Westport Country Playhouse Presents INTIMATE APPAREL, Now thru 11/1

Westport Country Playhouse will stage Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's "Intimate Apparel," a love story that confronts race and religion, directed by Mary B. Robinson, from today, October 7 through November 1. "Intimate Apparel" is the recipient of the American Theatre Critics and New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards for Best Play.

"'Intimate Apparel' is a beautiful way to celebrate the end of a season of theater worth talking about," said Mark Lamos, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director. "This delicate evocation of the intersection of lives, of people yearning for love and acceptance in both personal and universal ways, speaks to all who are fortunate enough to see it. I'm thrilled that this tenth anniversary revival of Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's powerful and evocative play will be helmed by the gifted Mary B. Robinson."

"Intimate Apparel" weaves an intricate tapestry of the joys, sorrows, tragedy, and triumph of Esther, a gifted but lonely African-American seamstress in early twentieth century Manhattan as she negotiates the choice between a love that is accepted and one that is true.

Playing the central role of Esther will be Nikki E. Walker. She was in Broadway's "An American Plan," "Trickle," and "Building a Popera," with regional credits including "A Raisin in the Sun" and "Intimate Apparel." On television, she is in "Orange Is the New Black."

Leighton Bryan will portray Mrs. Van Buren, Esther's wealthy client, who is unhappy in a loveless marriage. Bryan was on Broadway in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," and appeared on television's "Boardwalk Empire" and "Blue Bloods." Isaiah Johnson will play George, a worker on the Panama Canal, who woos Esther by mail. He was on Broadway in the original cast of "Peter and the Starcatcher," and "The Merchant of Venice," and currently appears on television's "The Knick."

Aleta Mitchell, as Mrs. Dickson, proprietor of a boarding house for unmarried women where Esther resides, was last seen at Westport Country Playhouse in "The Member of the Wedding," and was in the original cast of Broadway's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." Tommy Schrider, as Mr. Marks, an Orthodox Jewish textile merchant who shares a mutual attraction with Esther, was in Westport Country Playhouse's "Journey's End," Broadway's "War Horse," and has a recurring role on television's "The Americans." Heather Alicia Simms will portray Mayme, Esther's best friend and a prostitute. She was in Broadway's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," "A Raisin in the Sun, "Gem of the Ocean," and "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike."

Playwright Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Ruined" received Obie, Lucille Lortel, New York Drama Critics' Circle, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Play. "Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine" received an Obie Award. She is working with composer Ricky Ian Gordon on adapting "Intimate Apparel" into an opera, commissioned by The Met/Lincoln Center Theater. Nottage is the recipient of the 2007 MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, the National Black Theatre Festival's August Wilson Playwriting Award, the inaugural Horton Foote Prize, the 2004 PEN/Laura Pels Award for Drama, and the 2005 Guggenheim Grant for Playwriting, as well as fellowships from the Lucille Lortel Foundation, Manhattan Theatre Club, New Dramatists, and New York Foundation for the Arts. She is a graduate of Brown University and Yale School of Drama, where she is a faculty member.

Director Mary B. Robinson has directed many plays in New York and regional theater, including "Three Viewings," "Lemon Sky," "Moonchildren," and "A Shayna Maidel." She was artistic director of Philadelphia Drama Guild and associate artistic director of Hartford Stage Company with Mark Lamos. The author of Directing Plays, Directing People: A Collaborative Art, her honors include the Alan Schneider Director Award, Barrymore Award, and Drama Desk Award nominee.

The design team includes Allen Moyer, scenic design; Michael Krass, costume design; Eric Southern, lighting design; and Fitz Patton, sound design.

"Intimate Apparel" Production Sponsors are Jill and Alex Dimitrief, Judy and Scott Phares, and Johnna G. Torsone and John McKeon. Production Partner is Carole Hochman, and Corporate Production Partners are BNY Mellon Wealth Management and Cohen and Wolf.

Single tickets start at $30; buy early for best prices. Educators and students are eligible for 50% discounts. On the day of a performance, senior rush tickets are available at 50%. Flex Passes are also available, offering restaurant discounts and other subscriber-only benefits.

"Intimate Apparel" performance schedule is Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Special series feature Taste of Tuesday, Previews, LGBT Night OUT, Opening Night, Sunday Symposium, Open Captions, Thursday TalkBack, Together at the Table Family Dinner, Playhouse Young Professionals, and Backstage Pass.

Concurrent with the run of "Intimate Apparel," the Playhouse will present a community engagement initiative, "Threads of Time, Fabric of History: 'Intimate Apparel' in Context," examining the play's multi-faceted themes of labor, immigration, race, religion, New York at the turn of the 20th century, class relations, and women's issues. Programming will include speakers, panels, educator workshop, film, family events, and a month-long lobby exhibit, as well as events off-campus. Many of the events are free and open to the public. A complete calendar of community engagement events is available on-line at westportplayhouse.org, or a special brochure may be requested by calling the Playhouse box office at 203-227-4177.

Community partners for "Threads of Time, Fabric of History: 'Intimate Apparel' in Context" are Amistad Center for Art & Culture at The Wadsworth Atheneum; The Carver Center of Connecticut; Center for African-American Studies, Wesleyan University; Connecticut League of History Organizations; CT Humanities; Facing History and Ourselves; Housatonic Community College; Links, Inc. of Fairfield County, New Haven, and Westchester; Norwalk Community College; Sacred Heart University; TEAM Westport; Unitarian Church in Westport; Westport Cinema Initiative; Westport Historical Society; and The Westport Library.

"Threads of Time, Fabric of History: 'Intimate Apparel' in Context" has been made possible through the generous funding of The Graham Foundation of Connecticut, NEA Arts Work, and the Connecticut Humanities and the CT at Work Initiative.

Photo by Kat Gloor