Camp, Sesma, Bullock, Etc. Set for CO's New Works Festival

Anna Camp (The Scene), Thom Sesma (The Times They Are A-Changin') and Donna Bullock (A Class Act) are among the performers who will take part in the 10th Annual Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival of  public presentations, which will run June 15-17 at the venerable performing arts camp and school in Steamboat Springs, CO.  

This year's roster of new works include The Cherry Sisters Revisted by Dan O'Brien, Lydia by Octavio Solis, A Sleeping Country by Melanie Marnich, the new musical The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown with book and lyrics by Kait Kerrigan and music by Brian Lowdermilk, Plainsong by Eric Schmiedl, and a dance presentation: Choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie (New York). 

The first public presentation of the 2007 New Works Festival is The Cherry Sisters Revisted by Dan O'Brien, described as "a new play based on the true story of Addie, Effie, Lizzie, Ella, and Jessie Cherry, five sisters from Marion, Iowa, who took the vaudeville world by storm with the collective awfulness of their talent." Directed by Andrew Leynse (Primary Stages/New Works Festival) with music direction by Amir Khosrowpour, the cast features Mary Bacon as Effie, Kate Anya Gersten as Lizzie, Jennifer Harris as Ella, Paul Carlin as Pops, Jessica St. Clair as Addie, and Susan Stone as Jessie.  The staged reading opens the festival on Friday evening, June 15th at 8:00 p.m.

Lydia by Octavio Solis is "about Mexican immigrant family mired in grief, rage and guilt over a daughter tragically disabled on the eve of her quinceanera (15th birthday). Lyrical, dark, shocking and magical, this meditation on family and cultural identity in the 1970s is a brilliant new play from an award-winning writer." With direction by Juliette Carrillo, the cast features Christian Barillas as Misha, Stephanie Beatriz as Lydia, Ruben Garfias as Claudio, Ivan Lopez as Rene, Catalina Maynard as Rosa, Onahoua Rodriguez as Ceci, and Douglas Spain as Alvaro.  Performance is set for Saturday afternoon, June 16 at 1:00 p.m.

The new comedy A Sleeping Country by Melanie Marnich begins in New York "where a desperate insomniac is convinced by her equally desperate psychiatrist that she's dying.  Her search for answers leads her to Venice, where a sleepless Italian woman shows her the difference between not sleeping and being truly awake." A dreamy story of sleep lost and hope found.  Directed by Marc Masterson (Actors Theatre of Louisville), the cast features David Wilson Barnes, Anna Camp, Alexander Cramer, Bill McNulty and Carmen Roman.  The staged reading is set for late afternoon Saturday, June 16 at 4:00 p.m.

The dance presentation: Choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie (New York) features dance works by this Juilliard graduate who "is making a big name for himself on the national dance scene and brings to Steamboat Springs an evening of his works -- new and old -- that include world premieres and old dance pieces."  The featured dancers include Natrea Blake, Paige Cunningham, Amy McClendon and Ephraim Sykes.  This special presentation takes place Saturday evening, June 16th at 8:00 p.m.

The new musical, The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, with book and lyrics by Kait Kerrigan, and music by Brian Lowdermilk, "tells of Samantha, a high school senior, who is trying to tell the story of her life, except that her life keeps getting in the way.  As Sam learns to drive, worries about sex, and deals with the loss of her best friend, she also begins to realize that life isn't about telling a good story, it's about trying to live it to the fullest."  Directed by Michael Cassara with musical direction by Mark Fifer, the cast features Donna Bullock as Mom, Heléne Yorke as Kelly, Thom Sesma as Dad, Rob Steinhauser as Adam and Abby Stevens as Sam.   This musical staged performance takes place Sunday afternoon, June 17th at 1:00 p.m.

The final staged play reading is Plainsong by Eric Schmiedl based upon the novel written by Kent Haruf. "In this faithful adaptation, set on the high plains of eastern Colorado, Haruf's compelling story comes vividly to life, exploring themes of grief, loneliness, kindness and benevolence. A high school teacher is left alone to care for two young sons while two elderly bachelor brothers who know little about life beyond their farm gate come forward to help a pregnant 17-year-old with no place to turn. As the characters' lives intersect, they come together to create a new sense of family in the community."  Directed by Kent Thompson (Denver Center Theatre Company), the cast features Adriana Gaviria as Victoria Roubideaux, Mike Hartman as Raymond McPheron, Andrew Long as Tom Guthrie, Elliott Lowe as Bobby, Kathleen McCall as Maggie Jones, Leigh Miller as Russell, Phillip Pleasants as Harold McPheron with Sam Gregory, Mat Hostelter, David Ivers, Lauren Klein, Dudley Knight, Kendra Kohrt, Leslie O'Carroll, Christine Rowan, Erik Sandvold and Danielle Slavick.  This final staged reading closes the 2007 New Works Festival late Sunday afternoon, June 17th at 4:00 p.m.

The Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival brings performing arts professionals together in the Rocky Mountains to develop new pieces of drama, musical theater and dance, and to mentor new talent in each medium.  Presented in artistic partnership with the Actors Theatre of Louisville, Denver Center Theatre Company, Off-Broadway's Primary Stages, and with sponsorship from the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust and the ASCAP Foundation, the New Works Festival continues Perry-Mansfield's founding principle of nurturing new talent.

All rehearsals and performances take place at Perry-Mansfield (40755 Routt County Road 36, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487).  Free open rehearsals will take place June 6 - 14.  A Festival Weekend Ticket Package for June 15-17 is available for $65 and includes all readings and the dance presentation. Individual tickets will be available after June 1st. For tickets and information, please call 800-430-2787 or 970-879-7125, or visit the website at www.perry-mansfield.org.

Lodging packages are available at the Sheraton Steamboat Resort, the Official Sponsor of the New Works Festival, by calling 970-879-2220, or visiting the website at www.sheraton.com/steamboat.

Photo of Anna Camp by Linda Lenzi