Perseverance Theatre Closes Its Season With the World Premiere of the road weeps, the well runs dry

Poet-playwright Marcus Gardley, one of the fastest rising stars in American theatre, joins Perseverance Theatre for the world premiere of his newest play, the road weeps, the well runs dry, May 3-26, 2013. Tickets are now available through Hearthside Books, the JACC, online at perseverancetheatre.org or by calling 907-463-TIXS (8497). There are two Pay-As-You-Can Previews on Sunday, April 28 and Wednesday, May 1 at 7:30p.m. and two Pay-As-You-Can Performances on Sunday, May 5 and Thursday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m.

With a cast of Alaska Native and African American actors, the road weeps, the well runs dry brings Wewoka, Oklahoma to life as myth merges with history to tell the story of Black Seminole Freedman working to incorporate the first all-black town in the United States. The very foundations of the town are rocked when new religion and the old way come head to head, their former enslavers arrive to imprison them, and the leader of the Freedmen makes use of his brilliant, burning immortality.

Directed by Aaron Davidman, of California, an ensemble of Perseverance company members, including Jake Waid, Shadow Meienberg, Austin Tagaban, Gary Waid, Erin Tripp, and Ibn Bailey, and guest artists, including Charles Wallace, Jude Tibeau, Perri Gaffney, Evette Marie White, and Kenneth Ray, weave Gardley's lyrical, cadenced language with traditional song and powerful stage pictures to create an unforgettable performance. This is theatre that is alive, original, and electric.

Director Aaron Davidman served as the Artistic Director of Traveling Jewish Theatre in San Francisco from 2002-2011. He has directed two previous world premieres by Marcus Gardley. Dramaturg Nakissa Etemad has worked with Arthur Miller and Tom Stoppard, She collaborated with Marcus Gardley on Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi. Set Design is by Perseverance Theatre's Artistic Director, Art Rotch, who previously designed the set for Raisin in the Sun, and lighting design is by Lauren MacKenzie Miller who also designed for Raisin in the Sun. Rory Stitt, who worked for Perseverance on The Importance of Being Earnest, designed the sound. Costume design is by Rick Silaj, who also designed costumes this season for Oklahoma.

Playwright Marcus Gardley tells us, "Originally, I set out to write a play about the first all-black town in the U.S. Wewoka, Oklahoma. I had a special interest in the town because my grandmother was born there. In my research, I learned that Black Seminoles-people of African and Native American ancestry-actually incorporated the town. I was thinking I was writing a history play about a forgotten people, only to realize I was actually writing my own history." Marcus is the US Artists James Baldwin Fellow for 2012, and the Ensemble Playwright for the Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago. Marcus premiered his play every tongue confess premiered at Arena Stage in Washington, DC in 2010.

the road weeps, the well runs dry is part of the LARK Play Development Center's project "Launching New Plays into the Repetoire." Juneau is the first town in a four-city rolling world premiere for the road weeps, the well runs dry that includes performances in Minneapolis, MN, Los Angeles, CA, and Tampa, FL.

Performance Details: Performances of the road weeps, the well runs dry are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, Opening May 3, with a 2 p.m. matinee on the last Sunday (May 26). There will be Pay-As-You-Can Previews on Sunday, April 28 and Wednesday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Pay-As-You-Can Performances on Sunday, May 5 and Thursday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are now available through Hearthside Books, the JACC, online at perseverancetheatre.org or by calling 907-463-TIXS (8497).

 

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