ACT Theatre Announces Full Calendar for July-December 2014

A Contemporary Theatre announces the remainder of its 2014 Season with a plethora of Mainstage and Central Heating Lab shows. The Mainstage welcomes two major players from the national scene with a new work from Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Ayad Ahktar who has penned a riveting drama about the overlapping worlds of terrorism and the financial markets called The Invisible Hand. Akhtar's thriller is followed by Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike which throws classic Chekhov characters in a modern family blender.

The Central Heating Lab continues to push the boundaries with new pieces like Don Quixote & Sancho Panza: Homeless in Seattle and a host of readings from rarely seen treasures to brand new scripts. Also be on the lookout for the Central Heating Lab to host three participants of this fall's Seattle Beckett Fest including Waiting for Godot, Fail Better, and 5 by Beckett.

The following take place between July 23 and December of 2014. Tickets are currently on sale at www.acttheatre.org or (206) 292-7676. All shows are included on the monthly ACTPass Membership. For a comical look at what the ACTPass includes check out this video http://bit.ly/ACTPassVid

An Evening of One Acts

Patter for the Floating Lady by Steve Martin I Riverside Drive by Woody Allen I The Unseen Hand by Sam Shepard

Now-August 17

Tickets: Adults: Regular Tickets start at $55; Discounts available: Seniors, Students, Under 25

Three celebrated writers and their trio of short plays stretch the imagination with magic, surprise, wonder, and a dose of science fiction fantasy for the summer. Famous for their successes on the big screen and the stage, we take a look at the shorter works of Martin, Allen, and Shepard.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/AnEveningofOneActs

Hold These Truths

By Jeanne Sakata

July 31-August 3, 2014

Tickets: $35 Student: $20

Joel de la Fuente stars in Jeanne Sakata's one-man solo show inspired by the true story of first generation Japanese-American Gordon Hirabayashi. Sponsored by the Tateuchi Foundation.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/HoldTheseTruths

Hold These Truths: From Page to Stage

August 2, 2014

Tickets: $10 - $12

Jeanne Sakata shares her experiences in researching and writing Hold These Truths, inspired by the World War II experiences of Gordon Hirabayashi, who openly defied government orders to mass incarcerate all people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast. Sponsored by the Tateuchi Foundation.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/HoldTheseTruthsFromPagetoStage

Groucho Returns

Starring Frank Ferrante

August 7 - 24, 2014

Tickets: $35 Student and Under 25: $25

Award winning and critically acclaimed performer Frank Ferrante, returns in the role of Groucho for a Central Heat Lab engagement in August. The one-man show with live piano accompaniment is a treat for audiences of all ages.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/GrouchoReturns

Icicle Creek New Play Festival

August 19 - 20, 2014

Tickets: $15 Student $10

This year's premiere readings from the highly acclaimed Icicle Creek new play development program include Bloomsday by Steven Dietz and The Change Room by Carly Mensch.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/IcicleCreekNewPlayFestival

Sandbox Radio LIVE!

September 8, October 13, December 29

Tickets: $20-$5

The latest installment of the popular local radio show recorded live for podcast, featuring new local work written and performed by some of Seattle's top talent.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/SRLBacktoSchool

The Construction Zone

July 29, November 18, 2014

Tickets: $15 Student $10

Readings of new works under construction. Join ACT and Washington Ensemble Theatre for readings of exciting new work and preview plays before one of them comes to the stage in ACT's CHL 2015 season.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/TCZinJuly

Endangered Species Project

August 4, September 15, October 6, November 3, December 1, 2014

Tickets: $15 Student $10

Experience the great plays you seldom see on the stage. Join Seattle theatre artists as they give voice to the characters that sit silent on your bookshelves. http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/CANDLELIGHT

The Great Soul of Russia

September 2, October 7, November 4, 2014

Tickets: $15 Student $10

Back from their historic journey to Tashkent, Uzbekistan; The Seagull Project continues to explore the great works of Mother Russian. Join The Seagull Project's reading series as they prepare for a production of The Three Sisters in January of 2015. http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/GSORTheGreatSoulofUzbekistan

Waiting for Godot

By Samuel Beckett

September 4 - 21, 2014

Tickets: $48 Student $25

Seattle Shakespeare Company stages the Beckett masterpiece here at ACT.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/WaitingforGodot

The Invisible Hand

By Ayad Akhtar

September 5 - 28, 2014

Tickets: Adults: Regular Tickets start at $55; Discounts available: Seniors, Students, Under 25

