Photo Flash: Geva Mounts the World Premiere Production of HEARTLAND

Geva Theatre Center's 2017-2018 Fielding Studio Series concludes with the world premiere of Heartland by Gabriel Jason Dean. This production features Artistic Director Mark Cuddy in his return to the stage and is directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh. The production begins performances on March 15 and runs in the Fielding Stage through April 1.

Dr. Harold Banks is a retired professor of Comparative Literature and Afghan Studies, waiting for his adopted daughter to return from teaching in Afghanistan, her native country. When Nazrullah, an Afghan refugee, suddenly arrives at his Nebraska doorstep armed only with his daughter's copies of The Diary of Anne Frank and The Old Man and the Sea - the two men become unlikely roommates. Set in both Maidan Shar and Omaha, Heartland is the story of a father, his determined daughter, and a surprising friendship.

Jason Dean is a Brooklyn / Austin based theatre-maker who originally hails from Atlanta, Georgia. His plays have been produced or developed throughout the United States at places such as New York Theatre Workshop, Manhattan Theatre Club, McCarter Theatre, Araca Group, The Lark, The Flea, Oregon Shakespeare, The Kennedy Center, PlayPenn, InterAct, and many others. His play In Bloom was a finalist for the Laurents / Hatcher Award, received the Kennedy Center's Paula Vogel Prize, and was Runner-Up for the New Dramatist's Princess Grace Award. His play for children, The Transition Of Doodle Pequeño, received the American Alliance for Theatre & Education Distinguished Play Award, the New England Theatre Conference Aurand Harris Award and was selected for the Kennedy Center New Visions / New Voices Conference, Theatre for Young Audiences Award and was Runner-Up for the Harold & Mimi Steinberg National Playwriting Award. He is the recipient of the Essential Theatre New Play Prize and Austin's 2013 B. Iden Payne Award for "Best Original Script" and "Best Comedy" for Qualities Of Starlight, received an Austin Critic's Table Award for "Best Production" for Terminus and his play Pigskin won the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Festival. Other awards include the Kennedy Center's ACTF Ken Ludwig Prize for a body of work from an emerging writer, and the City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs Playwriting Award. Fellowships include the Hodder Fellowship from Princeton University, James A. Michener Playwriting Fellowship, the Dramatist's Guild Fellowship and the Sallie B. Goodman / McCarter Theatre Fellowship. His scripts are published through Samuel French, Dramatic Publishing and Playscripts. Heartland was originally commissioned by InterAct Theatre Company, and was developed with the support of PlayPenn.

Artistic Director Mark Cuddy makes his return to the Geva stage in the role of Harold. He was last seen in Geva's 2000 production of Waiting for Godot. Making their Geva debuts are Mari Vial-Golden as Getee and Owais Ahmed as Nazrullah.

Heartland is produced at Geva as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. National New Play Network (NNPN) is the country's alliance of non-profit professional theatres dedicated to the development, production, and continued life of new plays. Since its founding in 1998, NNPN has supported more than 250 productions nationwide through its innovative National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere program, which provides playwright and production support for new works at its Member theatres. I and You, which Geva presented in 2013, was also part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere.

Heartland is directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh (Geva's 2017 production of The Lake Effect). The creative team includes Meredith Reis (Scenic Design), Dina El-Aziz (Costume Design), Seth Reiser (Lighting Design), Pornchanok Kanchanabanca (Sound Design) and Jenni Werner (Dramaturg).

http://www.gevatheatre.org

Photo Credit: Goat Factory Media Entertainment