World Premiere of WILLIAM, INC. to Take Place in Juneau and Anchorage

By: Jan. 27, 2018
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World Premiere of WILLIAM, INC. to Take Place in Juneau and Anchorage

Perseverance Theatre has announced the World Premiere of William, Inc, by Alaska Native playwright Lucas Rowley. Director Randy Reinholz and actor Frank Henry Kaash Katasse, playing William, who collaborated last season on Katasse's play They Don't Talk Back, are joined by a cast and creative team of Perseverance veterans and newcomers. William, Inc. marks the third season in a row that Perseverance Theatre's subscription package includes a play by an Alaska Native writer led by a Native director with Native collaborators. Perseverance Theatre is proud to lead an industry trend amongst recent productions such as Off the Rails at Oregon Shakespeare Festival (written by Randy Reinholz), and Sovereignty at Arena Stage (directed by Perseverance's founder Molly Smith), indigenous written theatre is emerging nationally after years of hard work.

William, Inc. director Randy Reinholz is also artistic director of Native Voices at the Autry, the national company dedicated to Native American writing and a frequent partner of Perseverance Theatre. The cast includes Perseverance Theatre company member Frank Henry Kaash Katasse as William. The cast also features Erika Stone as Cindy, Brian Wescott, Alec Shamas, James Sullivan, and Erin Tripp play a group of relatives, colleagues and clients in William's life. Shamas, Tripp and Sullivan also play Joker, Shadow, and Traditional Woman, the three archetypes in William's Head who form the board of directors of his personal Native Corporation. William, Inc. tells the story of what happens when, to cope with the pressures of his life as a young father, professional therapist, and recovering addict, William chooses to incorporate himself as a personal Alaska Native Settlement Act corporation, a type of ANCSA corporation that only exists in fiction. The plan backfires when he meets his activist board members, whose conflicting approaches to how the board can help him keep his life on track disrupt his marriage, work, and family relationships. Often bitingly funny, the play takes a serious and thoughtful look at the resources- cultural, family, and even corporate- available to Alaska Natives to build lives in contemporary Alaska. The play is recommended for mature audiences due to the subjects covered, and contains little strong language or sexual situations.

The creative team includes designers Akiko Nishijima Rotch (Sets), Tom Ontiveros (Lights and Projections) E.B. Brooks (Costumes) Ed Littlefield (Sound and Compositions), all of whom are returning to Perseverance after previous design work for this project. The Stage Manager is Marland Cameron Thorpe, who previously interned in Stage Management at Perseverance and makes his professional debut here. Miciana Hutcherson of Juneau was the Assistant Director.

William, Inc. is made possible from the Andrew W Mellon Foundation, The CIRI Foundation, the Les and Sherri Biller Family Foundation, Haight and Associates, and KTOO Public Media.

In Juneau, from January 24 through February 17, 2018, at Perseverance Theatre, 914 Third Steet, Douglas. Tickets to William, Inc. are available at ptalaska.org, the Perseverance Theatre box office, the JACC, Hearthside Books, or by calling 463-TIXS during business hours.

In Anchorage, from March 1 - 11, 2018, at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts 621 W. 6th Ave. Tickets are available at ptalaska.org, Centertix, or by calling 236-ARTS. Discounted tickets are available for groups of four or more.

$15 Rush tickets are available 30 minutes before curtain for each performance, space available. Show dates and more information at ptalaska.org.



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