Ford's Theatre Presents THE CARPETBAGGER’S CHILDREN 1/21-2/13/11

The Ford's Theatre 2010-2011 season continues with The Carpetbagger's Children by Horton Foote, January 21-February 13, 2011. Mark Ramont (The Rivalry) directs this powerful and thoughtful exploration of one family's life in Post-Reconstruction Texas. For the first time ever, Washington stalwarts Nancy Robinette, Kimberly Schraf and Holly Twyford will share the stage.

In a series of charming, humorous and poignant vignettes, Horton Foote's The Carpetbagger's Children weaves a captivating tapestry of family secrets, small-town lives and private tragedies. At the center of the play are sisters Cornelia, Grace Anne and Sissie, daughters of a Union soldier who moved south after the war. The sisters' bonds are challenged as they seek to preserve the family's Texas plantation in an era of startling growth and change. An Academy Award-winning playwright, Foote won the 2002 Steinberg/American Theatre Critics New Play Award for The Carpetbagger's Children.

The Carpetbagger's Children is part of Civil War to Civil Rights, a citywide commemoration marking the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War that also explores D.C.'s unique role in the civil rights movement.

"Northern carpetbaggers earned a reputation of moving into southern communities after the Civil War and claiming property they believed they deserved," Director Mark Ramont explained. "In The Carpetbagger's Children we see how the choices made about whether and how to divide the land tested familial bonds. With a thoughtful and nuanced approach, Horton Foote writes about family in a way that calls to mind our own relationships. Like Chekhov, the strength of his stories lies in the rich, vital and very human characters, and I'm thrilled to work with three of Washington's finest actresses to bring this family to life on the Ford's Theatre stage."

The Carpetbagger's Children is made possible by Lead Sponsor ExxonMobil and Sponsors Southern Company and American Express. Ford's Theatre's 2010-2011 season sponsors are The Home Depot and Chevron. Media partner WAMU 88.5 FM provides promotional support throughout the run.
THE DIRECTOR

Mark Ramont returns to direct for the first time since the 2010 production of The Rivalry. Ramont is Director of Theatre Programming for the Ford's Theatre Society. Regional directing credits include Midwives for Round House, multiple productions for New York's Circle Repertory Company (where he served as Associate Artistic Director), Stages Repertory Theatre and How I Learned to Drive for the Alley Theatre. He is a three-time recipient of the Austin Critics Circle Award for Best Director and a three-time winner of the Austin Circle of Theatres award for Outstanding Direction. Ramont has served on the teaching staff and as Director of Theatre at Rice University; he is currently a member of the adjunct faculty at American University.
THE CAST

Nancy Robinette returns to Ford's Theatre for the first time since the 2006 production of State of the Union. A four-time Helen Hayes Award winner, Robinette has appeared in a host of roles with the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Studio Theatre, the recent world premiere of Walter Cronkite Is Dead at Studio Theatre, and performances with Arena Stage, Round House and Woolly Mammoth. Robinette also has performed Off Broadway with Roundabout Theatre and New York Theatre Workshop. Her regional credits include roles at McCarter Theatre, The Old Globe, Papermill Playhouse and Williamstown Theatre Festival. She also has appeared in films including Serial Mom, Soldier Jack and The Day Lincoln Was Shot.

Kimberly Schraf returns to the Ford's Theatre after playing Aunt Julia in Sabrina Fair this fall. Schraf also has appeared in Ford's productions of The Member of the Wedding and A Christmas Carol (2008). Regional credits include performances with Arena Stage, Theater J, Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre, Round House and Woolly Mammoth. Additional credits include performances with Baltimore Shakespeare, and television work including Homicide: Life on the Streets.

Holly Twyford makes her Ford's Theatre debut as Sissie in The Carpetbagger's Children. Twyford's regional credits include performances with Folger Theatre (including her Helen Hayes-winning performances in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Romeo and Juliet), Arena Stage, Theater J, Signature Theatre (Helen Hayes Award for Little Dog Laughed), Studio Theatre (Shape of Things, Black Milk, The Internationalist, The Road to Mecca, others) and Woolly Mammoth.

THE DESIGNERS

The design team from The Rivalry (Scenic Design by Robin Stapley, Costume Design by Helen Huang, Lighting Design by Matthew Richards, and Original Music and Sound Design by Matthew M. Nielson) returns to create the theatrical world of The Carpetbagger's Children. Wig Designer Anne Nesmith and Dialect Coach Leigh Wilson Smiley round out the artistic team.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS

There will be sign-interpreted performances of The Carpetbagger's Children on Thursday, February 3, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 12, at 4 p.m. Audio-described performances are Saturday, February 5, at 2:30 p.m. and Tuesday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m.

Following the 7:30 p.m. performance on January 27, members of the cast will take questions from the audience and discuss the artistic process. The post-performance discussion begins immediately following the performance. Individuals wishing to attend the discussion will be invited into the theatre for the discussion after the audience from the performance departs.

Join Director Mark Ramont at the offices of The Washington Post (1150 15th Street NW) for a behind-the-scenes look at The Carpetbagger's Children on January 28 from noon to 1 p.m. Event is free.

