practice, we can also learn to take pleasure in the agitation.

And maybe something more complex and true becomes visible within the agitation.”

- Madison Flavin

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sun. APR 24 2 pm o p = preview op = opening d = discussion s = ASL interpreted o = open captioning ad = audio described h = happy hour pl = prologue w = Wed@1

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a pla ce to have a great time Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville:

A Sherlock Holmes Mystery THEATRE IS “always a place to have a great time— that’s why it exists,” says playwright Ken Ludwig.

The author of such noted comedies as Lend Me a Tenor (Syracuse Stage 1992) and Moon Over Buffalo, as well as the musical Crazy for You, Ludwig’s latest, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, doubles up on the fun by combining Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous mystery The Hound of the Baskervilles with madcap comedy similar to Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps (Syracuse Stage 2010). The result is, as one reviewer noted, “a circus of non-stop comedy.”

“It’s OK to have fun in the theatre,” Ludwig insists, and in some respects, he believes mysteries and farce offer an audience comparably satisfying theatrical experiences. All the pieces come together in a farce, the playwright explained to Amy Henderson of smithsonian.com, while a mystery is akin to a jigsaw puzzle where all the pieces fit together in the end. There is a sense of wholeness and resolution in each, in essence a happy ending.

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Of course, it is not lost on Ludwig that Conan Doyle’s master sleuth is enjoying renewed and extraordinary popularity at the moment. From the action-packed films featuring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law, to the American TV series Elementary, to the BBC mini-series Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch, the game seems forever afoot, however updated or reimagined.

“Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson have been a staple of our culture since the 1890s, but they have recently reentered our world in a more muscular way,” the playwright explained prior to the play’s world premiere at Arena Stage last year. “For some reason, it seems to be just the right time for Holmes and Watson. Perhaps these days we crave a hero who succeeds despite, or perhaps because of his quirks, his obsessions, and his near-fatal flaws.”

In addition, by revisiting the horrifying tale of the Baskerville curse and the ferocious hellhound that rips the throats out of its terrified victims, Ludwig celebrates an expansive, adventurous, and yes,

melodramatic kind of theatre that was popular in Conan Doyle’s day but not so prevalent today.

Baskerville breaks through the confines of the one set-small cast contemporary play and parades more than 30 characters across moors and train stations, London streets and baronial mansions.

True, those thirty-plus characters are played by a cast of five—one for Holmes, one for Watson, and three for all the rest—but that only adds to the play’s heightened theatricality while serving as a rich source of comedy. The highly energetic and pulse-pounding pace finds the actors making repeated and rapid costume and character changes, swapping accents and hats in a flash of lightening and locations in a crack of thunder.

“I’ve written a big, and what I hope is a

“Now is the dramatic moment of fate, Watson, when you hear a step upon the stair of someone walking into your life, and you know not whether for good or ill.”

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Illustrations by Sidney Paget (1860 - 1908)

KEN LUDWIG’S

PAGET ILLUSTRATED THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES AND THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES FOR THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

BASKERVILLE:

A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY MAY 11 - 29 wed. MAY 11 7:30 pm p thur. MAY 12 7:30 pm p fri. MAY 13 8 pm op sat. MAY 14 3 pm, 8 pm sun. MAY 15 2 pm pl wed. MAY 18 7:30 pm thur. MAY 19

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rollicking, mysterious, exciting, funny piece that takes place all over southern England in the 1890s and takes joy in the notion that the director and the designers and the people who are doing the lights and sound are going to transform that stage into an experience for two hours of being in this remarkable place,” Ludwig told playbill.com.

Through “the raw, creative joy of being in a live theatre”, Ludwig explained, he wants audiences to feel “a sense of wonder and relish the spirit of adventure”.

PRESENTING SPONSORS:

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SPONSORS:

Or as Holmes puts it: “Now is the dramatic moment of fate, Watson, when you hear a step upon the stair of someone walking into your life, and you know not whether for good or ill.” Once again, the game is afoot.

- Joseph Whelan

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SYRACUSE STAGE EDUCATION | 10

GEORGES FEYDEAU

: SOOOOOOO FUNNY

L

aughter is good, even highly respected medical professionals concur. Laughter taken in regular doses has short and long term beneficial effects. It relieves stress and eases tension. It can boost the immune system and relieve pain. And it improves mood and enhances personal satisfaction.

Large measures of this magical elixir can be found in the work of the French playwright Georges Feydeau.

