Photo Flash: PlayMakers Presents DAIRYLAND

PlayMakers Repertory Company presents "Dairyland," a world premiere comedy by Heidi Armbruster. This whimsical, heartfelt tale of one woman's journey from farm to table and table to farm is directed by Vivienne Benesch, and runs from October 16 to November 3, 2019.

Meet Allie. A Wisconsin dairy farmer's daughter turned New York food blogger, keeping pace with the city that never sleeps. When she finds herself on the wrong end of a farm-to-table food fight, Allie heads back to Wisconsin, where her estranged dad and a pregnant cow named Patches show her the true meaning of food, faith, and family.

"I first discovered 'Dairyland' a few years ago while I was at Chautauqua Theater Company, and it's stayed with me ever since. I'm thrilled to be giving it its world premiere production here in Chapel Hill," said PlayMaker s' Producing Artistic Director Benesch. "This part of the country doesn't just understand both sides of the farm-to-table conversation, our audiences have lived both. 'Dairyland' has also allowed me to give Heidi Armbruster a platform to share her witty, talented, Swiss Army knife artistry. And of course, I am beyond humbled to direct Ray Dooley in his 100th production for PlayMakers! This play will charm audiences, make them cry a little, laugh a lot, and hopefully serve us all a heaping helping of family, friendship, and fellowship."

"A conversation with my dad first inspired me to write this play," said playwright Armbruster. "Years later, when I came back to it a bit older and maybe a bit wiser, I was grappling with the meaning of home. What is it? Whe re is it? Who is it? What do I have to do to feel like I'm at home, no matter where I am? That yearning flows through not just Allie, Henry, and all the characters, but I think in all of us, no matter if we're millennials or their empty-nester parents. Vivienne and the amazing, talented, and generous acting and production company at PlayMakers will forever be cemented for me as a great place for this work of mine to have found its first home."

"Dairyland" features Emily Bosco as Liz ("How I Learned to Drive," "She Loves Me"), Ray Dooley as Henry ("Life of Galileo," "A Christmas Carol," "King Lear"), Claire Karpen as Allie (Broadway: "Sylvia"; Off-Broadway: "Into the Woods" at Roundabout/Fiasco), Khalil Lesaldo as Declan ("As You Like It" at Portland Stage, "Romeo and Juliet" at Tennessee Shakespeare Company), and Dan Toot as Jonathan ("Bewilderness," "Sense and Sensibility").

The Creative Team of "Dairyland" includes: Vivienne Benesch (Director; "Life of Galileo," "Three Sisters"), Narelle Sissons (Scenic Designer; "Angels in America, Parts 1 & 2," "All My Sons" at Roundabout Theatre Company), Jan Chambers (Costume Designer; "Leaving Eden," The Cake"), Amith Chandrashaker (Lighting Design; "She Loves Me," "Twelfth Night" at The Public Theater), Jared Mezzocchi (Projections Designer; "Poor Yella Rednecks" and "Vietgone" at Manhattan Theatre Club), Lindsay Jones (Sound Designer; Broadway's "Slave Play" and "Bronx Bombers"), Jacqueline E. Lawton (Dramaturg; "Dot," "The Christians"), Tia James (Vocal Coach; "Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood," "Jump"), Gwendolyn Schwinke (Resident Vocal Coach; Voice/Text/Dialect for "Taming of the Shrew" and "Comedy of Errors" at Shakespeare & Company), and Elizabeth Ray (Stage Manager; "Tartuffe," "No Fear and Blues Long Gone: Nina Simone").

For information and to purchase tickets, call 919.962.7529 or visit www.playmakersrep.org. Individual ticket prices start at $15.

 

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