Tennessee Repertory Theatre will present its production of the mind-bending dramatic thriller Yankee Tavern by Steven Dietz. Yankee Tavern runs February 5 - 19 at TPAC's Johnson Theater.
A man walks into a bar...
and inside the walls of a crumbling tavern in New York City, a young man is pressed by questions from his late father's best friend, who weaves conspiracy theories together in an intoxicating blend, and a stranger who knows much more than he should. Surprising revelations continue to emerge in this dramatic thriller in which a young couple's future seems connected inexplicably to shadowy events around the national tragedy of 9/11.
Yankee Tavern poses the questions: Are conspiracy theories just for fun? Do they do service or do they do damage? What is it about us that jumps to believe the dark and mysterious undercurrents of our national events rather than what appears to be true on the surface? Are we right to question official stories or are we just making it harder for the truth to be known?
Steven Dietz's acclaimed and already widely-produced play-a selection of the National New Play Network's Continued Life Project and one of the top ten plays produced among regional theatres this season-is a work of theatrical power that grips you until the final word.
"This thriller by Steven Dietz was the overwhelming staff favorite from among the plays I circulated to the staff to read this season," says Tennessee Rep Producing Artistic Director René D. Copeland. "And what's not to love? Yankee Tavern is fierce, funny, mind-bending, and thought-provoking. Regional theatres around the country are rushing to produce this drama, and why should other places in the country get to have all the fun? This is the play this year you'll need to discuss at length, maybe argue about, with your fellow theatre-going friends."
The production stars Tennessee Rep stage veteran Henry Haggard as "Ray," the character who spews countless conspiracy theories of all kinds. Haggard has been featured recently in Tennessee Rep's Big River (2009-2010 season) and as Charles Darwin in Darwin in Malibu (2008-2009 season).
Haggard says, "I am really looking forward to tackling the role of Ray! I've already started reading through the script on a daily basis and it gets BETTER every time I read it. I sometimes have to pinch myself to believe I'm lucky enough to get to do it. I often think of character work as an 'actor's meat and potatoes;' in that vein, Ray would be a 'prime rib' of a role. Dietz has given Ray wonderfully detailed and thought expand »out monologues (about conspiracy theories) that make perfect sense, except for the fact they're crazy. On top of all this comic potential there is also this tragic sort of ‘vagrant sage' quality about him that just tears your heart up. It's the perfect modern character role as far as I'm concerned."
In addition to Haggard, the cast features both familiar faces and new ones and includes the following: Cori Laemmel, Maurice Ralston, and Patrick Waller.
Since 1985, Tennessee Repertory Theatre has been a critically acclaimed regional theatre, creating the highest quality professional productions and by serving as a prime cultural, educational, and economic resource within the Nashville and Middle Tennessee communities. Tennessee Rep produces work that is designed, built, and rehearsed in Nashville by highly skilled actors, designers, directors, and technicians. A non-profit organization, Tennessee Rep is committed to consistently delivering thought-provoking theatre each year. For more information on the Tennessee Repertory Theatre, please visit www.tennesseerep.org.
