Tangent Theatre to Present THE COUNTRY GIRL at Village Hall

Tangent Theatre Company will present a reading of THE COUNTRY GIRL by Clifford Odets in early October, with an encore performance added to accommodate demand. The readings are being made possible by a New York State project grant, administered by Arts Mid-Hudson, with fiscal sponsorship from the Village of Tivoli.

The readings of THE COUNTRY GIRL will be held Saturday, October 3 at 6pm, Sunday, October 4 at 3pm, and an encore show Monday, October 5 at 6pm, at Village Hall in Tivoli. A visionary young theater director aims to give one more chance to a once-acclaimed, now washed-up, alcoholic actor. His main obstacle? The actor's quiet and self-effacing wife. The play goes behind the scenes of the Broadway theater world and explores themes of celebrity, failure, addiction and complex relationships.

Written in 1950, The Country Girl was also made famous by a film adaptation in 1954 starring Bing Crosby, William Holden and Grace Kelly, who won a Best Actress Oscar for her role as the wife, Georgie Elgin. Originally starting as an actor, playwright Clifford Odets is best known for Waiting for Lefty, Golden Boy, Awake and Sing! and The Country Girl, and the screenplay The Sweet Smell of Success, among many others.

Three readings are currently scheduled for the Tangent performance; the first two shows are already sold out, with waiting lists available, and Tangent encourages reaching out as seats can open up. An encore show has been added to accommodate demand. Tickets are free, though reservations are required, and donations are welcome to help cover costs beyond the grant award.

With a cast of eight, THE COUNTRY GIRL reading features familiar talents from the company's core ensemble along with new faces in the mix: veteran film and theater actor Sean Cullen* joins Sam Eisenbaum, Maggie Adams McDowell*, Doug Trapp*, Steven Young and newcomer Maya Schubert, along with Tangent's artistic director Michael Rhodes*. Abbie McCue will read stage directions; directed by Tracy Carney; produced by Andrea Rhodes (* member Actors' Equity Association).

Tangent's readings of compelling, engaging plays have become a popular series in Tivoli and beyond, often presented in pubs, restaurants or unique intimate spaces — in addition to Village Hall, favorite locations include Stissing Center in Pine Plains, Upstate Films in Rhinebeck and The Moviehouse in Millerton, to name a few. Now in their 26th year, Tangent's trademark readings showcase plays with actors sitting on bar stools, scripts in hand and with no props, miming or blocking; stage directions are read to orient the audience, move the story along and help visualize the play.

'We have been wanting to present The Country Girl for a long time. It touches on deep, poignant themes, with vibrant and touching characters' says Michael Rhodes. 'When we applied for this grant, we knew this was the perfect play to share. Our dedication to offering free readings, paying all the players in our shows, and presenting stories to our loyal audience made for an application we were quite proud of' he adds. 'Tangent Theatre has been a vital part of the community for many years. The energy, creativity and passion they provide brings a variety of works and a remarkable ensemble of actors to our Little Village. Tivoli is a more vibrant place for having them call it home' says Tivoli's Mayor, Emily Majer.

Village Hall is a go-to venue for Tangent; several readings have been presented there including Good People by David Lindsay-Abaire, Body Awareness by Annie Baker, True West by Sam Shepard and American Buffalo by David Mamet, in addition to many others. 'The charming, historic space lends itself to the modern period drama, and allows our audience to lean into the story with close proximity to the playing area and actors. It will be absorbing' Rhodes adds.

The project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Arts Mid-Hudson, and with fiscal sponsorship from the Village of Tivoli.

Event Details

THE COUNTRY GIRL by Clifford Odets, play readings Saturday, October 3 at 6pm, Sunday, October 4 at 3pm and Monday, October 5 at 6pm at Village Hall, 3rd floor, 86 Broadway, Tivoli NY 12583 (doors open one hour before showtime).

Tickets are free but reservations are required. Donations are welcome. General seating. RSVP: info@tangent-arts.org

The play is two full acts with an intermission; water and light snacks available. Village Hall is fully accessible via stairs or elevator; parking in the small lot, on-street or in the West municipal lot one block west.

More information: tangent-arts.org

Tangent Theatre Company was founded in New York City in 2000 by Hudson Valley natives and married couple Andrea and Michael Rhodes, and the late Keith Teller, and relocated to Tivoli in 2009. Tangent is a professional theater company known for intimate character driven productions, its new works festival and its popular play readings.

Photo Credit: Courtesy Tangent Theatre