Independent Drama Society Presents GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS 1/14-22

From January 14-22, the Independent Drama Society continues its 2010-2011 season, a season of love and loathing, with GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, directed by Brett Marks (Cherry Smoke with Gurnet Theatre Project, former Lyric Stage Producing Associate).

Examine the inner workings of a small real estate firm under a job-threatening sales contest. Drawing from current economic turmoil, the Independent Drama Society revives David Mamet's classic examination of working life and how a harsh economy drives good people to desperate action. Mamet's Tony Award-nominated and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama is one that the Washington Post claims "everyone should see."

David Mamet is a playwright, screenwriter, author, and director. His plays include Glengarry Glen Ross (Pulitzer Prize, Tony nomination, NY Drama Critics' Circle Award), Speed-the-Plow (Tony nomination), Oleanna, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, and American Buffalo. His screenplays include The Verdict (Oscar nomination), The Untouchables, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Wag the Dog (Oscar nomination).

"It is a privilege to work on this dynamite play," says director Brett Marks. "The conflict between different generations of salesmen, pitted against each other in a sales competition, speaks easily to the greed still inherent in our American culture. We're incredibly fortunate to have a top-rate group of actors, designers, and staff working on this production. Frankly, I'm excited just to be in the room."

The Independent Drama Society production features Jeremy Browne (Williamson), Michael Fisher (Roma), Adam Lauver (Baylen), Bob Mussett (Lingk), Michael Pevzner (Aaronow), Bill Stambaugh (Moss), and Phil Thompson (Levene).

The design team includes Sean A. Cote (Set Design), Fabian Aguilar (Costume Design), Kimberly Smith (Lighting Design), and Chris Larson (Sound Design). Deirdre Benson is the Stage Manager and Chelsea Schmidt is the Production Manager.

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS will run for two weeks in the Plaza Black Box Theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street in Boston's South End. Tickets can be purchased on www.bostontheatrescene.com for $23 in advance, $28 day of show, or $18 for students/seniors.

Director Brett Marks's recent directing credits include Cherry Smoke with Gurnet Theatre Project, and pieces in the Boston Theatre Marathon on behalf of the Huntington Theatre Company, The Lyric Stage Company, Orfeo Group, and the Gurnet Theatre Project. He was previously the Producing Associate at The Lyric Stage Company, and under the Growing Voices New Play Development program there, directed numerous readings of plays by local playwrights. He is also an actor, having worked with Zeitgeist Stage, Company One, Gurnet Theatre Project, Way Theatre Artists, SAMM Entertainment, and the Vokes Players. Brett received his BA in Theatre Arts from Boston College. His next directing project will be Book of Days with Bad Habit Productions in March 2011.

"I am so delighted to welcome Brett Marks to IDS," says Artistic Director Lindsay Eagle. "His experience and understanding of Mamet's unique style are invaluable to this process. His intelligent direction brings a freshness to this play that is captivating."

In its third season, a season of love and loathing, the Independent Drama Society explores how powerful emotions can inspire ordinary human beings to do the impossible--or cause their ultimate downfall. In August, with David Auburn's Proof, IDS explored family ties and the bond between father and daughter. In September, transcendent passion bound lovers together in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Greed and fear drive businessmen to take desperate action in the January production of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross. In April, true love keeps lovers together in the heart-rending afterlife of Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice.

The Independent Drama Society is a not-for-profit company dedicated to upholding the values of openness and collaboration in order to produce excellent and enjoyable theatre. Through providing the Boston community with unique and inclusive artistic opportunities, such as exclusively open call auditions and the chance to direct full-scale productions, IDS seeks to involve all regardless of training or experience, and to be a home for anyone with a passion for theatre. Visit us at www.independentdramasociety.com.

SELECTED CAST BIOS
Jeremy Browne (Williamson) is excited to be joining IDS for the first time. Recent area credits include Othello (Montano) and Comedy of Errors (Ensemble) with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, All My Sons (u/s Chris/George) with The Huntington Theatre Company, Julius Caesar (Octavius) and Macbeth (Macduff) with Shakespeare Now!, and Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio) and King Lear (Kent) with Hampshire Shakespeare Company. MR. Browne received his training and holds a degree in Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where favorite credits include The Pillowman (Katurian), Arms and the Man (Sergius), A Christmas Carol (Marley), and Othello (Cassio). He proudly served three years as Artistic Director for The Shakespeare Festival at the Massachusetts Center for Renaissance Studies.

Michael Fisher (Roma) was raised on Long Island, received his BFA in acting from Old Dominion University in Virginia, and recently celebrated his second anniversary of Boston residency. He is excited to perform again at the Boston Center for the Arts, where he was seen recently in Enron (Zeitgeist Stage), and not-so-recently in The Laramie Project (Bad Habit Productions). Other area roles include Prospero in The Tempest and Banquo in Macbeth (Gurnet Theatre Project), Oberon/Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare Now!), Wags in Music From a Sparkling Planet and Lou in The Gingerbread Lady (Happy Medium). Law students in the audience may also recognize his voice from the Audio Case Files legal audiobook series from CVN. He is thrilled for his first opportunity to work with IDS, with Brett Marks, and with a full-length Mamet script.

Phil Thompson (Levene) recently appeared in Almost an Evening with Theatre on Fire. Other recent appearances: Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom at Apollinaire Theatre. He also appeared as the Judge in Sweeney Todd with Metro Stage, Tom Avery in Men of Tortuga and Gabriel in Dead City (Apollinaire Theatre), Jack in The Yeats Game (Boston Playwright's Theater), Abusive Male/Bobo in Wives (Boston Playwright's Theatre), Connor in Distant Music (Image Theatre), White Man in Race (Theatre on Fire, Charlestown Working Theatre), Xavier Cassidy in By The Bog of Cats (Devanaugh), Detective Porterhouse in Run For Your Wife and Vic in Funny Money (Firehouse Theatre). Phil is a resident actor with Playwright's Platform actively taking part in numerous readings of new plays in various stages of development. He has performed in radio and television commercials in Boston. Phil is involved in the PERCS program with area hospitals, a program utilizing improvisation to train medical professionals. Phil has also toured the east and midwest as a vocalist.