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DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

For many, Feydeau is the undisputed master of the stage farce, the highly physical, broadly comedic form that was exceedingly popular with Belle Epoque and fin de siecle Parisiens (think ToulouseLautrec). Among Feydeau’s best known work is La Puce à l’oreille, or A Flea in Her Ear, which concludes the 2015/2016 Department of Drama season.

A. Esteban correctly notes: “All a summary of the action can do is give an insufficient account of events that are played at breakneck speed.” Some plays truly need to be seen to be appreciated.

A typical Feydeau farce—Flea is typical in structure and exceptional in achievement—consists of three acts, in which the first act serves to wind the action into a tight As has often been pointed out, coil that unravels with accelerating summarizing a Feydeau farce is force in the second, with all the farcical in itself. The critic Manuel loose ends tied up in the third. Or

“A PL AY IS A LITTLE BE AST W ITH A THOUSAND LEGS WHICH MUST A LWAYS ADVANCE,” as director Stephen Cross puts it: “It absolutely runs amok from the end of the first act, throughout the entire second act and well into the third.”

Although he has some concerns about the sexist and classist fin de siecle attitudes reflected in the play, Cross says he chose Flea “because it is really one of the funniest plays I ever had the great fun to For Feydeau, the essential condi- work on.” He adds, “What I hope tion of the theatre was move- to achieve is a chaotic world spinment. “A play is a little beast ning nearly off its top, but in the with a thousand legs which must end, not quite. If we get this right always advance,” he and stay out its way, I once noted. “If it slows expect weeping tears of down, the audience laughter, belly laughs, yawns; if it stops, the and thigh slapping.” audience boos.”

Cross is supported in his Consequently, amid the effort by a 2004 adaptafamiliar farcical eletion of Flea by playwright ments of mistaken identity, alleged David Ives (All in The Timing, Venus infidelity, inopportune encounters, in Fur). Ives adaptation has been and rampaging husbands, Feydeau performed at numerous regional includes a mind-boggling number theatres and has drawn widespread of comings and goings to keep praise for staying true to the origithe improbable action rocketing nal while injecting a great sense of forward. There are 274 entrances language and wordplay “that just and exits in A Flea in Her Ear. It makes it perfect for an American is inspired mayhem carried out audience.” with mathematical precision. The audience may receive a healthy Of course, Cross concedes, as one dose of medicinal laughter, but it’s critic duly noted, that “There is an aerobic workout for the actors. nothing profound about this play.

Cross will send his cast diving Nothing.” over, under, and around objects and furniture.

“But,” the director quickly adds, “it is soooo funny.”

“It requires excellent comedic skills and highly precise physicality,” - Joseph Whelan says Cross.

Presented by Syracuse University’s Department of Drama in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. A Flea in Her Ear:

By George Feydeau. Directed by Stephen Cross. May 6-14, opening night May 7, in the Storch Theatre at 820 East Genesee Street.

Tickets are $16-$18, available at 315-443-3275 or by visiting http://vpa.syr.edu/drama.

DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA | 12

what your donation does $2 buys a

$475

shatterproof lightbulb

$40 $15 buys a can of

supplies our scene shop with a sheet of plywood

paint for our scene shop

allows our children’s touring production to donate a performance to an underserved school

$3,000

houses an actor for rehearsals and performances

$20,000

buys the materials to construct the set for Peter Pan

$100 furnishes

a prize for a Young Playwright Festival finalist

THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF LIVE THEATRE.

S Y R A C U S E S TA G E P R E S E N T S A N E V E N I N G W I T H

FRIDAY, JUNE 10 6:00 PM COCKTAILS & SILENT AUCTION 7:30 PM DINNER 9:00 PM CONCERT

SU Schine Student Center GALA TICKETS ($200 / $300) INCLUDE COCKTAILS, DINNER & SILENT AUCTION HONORING: TIM BOND, BARBARA BECKOS, AND DIANA COLES

Peyroux, whose voice has often been compared to that of Billie Holiday’s, was discovered at a New York club while in her early twenties. She was subsequently signed to Atlantic and released her 1996 debut Dreamland. Prior to this, the American-born Peyroux was a musician on the streets of Paris.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: KATHERINE KEENEY 315-443-2709

CONCERT TICKETS ($25) General Admission Balcony Seating BOX OFFICE: 315.443.3275 / WWW.SYRACUSESTAGE.ORG Presented by: THE SYRACUSE STAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SYRACUSE STAGE GUILD 13

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SYRACUSE STAGE DEVELOPMENT

Underwritten by: JACKI AND MICHAEL GOLDBERG POMCO

EVENTS APRIL - JUNE 2016 SYRACUSE STAGE The Christians

By Lucas Hnath Directed by Tim Bond Co-Produced with The Wilma Theatre April 6 - 24

Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

Based on the book by Arthur Conan Doyle Directed by Peter Amster May 11 - 29

ACTOR TALKBACK SERIES

AUDIO DESCRIPTION

A lively discussion with the actors following the 7 p.m. Sunday night performance.