Join us February 2 for a Girls Night Out, featuring the 7:30 p.m. performance of The Carpetbagger's Children and a post-show dessert reception at Bistro D'Oc from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $44, and include one performance ticket and the reception. Each attendee will receive one complimentary glass of wine; cash bar is available for additional drinks. Space is limited to 40. To RSVP, contact Katie Kerrins at (202) 638-2941 ext. 325 or email rsvpmarketing@fords.org. Reservations require a credit card. No cancellations or refunds.

Join director Mark Ramont and actress Kimberly Scrhaf on February 7, at 7 p.m. for a Southern-style dinner at The Caucus Room (401 9th Street NW) and a behind-the-scenes look at The Carpetbagger's Children. Tickets for the dinner are $99, which includes tax and gratuity. Call (202) 393-1300 for reservations or visit www.fords.org for more information.

Civil War to Civil Rights
From Abraham Lincoln's tide-turning elections and inaugurations to DR. Martin Luther King's soul-stirring "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., has served as a powerful backdrop for catalyzing moments in the Civil War and civil rights movement. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the war and to explore D.C.'s unique role in the civil rights movement, cultural attractions, historic landmarks, cultural organizations and historic sites throughout the capital region have joined together for a unique promotion, "Civil War to Civil Rights." For more information, visit http://washington.org/civil-war/home

FACT SHEET: The Carpetbagger's Children

By Horton Foote * Directed by Mark Ramont

In a series of charming, humorous and poignant vignettes, Horton Foote's The Carpetbagger's Children weaves a captivating tapestry of family secrets, small-town lives and private tragedies. Written by Horton Foote and directed by Mark Ramont, the production plays from January 21 to February 13, 2011. At the center of the play are sisters Cornelia, Grace Anne and Sissie, daughters of a Union soldier who moved south after the war. The sisters' bonds are challenged as they seek to preserve the family's Texas plantation in an era of startling growth and change. An Academy Award-winning playwright, Foote won the 2002 Steinberg/American Theatre Critics New Play Award for The Carpetbagger's Children. For the production, Ramont directs an ensemble of Washington favorites featuring Nancy Robinette, Kimberly Schraf and Holly Twyford.

DATES: January 21-Februrary 13, 2011

Press and Opening Night: January 26, 2011 (not a public performance)
LOCATION: Ford's Theatre is located at 511 10th Street NW, between E and F Streets.
TIMES: Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m. (except February 6, 12 and 13); matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. (except January 22, 23 and February 12 ); February 12: performances at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

TICKETS: $15-$55 with discounts available for groups, senior citizens, military personnel and those younger than 35.

ACCESSIBILITY: Ford's Theatre is accessible to persons with disabilities, offering wheelchair-accessible seating and restrooms and audio enhancement.

There will be sign-interpreted performances of The Carpetbagger's Children on Thursday, February 3, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 12, at 4 p.m. Audio-described performances are Saturday, February 5, at 2:30 p.m. and Tuesday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m.

Following the 7:30 p.m. performance on January 27, members of the cast will take questions from the audience and discuss the artistic process. The post-performance discussion begins immediately following the performance. Individuals wishing to attend the discussion will be invited into the theatre for the discussion after the audience from the performance departs.

Join Director Mark Ramont at the offices of The Washington Post (1150 15th Street NW) for a behind-the-scenes look at The Carpetbagger's Children on January 28 from noon to 1 p.m. Event is free.

Join us on Wednesday, February 2, for a Girls Night Out, featuring the 7:30 p.m. performance of The Carpetbagger's Children and a post-show dessert reception at Bistro D'Oc from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $44, and include one performance ticket and the reception. Each attendee will receive one complimentary glass of wine; cash bar is available for additional drinks. Space is limited to 40. To RSVP, contact Katie Kerrins at (202) 638-2941 ext. 325 or email rsvpmarketing@fords.org. Reservations require a credit card. No cancellations or refunds.

Join director Mark Ramont and actress Kimberly Schraf on February 7, at 7 p.m. for a Southern-style dinner at The Caucus Room (401 9th Street NW) and a behind-the-scenes look at The Carpetbagger's Children. Tickets for the dinner are $99, which includes tax and gratuity. Call (202) 393-1300 for reservations or visit www.fords.org for more information.

PARKING:

Paid parking is available at several independent neighborhood garages: the 24-hour QuikPark at the Grand Hyatt (entrance on 10th Street between G and H Streets NW), the Central Parking Garage (entrance on 11th Street between E and F Streets NW), and the Atlantic Garage below Ford's Theatre (at 511 10th Street, NW).

METRO:

Metro Center station (Red, Blue and Orange Lines) is two and one half blocks north of the theatre from the Eleventh Street exit. Gallery Pl-Chinatown station (Red, Yellow and Green Lines) is two and one half blocks north of the theatre from the G Street exit. For further information, call Metro at (202) 637-7000.
Tickets at Ticketmaster: (202) 397-SEAT TTD: (877) 474-4833 Toll Free: (800) 899-2367

www.fords.org
Information: (202) 347-4833 Groups: (202) 638-2367