Sound Theatre Company Continues 10th Season with THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT

Sound Theatre Company continues its tenth anniversary season with Stephen Adly Guirgis' expressionistic courtroom fantasy The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. The Last Days of Judas Iscariot dramatizes a court case to decide the ultimate fate of Judas Iscariot which utilizes flashbacks, testimonials, and interrogations of such witnesses as Mother Teresa, Caiaphas, Saint Monica, Sigmund Freud, and Satan, among others. The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is a hilarious, poignant, thought-provoking work by Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis. Contains mature language.

Set in a time-bending, seriocomically imagined world between Heaven and Hell, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is a philosophical meditation on the conflict between divine mercy and human free will. This early work by Stephen Adly Guirgis, 2015 Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, established him as "a playwright to reckon with in recent years: a fierce and questing mind that refuses to settle for glib answers, a gift for identifying with life's losers and an unforced eloquence that finds the poetry in lowdown street talk."- The New York Times

"An ambitious, complicated and often laugh-out-loud religious debate" -The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Stephen Adly Guirgis has written a real jaw-dropper...raw language and flamboyantly street-savvy characters... his imagination is dazzling and his command of language downright thrilling." -Variety

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is the second production in Sound Theatre Company's 2016 season, The Long Arc of Justice, three richly engaging productions that revolve around themes of justice in history and the modern world. The season, which was launched with a sold-out run of the musical PARADE earlier this year, continues Sound Theatre's commitment to exploring issues of social justice, and expanding the inclusivity of Sound Theatre's artistic mission to mirror Seattle's rich cultural tapestry of artists and audiences.

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot will be directed by STC Producing Artistic Director, Teresa Thuman. "As theatre artists we need to present stories that are not rooted in the simplistic 'good vs. evil' or 'hero vs. villain' polemic that pervades our popular culture," says Thuman. "This unique play invites us to look deeply and compassionately at the ambiguities and complexities of being human. We at Sound Theatre Company are so fortunate to have assembled an exceptional cast of local actors who can highlight the universal experiences of these thrilling, street-wise characters."

The production features several newcomers to Sound Theatre Company who are well-known to Seattle audiences including Jose Abaoag as Judas Iscariot and Kathy Hsieh as his mother, Henrietta Iscariot. Returning to STC include Gregory Award winner Ray Tagavilla ('13 A Small Fire) as Satan, Shermona Mitchell ('15 Jesus Moonwalks) as Saint Monica, Caitlin Frances ('15 Indian Ink, '14 Blood Relations) as Fabiana Aziza Cunningham, Jesse Smith ('13 Wild Party, '15 Jesus Moonwalks) as Jesus of Nazareth, Corey Spruill ('13 Dogg's Hamlet, '14 School for Lies) as Simon the Zealot, and Marianna de Fazio ('15 Holiday of Errors, '14 School for Lies) as Gloria.

Sound Theatre is thrilled to welcome to this cast Keith Dahlgren as Judge Littlefield, Malcolm West as Pontius Pilate, Ayo Tushinde as Mary Magdalene, Sujay Chattopadhyay as Sigmund Freud, Eloisa Cardona as Mother Teresa, Andrew Shanks as Butch Honeywell, Erwin Galán as Saint Thomas and Yusef Mahmoud as prosecuting counsel, Yusef El-Fayoumy.

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot opens on Saturday, July 16, for a limited run at the Center Theatre in the Seattle Center Armory with preview performances on July 14 and 15. Tickets are $25, $15 for students, and pay-what-you-can performances on July 14, 21,25, 28.

Sound Theatre Company was named "Theatre of the Year" by Theatre Puget Sound's 2014 Gregory Awards, Sound Theatre also received five awards including Outstanding Musical for its production of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party. Its Seattle premiere production of A Small Fire by Adam Bock received four Gypsy Rose Lee Awards from Seattle Theatre Writers, including Excellence in Production of a Play. Launched in 2006 by Founding Artistic Director Teresa Thuman, Sound Theatre Company presents cutting-edge presentations emphasizing the role of language and music in our world.

CAST

Judas Iscariot Jose Abaoag

Saint Monica Shermona Mitchell

Henrietta Iscariot Kathy Hsieh

Satan Ray Tagavilla

Gloria Marianna de Fazio

Mother Teresa Eloisa Cardona

Judge Littlefield Keith Dahlgren

Simon The Zealot Corey Spruill

Sigmund Freud Sujay Chattopadhyay

Pontius Pilate Malcolm West

Jesus of Nazareth Jesse Smith

Fabiana Cunningham Caitlin Frances

Butch Honeywell Andrew Shanks

Mary Magdalene Ayo Tushinde

Yusef El-Fayoumy Yusef Mahmoud

Saint Thomas Erwin Galán

PRODUCTION STAFF

Director Teresa Thuman

Set Designer Bryan Boyd

Asst. Set Designer Brandon Estrella

Costume Designer Margaret Toomey

Lighting Designer Richard Schaefer

Props Designer Ashley Banker

Sound Designer Dana Amromin

Stage Manager Erin Dorn

Asst. Stage Manager Kali Greenberg

Production Manager Abigail Pishaw

Graphic Designer Ashley Banker

Sound Engineer Julian Amrine

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