The Christians Saturday, April 23 at 3 p.m.

The Christians Sunday, April 17

Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery Saturday, May 21 at 3 p.m.

Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery Sunday, May 22 HAPPY HOUR SERIES

PROLOGUE

During the run of each show, join us for free, intimate, pre-show talks led by a member of the cast. One hour prior to curtain, three performances per show.

The Christians

Sunday, April 10 at 1 p.m.

Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m.

Thursday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m.

Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

Sunday, May 15 at 1 p.m.

Saturday, May 21 at 2 p.m.

Thursday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m.

OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Join us for a post-show party with live music and complimentary food following each opening night performance. All performances at 8 p.m.

The Christians April 8: MG3 Jazz Organ Trio Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery May 13: The Ruddy Well Band WEDNESDAY@1 LECTURES

Pre-show lecture at 1 p.m. in the Sutton Pavilion before the 2 p.m. matinee performance.

The Christians Wednesday, April 20 Speaker: Gail Hamner teaches in the Religion department at SU. Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery Wednesday, May 25 Speaker: Mike Goode teaches in the English department at SU.

Warm up before the show with half-priced drinks, signature cocktails, and complimentary appetizers from fine local restaurants. Located in the Sutton Pavilion at Syracuse Stage, Happy Hours start at 6 p.m. with performances at 7:30 p.m.

The Christians Thursday, April 14: Inspirational Happy Hour Enjoy treats from Biscotti’s while you create your own inspirational gift with Lydia J. Signature Drink: “Celebration”.

Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery Thursday, May 19: Sherlock Happy Hour Have some tasty bites and put on your Sherlock cap for a scavenger hunt. Costumes encouraged!

Signature Drink: “My Dear Watson”.

OPEN CAPTIONING

ART EXHIBITS

Enjoy artwork displays on view in the Sutton Pavilion during the run of each production.

The Christians April 6 - April 24, 2016 Winter at the Zoo Photo Exhibit A collection of winning photos from CNY community members including our sponsored “Best Action Shot”.

Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery May 11 - May 29, 2016 Show Us CNY Photo Exhibit View 40 contest winning photographs from this past year taken of Central New York.

INTERFAITH PANEL DISCUSSION

The Christians Sunday, April 17 at 1 p.m.

Experience a discussion among leaders of diverse faiths engaged in challenging questions about their own spirituality.

The Christians Wednesday, Aprl 20 at 2 p.m.

Sunday, April 24 at 2 p.m.

Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery Wednesday, May 25 at 2 p.m.

Sunday, May 29 at 2 p.m.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETED

The Christians Saturday, Saturday, April 16 at 3 p.m.

DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

A Flea in Her Ear

By George Feydeau Directed by Stephen Cross May 6-14, 2016 Opening Night: May 7

Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery Saturday, May 21 at 3 p.m.

*Speakers and topics subject to change

is published by Syracuse Stage and Department of Drama throughout the season for their subscribers and alumni. Editor: Joseph Whelan (jmwhelan@syr.edu). Designer: Brenna Merritt.

Tim Bond, Producing Artistic Director, Syracuse Stage | Ralph Zito, Chair of the Department of Drama.

SYRACUSE STAGE/ DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

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Nonprofit Organization US POSTAGE PAID Syracuse Stage Syracuse, NY

820 East Genesee Street Syracuse, NY 13210-1508 www.SyracuseStage.org

A FLEA IN HER EAR | MAY 6 - 14

The Department of Drama:

THE CHRISTIANS | APRIL 6 - 24 KEN LUDWIG'S BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY | MAY 11 - 29

Syracuse Stage:

S Y R A C U S E S TA G E P R E S E N T S A N E V E N I N G W I T H

FRIDAY, JUNE 10 Concert at 9 p.m.

SU SCHINE STUDENT CENTER