Two River Theater to Stage Colio's ROPES

Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, announces the full cast and creative team for Ropes, a play written by Bárbara Colio, translated by Maria Alexandria Beech, and directed by Lisa Rothe. Performances will begin in Two River's Marion Huber Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, on Saturday, February 20 and continue through Sunday, March 20. The opening night performance is Friday, February 26 at 8pm. Tickets are available from 732.345.1400 or tworivertheater.org. The lead production sponsor is Bank of America.

In this beautiful and universal story about forgiveness, love, and loss, three brothers rendezvous at an airport to meet the father who abandoned them as children, and who is now the most famous tightrope walker of all time. The production will feature Varín Ayala as Paul, the middle brother; Gabriel Gutiérrez as Prince, the youngest brother; and Luis Moreno as Presley, the oldest brother.

"We were introduced to Bárbara Colio's Ropes, in Maria Alexandria Beech's exquisite translation, in our 2013 Crossing Borders festival of new Latino plays, and just never let it go," says Artistic Director John Dias. "It's a gorgeous, deeply moving play. We are especially pleased to present two performances in Spanish, and create opportunities for our Spanish-speaking audiences to experience the play in its original language."

Bárbara Colio (Playwright) is a Mexican playwright and director. Her plays have debuted in Spain, Portugal, France, United States, England, Italy, Argentina, Peru, and different locations in Mexico. Among other honors, her Cuerdas (Ropes) won the 2009 Mexican National Fine Arts Prize for Playwriting. She has been resident writer at the Royal Court Theatre in London, and in New York at The Writers Room and the Lark Play Development Center.

Maria Alexandria Beech (Translator) is a Venezuelan-American writer living in New York. Her play Good Friends was selected for the 2014 Crossing Borders festival at Two River Theater, where it was performed in English and Spanish (in her own translation). Her work has been developed and produced in New York, Chicago, South Korea, and many cities across the United States.

Lisa Rothe (Director) was nominated for SDC's Joe A. Callaway Award for Direction for Hold These Truths by Jeanne Sakata, produced by Epic Theatre Ensemble in New York. She has workshopped, developed, and directed hundreds of new plays and musicals, working with many award-winning writers. For five years, she was the Director of Global Exchange at the Lark, where she provided expanded opportunities for playwrights, aimed at advancing new work to production nationally and globally.

The creative team includes scenic designer Narelle Sissons, costume designer Theresa Squire, lighting designer Mary Louise Geiger, and sound designer Stowe Nelson. The composer is Daniel Kluger, the casting is by Annie Henk, and the production stage manager is Alison Hassman.

Ropes was introduced to Red Bank audiences as a reading in Two River's 2013 Crossing Borders festival of new Latino plays, where it was presented in both English and Spanish. During the run of this production, Two River Theater will present two performances of Ropes in Spanish: a student matinee on Thursday, March 3 and a public performance on Sunday, March 5 at 3pm. Two River Theater will offer complimentary childcare under the supervision of bilingual teaching artists in the theater's lobby during the public performance, as well as a special pre-show talk and a post-play discussion with members of the cast, both conducted in Spanish. Tickets for the public performance are $20.

This event is presented as part of Two River's ongoing Nosotros series and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance's Stages Festival, the state's largest annual theater festival. For tickets, call 732.345.1400 or visit tworivertheater.org.

Ticket prices range from $45 to $65, with discounts available for groups, seniors, and U.S. military personnel, their families, and veterans. Tickets for the Spanish-language public performance are $20. A limited number of $20 tickets are available for every performance; $20 tickets may be partial view. Tickets for patrons under 30 are $20 and include the best available seats at every performance. Tickets are available from tworivertheater.org or 732.345.1400.