ACT Presents 'Fathers and Sons'

ACT is thrilled to stage the world premiere of Fathers and Sons by Michael Bradford. Fathers and Sons is the third project to be produced as a part of the Hansberry Project at ACT, a professional Black theatre company dedicated to the artistic exploration of African American life, history, and culture.

"The play explores what it means to be a father, a son, a husband, and a man. Marcus, his father Leon, and grandfather Bernard confront a history of absence, mistakes, mistrust, and broken promises as they strive to redefine themselves as fathers and sons. Pitch-perfect writing peppered with wry humor and soaring bursts if dialogue brings the characters into sharp relief. Initially wary of each other, they come together in the midst of family crisis and ultimately discover that 'Ain't nothing a good love can't heal,'" press notes state.

Michael Bradford is an assistant professor of dramatic arts at the Avery Point and Main Campuses of the University of Connecticut, teaching theatre history, theatre literature, and playwrighting. Bradford has received both the Manhattan Theatre Club Playwright fellowship and The NEA/Lark Theatre Playwright Residency fellowship. His play, Living in the Wind, played off-Broadway at the American Place Theatre in New York and was nominated for several prestigious Audelco Theatre Awards. He has served on the Cherry Lane Theatre Playwright's Board, Lark Theatre (NY) Festival Board, and Rhode Island Art Foundation Grant Committee. Bradford holds a bachelor of arts from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Brooklyn College of C.U.N.Y.

ACT will host additional presentations in conjunction with Fathers and Sons, including a Telling Our Stories – My Father's Son, My Son's Father community conversation on the importance of black fathers, The Central Heating Lab companion piece, Black and Tan – A Juke Joint, as well as pre- and post-show discussions. Additional programming details to be announced.

Playwright Michael Bradford, Director Valerie Curtis-Newton, and Artistic Director Kurt Beattie are available for interviews. Pre-production photos will be available by April 11. For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Jacquelyn Rardin at (206) 292-7660 ext. 1327 or jacquelyn.rardin@acttheatre.org.

Performance Schedule:

Fri., April 25, 8:00 p.m. - Preview
Sat., April 26, 8:00 p.m. - Preview
Sun., April 27, 7:30 p.m. - Preview
Tues., April 29, 7:30 p.m. – Preview (Behind the Scenes)
Wed., April 30, 7:30 p.m. - Preview
Thurs., May 1, 7:30 p.m. - OPENING
Fri., May 2, 8:00 p.m. (Beer Tasting)
Sat., May 3, 2:00 p.m. (Telling Our Stories) and 8:00 p.m. (Black and Tan – A Juke Joint)
Sun., May 4, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m..
Tues., May 6, 7:30 p.m. (Post Show Discussion)
Wed., May 7, 7:30 p.m.
Thurs., May 8, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Fri., May 9, 8:00 p.m. (ACTivation Celebration)
Sat., May 10, 8:00 p.m. (Black and Tan – A Juke Joint)
Sun., May 11, 2:00 p.m. (Post Show Discussion) and 7:30 p.m.
Tues., May 13, 7:30 p.m.
Wed., May 14, 7:30 p.m.
Thurs., May 15, 7:30 p.m.
Fri., May 16, 8:00 p.m. (InterACT and Black and Tan – A Juke Joint)
Sat., May 17, 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Sun, May 18, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (Post Show Discussion)
Tues., May 20, 7:30 p.m.
Wed., May 21, 7:30 p.m.
Thurs., May 22, 7:30 p.m.
Fri., May 23, 8:00 p.m.
Sat., May 24, 8:00 p.m. (Black and Tan – A Juke Joint)
Sun., May 25, 2:00 p.m.

About The Hansberry Project at ACT

Named after activist-playwright Lorraine Hansberry, the Hansberry Project at ACT is a professional Black theatre company dedicated to the artistic exploration of African American life, history and culture. Its mission is to make significant and long-lasting contributions to the vitality of Seattle's performing arts community by producing work that is stimulating, relevant, emotionally satisfying, culturally specific, multi-faceted, entertaining, and artistically excellent. To that end, The Hansberry Project is committed to producing the best plays of the Black theatre, classics and new works alike. In partnership with ACT, the Hansberry Project produces a mainstage show, workshops, and other community-related activities during ACT's season. The hope is that ACT will become a center where the entire community can be enriched by the voices of professional Black artists, reflecting autonomous concerns, investigations, dreams, and artistic expression.

About ACT – A Contemporary Theatre

For the past 43 seasons, ACT's mission has been to present a broad spectrum of the very best of contemporary theatre that speaks to audiences of all backgrounds. A significant part of ACT's mandate is to commission new works and to foster the development of those works in a supportive and inspiring workplace. Through The Central Heating Lab, ACT seeks to heat things up and create a conversation with its season that reaches for a deeper impact.  

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