Stage Adaptation of George Orwell's ANIMAL FARM Starts Next Month at Milwaukee Rep

Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents an adaption of the landmark novel, Animal Farm, in the Quadracci Powerhouse beginning January 9 through February 11, 2018. George Orwell's novel, adapted into a play by Ian Wooldridge, transforms this literary classic into a vibrant and moving production that is still resonant today.

Leading the cast of Animal Farm will be Milwaukee Rep Associate Artists Jonathan Gillard Daly (Man of La Mancha and Mousetrap) as Benjamin/Pilkington and Deborah Staples (A Christmas Carol and Harvey) as Clover. Rounding out the cast is Milwaukee native Brendan Titley (Penguin Rep Theatre's Trayf) as Snowball/Minimus, Melvin Abston (Broadway's Sister Act) as Napoleon, Tiffany Rachelle Stewart (Public Theater's Pericles) as Squealer/Mollie and Stephanie Weeks (Tennessee Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer Night's Dream) as Boxer/Major.

Animal Farm is directed by Associate Artistic Director May Adrales (The Who & The What), scenic design by Andrew Boyce (An Illiad), costume design by Izumi Inaba (The Who & The What), lighting design by Noele Stollmack (Grounded), original composition and sound design by Charles Coe and Nathan A. Roberts (Contemporary American Theater Festival's Wedding Gift) with Nancy Lemenager (Off-Broadway The Porch) as movement director and Jacqueline Singleton as stage manager.

Animal Farm is among the most famous political novels of all time and it remains a timeless and devastating allegory of idealism betrayed by the desire for personal power. When the animals of Manor Farm drive out their abusive farmer, they take over running the farm for themselves. Their experiment in collective leadership succeeds - until the pigs step into the vacuum of power created by the farmer's expulsion, and betray the ideals of freedom and equality for all animals.

Animal Farm begins performances January 9 and runs through February 11 in the Quadracci Powerhouse. Opening night is set for Friday, January 12 at 8 pm. Tickets to this thought-provoking play are now on sale and can be purchased online at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by phone at 414-224-9490 or in person at the Ticket Office (108 E. Wells Street).

Associate Producers for Animal Farm are James E. and Mary K. Braza. The Rep is sponsored in part by The United Performing Arts Fund. Animal Farm is a co-production with Baltimore Center Stage.

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Talks and Events:

Rep-in-Depth: a pre-show conversation a member of the cast or creative team. Rep-in-Depth occurs approximately 45 minutes before curtain for every performance.

TalkBacks: a discussion with members of the cast and artistic team following the 7:30pm performance on the following Wednesdays and Sundays: January 17, January 21, January 24, January 31, and February 7.

For more information on these events, visit: www.MilwaukeeRep.com/Tickets--Events/Events.

Access Services:

Audio-Described Performance: Tuesday, January 16, 6:30pm - Patrons of this performance may receive an earpiece, providing live description of the action on stage.

Captioned Theater Performance: Sunday, February 4, 2pm - Performance features a screen to the side of the stage displaying the actors' lines as they are spoken.

American Sign Language Interpreted Performance: Thursday, February 1, 7:30pm - This performance interpreted in American Sign Language for any patrons who are hard of hearing.

Community Events:

Panel: "The Co-opting of Social Movements"

Sunday, January 21st, following the 2pm performance

Throughout history, social movements been co-opted by personal, financial, or political interests. In Animal Farm, the goal to create a more equal society for animals takes a slow but concerning turn. How does this happen in the social movements today? Can social organizing stay true to its original purpose while effectively advancing its cause?

Panelists include:

- Anne Golden, President of the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County

- Cacy Kemp, Associate Director of Safe & Sound

- Emilio De Torre, Director of Community Engagement at the ACLU of Wisconsin

- Rayhainio Boynes, Founder/Creative Director of FLYE

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Milwaukee Rep is a nationally-recognized company that presents compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works and full-scale musicals housed in its three unique performance venues - the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret. The Rep also produces an annual production of A Christmas Carol, featuring a World Premiere of a new adaptation in 2016, at the historic Pabst Theater. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Managing Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee's rich diversity.