Photo Flash: First Look at THE AMISH PROJECT, Opening Tonight at Milwaukee Rep

Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents The Amish Project by Jessica Dickey, a fictional exploration of the Nickel Mines schoolhouse shooting in an Amish community, and the path of forgiveness and compassion forged in its wake. The one-person cast for The Amish Project stars Rep Associate Artist Deborah Staples. Directed by Milwaukee-based theater director and Rep Literary Coordinator Leda Hoffmann, the production runs now through March 22, 2015 and opens tonight, February 13. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Amish Project is a devastating and beautiful one-woman tour-de-force performance that compels audiences to question the paths taken at the crossroads of grief, rage, and clemency. Inspired by the 2006 school shootings in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, this fictional account of a real-life tragedy allows audiences to glimpse into the world of Amish culture, and to come to grips with the true limits of compassion and forgiveness.

Deborah Staples is an Associate Artist with The Rep. She was most recently seen at The Rep playing Veta Louise Simmons in Harvey, Belinda in Noises Off, Susan in How The World Began, Mrs. Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank, Emilia in Othello, and Jean Louise in To Kill a Mockingbird. Other recent credits include work on the independent film Pilot Error, season eight with American Players Theatre as Victoria (Too Many Husbands) and Gertrude (Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead), and her Jeff Award-nominated performance at Writers' Theatre for The Blonde, The Brunette and The Vengeful Redhead. Staples is a commercial (yes, that was her as Glinda the Good Witch with Packer Jordy Nelson!) and voiceover talent, has taught Acting Fundamentals at Marquette University and is the mother of two daughters, Amalia and Miranda, who are currently appearing in The Rep's annual holiday production of A Christmas Carol at the Pabst Theater. She enjoys this extraordinary community to live, work, and play in.

The Creative Team for The Amish Project includes: Director, Leda Hoffmann; Scenic Design, Courtney O'Neill; Costume Design, Leslie Vaglica; Lighting Design, Jason Fassl; Sound Design, Victoria Deiorio; Dialect Coach, Jill Walmsley Zager; Stage Manager, Sarah Hoffmann; and Assistant Director, Philip Muehe.

Single tickets for all of The Amish Project performances are now on sale and can be purchased online at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by phone at 414-224-9490, or in person at The Rep's Ticket Office at 108 E. Wells Street. Ticket prices start at $30.00.

Photo Credit: Michael Brosilow

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