Strand Theater Co Wraps Up Its 3rd Season with Naomi Wallace’s One Flea Spare

The Strand Theater Company proudly presents the Baltimore premiere of One Flea Spare by Naomi Wallace. Directed by Artistic Director Jayme Kilburn, One Flea Spare plays ten performances at the company's Station North Arts & Entertainment District home from April 21 to May 7, 2011.

About the Play
On the last day of a 30-day quarantine, a wealthy couple discover their London home invaded by two strangers-a sailor and a girl who might not be what she seems- and so they must begin another month of quarantine...together. Watched over by their jailor, these four with nothing in common must find a way to survive both the plague and each other. Hilarious and deeply moving by turns, One Flea Spare is set in 17th-century England, where social roles and the boundaries between them have been set into chaos. The definition of morality is up for grabs. History is being tantalized. And whilst the wealthy William Snelgrave dreams of sweating, swearing tars and of how sailors satisfy their baser instincts so far away from female company, his wife Darcey-literally untouched for 40 years-discovers that her dreadfully scarred body may not be numb after all. The human heart craves comfort, contact, tenderness...and surviVal May take many forms. Inspired by the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Wallace explores the issues of class, power, and sex in this timely and political play.

About the Playwright & Director
Naomi Wallace-born and raised in Kentucky and now residing in Yorkshire, England- is a deeply political American playwright who unashamedly writes about ideas rather than feelings and yet her works still pack an emotional wallop. Best known for One Flea Spare, which premiered in 1995, Wallace has garnered many awards including two Susan Smith Blackburn Prizes, an Obie Award, and most significantly, a 1999 MacArthur Foundation "Genius Award" Fellowship. Her other plays include Things of Dry Hours, which received its world premiere in Baltimore at CENTERSTAGE in 2007; In the Heart of America, produced by Columbia's Rep Stage in 2008; The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek; Slaughter City; The Hard Weather Boating Party; and The Fever Chart.

As Tony Kushner, Pultizer Prize-winning author of Angels in America, has said: "Naomi Wallace commits the unpardonable sin of being partisan, and, the darkness and harshness of her work notwithstanding, outrageously optimistic. She seems to believe that the world can change. She certainly writes as if she intends to set it on fire."

This production marks Kilburn's sixth as director at the Strand. On the play, she commented, "One Flea Spare is the most difficult and rewarding play that I have tackled. The characters have to be aware of their intense feelings, and then do their best to mask them. This tension really ups the stakes for the actors and provides a great challenge for a director to keep in balance." Kilburn is the Founding Artistic Director of the Strand, where she has directed the world premieres of Nonstop Realism and Bermuda, also directing Baltimore premiere's of Melissa James Gibson's [sic], Marina Carr's The Mai, and Rebecca Gilman's The Glory of Living. She is the recipient of two Baltimore Playwrights Festival 'Best Direction' Awards and Broadwayworld.com's 2007 'Best Direction' Award.

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About the Production
The cast of One Flea Spare includes Strand veterans Sean Coe as Bunce (The Glory of Living), Alex Hacker as Kabe (A Peppermint Patty Christmas), Natalia Chavez Leimkuhler as Mrs. Snelgrave (The Mai), and Mary Myers as Morse (The Glory of Living), joined by Frank Vince as Mr. Snelgrave in his Strand debut. The production team includes Lighting Designer Matt Klein, Fight Choreographer Keegan Cassady, and Stage Manager Irene Williams.

About the Strand
The Strand Theater is a community theater dedicated to providing opportunities for women artists, writers, designers and directors. With a focus on producing original works, the Strand hopes to foster a love of theater for a new generation of patrons. In just three seasons, the Strand has produced 11 full-length season plays (all Baltimore premieres); launched an annual, six-week festival of new work; assisted small companies with gifted space; offered 75% of all artistic opportunities to women; served nearly 3,000 patrons; and played an integral role in the revitalization of Station North Arts & Entertainment District.

The Details
One Flea Spare will be performed at the Strand Theater, located at 1823 North Charles Street, in the Station North Arts & Entertainment District of Baltimore. Performances run from April 21st until May 7th. All seating is general admission. Tickets are $15, while students or seniors pay just $10. Reservations are suggested and can be made calling 443-874-4917. For more information, visit us online at strandtheatercompany.org.

· Thursday, April 21st at 8:00 pm (Preview Performance: all tickets $5)
· Friday, April 22nd at 8:00 pm (Opening Night: includes pre-show reception and post-show discussion)
· Saturday, April 23rd at 8:00 pm
· Wednesday, April 27th at 7:00 pm
· Friday, April 29th at 8:00 pm
· Saturday, April 30th at 8:00 pm (Pay-What-You-Can)
· Sunday, May 1st at 3:00 pm
· Thursday, May 5th at 8:00 pm (School Night: teachers and students pay just $3)
· Friday, May 6th at 8:00 pm
· Saturday, May 7th at 8:00 pm