WAM Theatre to Present Developmental Workshop of HOLY LAUGHTER This Fall

As WAM Theatre prepares for its second Fresh Takes play reading of the season, artistic director Kristen van Ginhoven has announced that this year's fall production will be the first developmental workshop production of Holy Laughter by Catherine Trieschmann, directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian.

"We did a reading of Catherine's play How the World Began as part of our 2014 Fresh Takes series, and it was very well received," van Ginhoven explained. "Earlier this year I attended the New Play Summit at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA). There I saw the first staged reading of her new play, Holy Laughter, which the DCPA had commissioned. I knew the heartfelt story, witty humor and zany characters would be a terrific follow-up to last year's gripping hit of In Darfur. I am thrilled that Catherine has granted us the rights to do the first developmental workshop production this fall."

WAM Theatre is also excited to announce that Megan Sandberg-Zakian will direct this production. "Megan directed our sold out Fresh Takes reading of Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England last year and is a busy director working all over the States, often on new work. Her imaginative aesthetic and dedication to social justice are a perfect fit for WAM. We are delighted she will be joining us in the Berkshires this fall to direct this production."

In Holy Laughter, an Episcopal priest finds that the reality of leading a church is radically and hilariously different than what she learned in seminary. As she wrestles with church finances, eccentric parishioners, changing sexual mores and her own doubting human heart, Abigail struggles to make peace with the realities of contemporary church life. Hymns, liturgical dance and a wicked tongue lift Trieschmann's antic portrait of a small, struggling congregation to comic heights.

In keeping with WAM Theatre's double philanthropic mission, the beneficiary of this production will receive 25% of the box office proceeds. This year's beneficiary, WAM's eighth in total, will be announced at WAM's July 15 benefit event, Stars in the Orchard, taking place at Hilltop Orchards in Richmond, MA.

In WAM's first five years, over $15,500 has been donated to a mix of local and global organizations working to benefit women and girls, including the Mother of Peace Orphanage in Illovo South Africa and the Berkshire based Rite of Passage and Empowerment for Girls program. A sneak peak of the play will also be presented at the July 15 benefit event. More information about the benefit can be found at www.WAMTheatre.com.

WAM Theatre's production of Holy Laughter is scheduled for October 29-November 22, on the St. Germain Stage at Barrington Stage Company's Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield, MA. The opening performance will be Sunday, November 1 at 2pm. Tickets are $15-$40 and will go on sale in July. See www.WAMTheatre.com for more information.

Auditions are for Holy Laughter will be held Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7 from noon-6pm, at the WAM Theatre offices, 45 Walker Street, Lenox, MA. There are roles for three women and two men. Rehearsals will begin on October 6. Professional Equity and non-Equity actors of all ages and ethnicities are encouraged to audition. For complete audition information visit www.WAMTheatre.com/holylaughterauditioninfo.

Sponsors for this production include: Greylock Federal Credit Union (Producer Sponsor); Garden Gables Inn; Berkshire Magazine (Partner Sponsors); Custom Business Solutions, Interprint (Leader Sponsors); Adams Community Bank; Rogovoy Report (Patron Sponsor); RB Designs; Nina Molin MD; Jon Gotterer DMD (Supporter Sponsors).

Additional WAM 2015 Sponsors include: Brabson Library & Educational Foundation, Dylandale Foundation, Feigenbaum Foundation, International Schools Theatre Association, Massachusetts Cultural Council and Petricca Industries (Education Programming). WAM Theatre is also supported in part by grants from the Lee, Lenox, Hinsdale-Peru, Monterey, Northern Berkshire, Richmond, Washington, Windsor Cultural Councils, local agencies that are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.