A.D. Players at The George Theater Present MISS MAUDE This Fall

A.D. Players at The George Theater announces Sheldon Epps as the Director of Miss Maude, whose pre-Broadway run will premiere on its stage this fall.

Epps, who was recently appointed Senior Artistic Advisor at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C., was Artistic Director of the renowned Pasadena Playhouse for two decades and has directed numerous plays and musicals at many of the country's major theatres. Several of his Broadway directed shows have received Tony nominations (Play On!, Blues In The Night). "When two very strong but very different individuals are forced by circumstances to collaborate, that can often be the encounter that ignites theatrical fireworks. Such is the case with Miss Maude. It will be exciting for an audience to watch the battle of wit and will that takes place between our two leading characters, which leads them both to a better place and to a collaboration that has great mutual benefits. The story is especially resonant at a moment in our history when coming together for the greater good is so dynamically needed by all of us." said Epps.

Bruce Long, current Executive Director of CITA and Founder of The Repertoire Fund, has extensive producing experience. He has been on the producing team for five Broadway and London West End productions that have received four Tony Awards and two Olivier Awards and collected 15 Tony Award nominations and eight Olivier Award nominations. When asked about this particular project, Bruce said, "I believe the best stories are those that foster the Good, the Beautiful, and the True in audiences. I was drawn to Miss Maude because it is a powerful story that reveals the human condition with honesty, humor, and compassion. It is a period piece (set in 1951) that addresses important contemporary issues like access to healthcare, the divisiveness of classism, and our passionate need for unity in addressing these challenges. Maude Callen and Eugene Smith are flawed human beings who test each other but ultimately work together to better not only the world, but themselves. I believe audience members will see themselves in Gene and Maude's emotional, tumultuous journey, and be inspired to live more gracious lives."

Casella, a member of the Writers Guild of America and The Dramatist Guild, is a seasoned playwright of stage (Black Tom Island, The Irish Curse) and screen (One Night Stand, One Life to Live). His current projects include two animated British features: a musical The Land of Sometimes, with Ewan McGregor and Helena Bonham-Carter; and the murder mystery-thriller, A Christmas Twist. His works have won numerous awards in New York, Chicago and beyond.

This award-winning trio of artistic professionals hope, after a successful run in Houston, to transfer this production to Broadway.

Miss Maude brilliantly tells the remarkable true story of the relationship between LIFE Magazine photographer, W. Eugene Smith and South Carolina nurse and midwife, Maude Callen. Smith's photo essay, 'Nurse Midwife', "opened a window on a world that, surely, countless LIFE readers had never seen - and perhaps had never even imagined" according to LIFE itself.

This will be A.D. Players' first pre-Broadway try-out. This is a huge step for the local Houston theater as it continues to focus on breathing life into new works following the world premiere of Apollo 8 and three new shows (The Burn Vote, Beasts and Cakes, Code Feet) as part of the Metzler New Works Festival. Miss Maude is a part of the 2022-2023 season of transformation. This pre-Broadway world premiere certainly feels transformative for A.D. Players at The George Theater, originally founded back in 1967, as it continues to evolve and make waves as a major regional theater in Houston.

Miss Maude will preview at The George Theater Wednesday Sept 21 through Thursday September 29 and officially open on Friday, Sep. 30. Performances run Wednesdays through Sundays until October 23. For more information on how to purchase tickets or support A.D. Players, go to their website adplayers.org or call the Box Office at (713) 526-2721.

A.D. Players in a 501(c)3 organization and an Actors Equity Association member theater.