BETC's GROUNDED to Return 1/8-18 at Dairy Center for the Arts

Following unanimous acclaim from critics and audiences alike, BETC's production of "Grounded" by George Brant is returning for a limited engagement at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder, January 8-18.

"When our staff read it, it just captured us," says Ensemble Director Stephen Weitz. "Then the Denver production was so well received, and we started getting requests from many of our patrons asking us to bring it to Boulder. So we did."

A one-woman show, "Grounded" tells the story of "The Pilot," an Air Force ace flying combat missions in the skies above Iraq. When an unexpected pregnancy ends her career in the cockpit, she is reassigned to operate military drones from a windowless trailer outside Las Vegas. As the pressure to track a high-profile target mounts, the boundaries begin to blur between the desert in which she lives and the one she patrols half a world away.

Though the use of unmanned aircraft has been in the news a great deal, Weitz insists that the play isn't just about politics.

"Drone warfare is an important part of the political conversation now. It's a crucial discussion over the morality of how we conduct warfare. But what we have here is fundamentally a human story, a gripping and devastating story about one woman's journey. Laura Norman's performance at the heart of this story is extraordinary and we're so pleased that she will reprise her role in Boulder."

Norman is BETC's newest Ensemble Member. Her last appearance with BETC came with critical acclaim and a Henry Award for Best Actress for her performance in "Ghost-Writer." Norman is also known for her award- winning portrayal of Harper in Bas Bleu's production of Tony Kushner's "Angels in America."

"Laura taking on this role actually created a fun bit of synchronicity," Weitz says. "We realized after casting that at the front of the script George Brant dedicated the play, 'For Laura.' Obviously, he didn't know our Laura, but we absolutely couldn't agree more."

DETAILS:

"Grounded" by George Brant

January 9-18. Preview January 8.

Thursdays-Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 4 p.m.

Dairy Center for the Arts, 26th and Walnut St.

$16 tickets for preview and select performances

Tickets: (303) 444-7328 or betc.org/grounded

Pictured: Laura Norman in "Grounded" by George Brant. Photo by Daniel Leonard.