The Cherry Artists Collective Announces English-Language Premiere Of THE SHOE

This September 26-October 6, the Cherry kicks off our production season with The Shoe by Québec playwright David Paquet. Paquet is a recipient of the Governor General's Award for Drama and the Prix Michel Tremblay, and The Shoe is his newest play, to be seen for the first time in English at the Cherry. The Shoe uses inventive magical realism to tell the funny and profound story of an unusual young boy named Benoit and the adults who care for him. The French world première won the Best Play and Playwright awards in Vancouver. Press there said the play, like Benoit himself, is "a Kinder Surprise: you come for the comedy, but stay for the lucid observations."

The Shoe opens on Friday, September 27th, following a pay what you will preview performance on Thursday September 26th, and closes Sunday, October 6th. Evening performances (Thursdays through Saturdays) are at 7:30pm, and Sunday matinees are at 3:30pm. Performances take place at the Cherry Artspace, 102 Cherry Street in Ithaca, NY.

The cast is anchored by beloved Ithaca actor/director Godfrey Simmons* (Artistic Director of Civic Ensemble), joined by three actors new to the Cherry Artists' ensemble: Emma Bowers* returns to her native Ithaca from training at Juilliard and numerous national credits; Amoreena Wade brings great comic timing to the role of Melanie, Benoit's overtaxed mother, and Ithaca College dance student Joshua Witzling plays young Benoit in a bravura physical performance.

The Shoe is directed by Cherry Artistic Director Samuel Buggeln. Environment design is by Daniel Zimmerman, costumes by Sasha Oliver, sound by Kate Griffin, lighting by Christopher Brusberg, and props by Edith McCrea.

The Cherry is delighted that the acclaimed playwright, David Paquet, will travel to Ithaca from Montréal to join us for the second weekend of the play's run. A public talkback will take place with the playwright and translator after the Friday October 4 performance, and a panel discussion with the playwright, translator and director will take place at 4:30 PM on Monday October 7 at the Schwartz Center at Cornell as part of the World Theater Voices series.

The Cherry Artists' Collective is a self-governing ensemble of locally-based professional artists, who develop new performance works that are radically local, radically international, and formally innovative. The Collective is supported by The Cherry Arts, Inc, a not-for-profit arts organization who supports a wide range of artists in a variety of disciplines by hosting them in the waterfront Cherry Artspace, at 102 Cherry Street in Ithaca NY.