Point Park University's Conservatory Theatre Company to Close Season with 'UNCLE TOM'S CABIN'

Point Park University's Conservatory Theatre Company closes its 2016-2017 season with Uncle Tom's Cabin, or The Most Popular American Play You've Never Seen.

Published in 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel provides a glimpse into what life was like for slaves. This revolutionary adaptation by Tomé Cousin and Jason Jacobs delves into how this story is relevant today.

Directed by Tomé Cousin and Jason Jacobs, Uncle Tom's Cabin will run from April 7 - April 16, 2017 in the Rauh Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave. Performances will be at 8 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Adult tickets range from $20-$24; students and seniors are $10. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office at 412-392-8000 or visiting www.pittsburghplayhouse.com. There will be a Talk Back with the cast and directors immediately following the Thursday, April 13th performance.

Life is very hard for Tom, a middle-aged slave. Follow the transformational experience over the course of his lifetime. This adaptation reflects modern concepts and gives insight into the classic of bringing it to life in ways not possible before. The Conservatory Theatre Company is tackling Stowe's emotional journey in a way that will inspire and leave a lasting impression on the audience long after the curtains close.

"By combining portions of Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 classic tale that set the country aflame when it was first published and George Aiken's stage adaptation that was the most popular play in America until the 1920s, the project aims at its core, examining the origins and dissecting pre-existing notions of the iconic stereotypes about the darkest chapters of our history, and how it speaks to the legacy of slavery and racist ideology," said Cousin and Jacobs. "We are reviving it now for contemporary audiences to understand what this drama says in our lives today."

Featuring music composition and direction by Douglas Levine, scenic design by Tony Ferrieri, costume design by K.J. Gilmer, lighting design by Andrew David Ostrowski and sound design by Aaron Vockley.

Cousin has an award winning international career that includes collaborations in dance, theater, music, film, photography, television and literature. He obtained a Bachelors of Arts in Dance History and Choreography from Point Park University and a Masters of Fine Art in New Media Art and Performance from Long Island University. In 2002, Tomé was as a featured vocalist on Broadway in the 20th Anniversary Dreamgirls Concert and CD recording. A little fun fact, for nine seasons Tomé appeared on PBS' award winning children's program, MR. Rogers Neighborhood as "Ragdoll Tomé." Currently, Cousin serves as the Directing Supervisor for Director Susan Stroman's Tony Award winning musical, Contact.

Jacobs is a New York-based director, writer, and teaching artist who was identified as a "Person of the Year" by NYTheatre.com in 2007. As the former co-Artistic Director of Theatre Askew, he conceived and directed Bald Diva! (GLAAD Media Nomination and published in the anthology Playing With Cannons) and co-directed I Claudius, Live. Other New York directing productions include: Lavender Songs by Jeremy Lawrence (Backstage Bistro Award); East Side Stories: Ghosts (Metropolitan Playhouse). After the Chairs by David Koteles (Best Direction 2014 Fresh Fruit Festival) Post Modern Living & Lost In Staten Island by Richard Sheinmel (LaMama Club). As a guest director for The Post Theatre Company at Long Island University he directed Machinal, Big Love, Marat/Sade, Batboy! The Musical and As You Like It. His original play Another Horatio Alger Story was presented in Chicago at Pride Plays and Film's Gay Play Fest 2016, and his original musical Miss Blanche Tells It All will be seen this summer in New York. Jason is a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab, and a Master Teaching Artist with Roundabout Theatre. He received his B.A. from Yale and M.F.A. from Columbia. Visit www.Jason-Jacobs.com.