Money, power, and terrorism collide in this new drama by a rising star in the American Theatre: Ayad Akhtar, recent winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/TheInvisibleHand

Don Quixote & Sancho Panza: Homeless in Seattle

By Rose E. Cano

September 10 - 28, 2014

Tickets: $30 Students: $25

eSe Teatro reimagines Don Quixote in modern-day Seattle. Rose E. Cano's new adaption depicts the friendship of two homeless Latinos dealing with chronic alcoholism and mental illness as they navigate the winding streets, shelters, and the health care system. http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/DonQuixote

The Beauty of Noh: Tomoe + Yoshinaka

September 26 - 28, 2014

Tickets: $35 - $20

A rare opportunity to see Japan's Munenori Takeda performing "Tomoe" with a full Noh troupe belonging to the 600-year-old Kanze school. This show also features The Fisher Ensemble's Noh-inspired opera "Yoshinaka" based on the same story. http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/TheBeautyofNoh

Represent! A Multicultural Playwrights Festival

October 1 - 5, 2014

Tickets: $5

The Hansberry Project will once again partner with eSe Teatro, SIS, Pratidhwani and ACT's Central Heating Lab to present readings of new work by playwrights of color. The festival features an opening reception, readings of three full-length plays, and a local writers showcase.

· Oct 1, 7:30pm: Meet The Playwrights

· Oct 2, 7:30pm: eSe Teatro

· Oct 3, 7:30pm: Pratidhwani

· Oct 4, 7:30pm: Hansberry Project

· Oct 5, 2:00pm: Local Writers Showcase

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/Represent2014

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

By Christopher Durang

October 17 - November 16, 2014

Tickets: Adults: Regular Tickets start at $55; Discounts available: Seniors, Students, Under 25

2013 Tony Award-winner for Best Play. Characters from Chekhov get a modern-day mix up in this modern family reunion set in present day Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/VanyaandSoniaandMashaandSpike

5 by Beckett

October 30 - November 9, 2014

Tickets: $25 - $15

Sound Theatre Company presents five short plays by Samuel Beckett in "5 by Beckett" including Act Without Words I and II, Rough for Theatre I and II, and Catastrophe.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/5byBeckett

Fail Better: Beckett moves UMO

November 13 - 23, 2014

Ticket: $25 - $15

The UMO Ensemble explores the themes of Samuel Beckett's prose through the lens of movement and sound. Using a giant teeter totter, tin cans, and pullies; five characters balance love, life, death and carrying on in typical Beckett fashion; with humor, metaphor, stillness and gross indecency.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/FailBetter

A Christmas Carol

By Charles Dickens adapted by Gregory A. Falls

November 28 - December 28, 2014

Tickets: Variable prices based on seating and date selection

ACT Theatre's popular annual holiday tradition.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/AChristmasCarol

Ham for the Holidays: Fear the Bacon

Presented by Dos Fallopia

December 4 - 21, 2014

Tickets: $35 - $30

Lisa Koch and Peggy Platt return to ACT with their absurd, gender-bending holiday sketch romp full of social satire and musical parody.

http://www.acttheatre.org/Tickets/OnStage/FearTheBacon

About ACT: A Theatre of New Ideas - Raising Consciousness Through Theatre

Located in Seattle's downtown historic theatre district, ACT is home to five performance spaces under one roof. Since 1965, ACT has been a destination for experiencing new voices, stories, and art. ACT is steadfast in its dedication to producing work with contemporary playwrights and local performing artists through its Mainstage Play series, Central Heating Lab producing partnerships, and the Young Playwrights Program. With more than 450 performances a year, ACT is a community hub where artists and the public connect about today's issues and ideas and celebrate the shared experience.

About The Central Heating Lab

Launched in 2007, The Central Heating Lab at ACT serves as an incubator and catalyst for new works. ACT cultivates, produces, and presents artists working in all performance genres and provides an artistic home for a variety of local performance groups and artists. Relationships develop daily with individual actors, performers and playwrights while established partnerships with groups such as the Azeotrope, The Seagull Project, 14/48, and Icicle Creek Theatre Festival grow and develop. New programs are added throughout the year. With year-round programming produced by The Central Heating Lab at ACT alongside ACT's Mainstage plays, ACT offers its patrons a unique opportunity to maximize their theatre experience-the ACTPass: all you can see for only $30 per month. ACTPass Members can attend nearly all ACT produced performances.