Theatre Pro Rata Presents WAITING FOR GODOT 7/8

On July 8, 2011 Theatre Pro Rata will open Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett at the historic and abandoned Hollywood Theater, in Northeast Minneapolis. This production, the last in Pro Rata's 10th Anniversary Season, will mark the first public performance in The Hollywood since it closed in 1987.

THE PLAY:
Waiting for Godot, a tragicomedy in two acts, follows the static adventures of two men, Vladimir and Estragon, who await a meeting with Godot on a country road near a tree. During the course of their wait, a local landowner, Pozzo, and his slave Lucky, appear on the scene. The only other character, a boy, appears toward the end of each act to inform the two patient men that Godot will not arrive that day.

First performed in Paris in the early 1950s, Waiting for Godot explores the existential dilemma of ordinary characters in a world that appears to have lost all meaning. It provides a sounding board for the concerns and anxieties of its audiences, and what it means depends as much on what we bring to it as to what it offers us.

THE PRODUCTION:
"The Hollywood Theater operated as a movie theater from its opening in 1935 until it closed in 1987, standing vacant since then. In 1990, the Theater was designated a local historic landmark."
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/hollywood_theater.asp

When asked ‘why the Hollywood?' director Ryan Ripley said, "When brainstorming ideas for a venue, my first priority was to find a space that was bombed out and decayed. My second was a venue that matched the heightened theatricality of the script. The Hollywood-a vacant movie theater--jumped to the top of my list even before we knew it was a viable candidate. Every minute I've gotten to spend inside the building since then has confirmed that it is the perfect choice. As soon as you step off Johnson Street and into the Hollywood, you step into the world of Godot."

Pro Rata is working closely with the City of Minneapolis and the Johnson Street Merchants Association (http://www.johnsonstreetmerchants.wordpress.com) to bring this unique pairing of script and venue to Northeast Minneapolis.

THE ARTISTS:
Waiting for Godot will feature performances by Dave Gangler (Vladimir), James Rodriguez (Estragon), David Tufford (Pozzo), and Jesse Corder (Lucky). Ryan Ripley (director/set designer) leads the production. When asked about what excites him about the project Ripley said, "As absurd as the characters are, there is something very recognizable in their struggle against meaninglessness." Individuals are available for interview/comment by request.

THEATRE PRO RATA:
Since 2001 Pro Rata, Latin for "in proportion," has created intimate, captivating theater, using a love for the play as the primary connection between the stage and the audience. This has allowed Theatre Pro Rata to pursue classics and contemporaries, tragic dramas and black comedies. Recent accolades for Pro Rata include set design for Killer Joe (2008, City Pages), Julie Ann Nevill's cross-gender performance in The Life of Galileo (2009, Lavender Magazine), and overall production for Metamorphoses (2008, Lavender Magazine). Theatre Pro Rata utilizes a unique sliding scale for all ticketing, allowing patrons to name their own price from $14 to $41, and features complimentary pre-show sensory tours for blind or hard-of-sight patrons (by appointment only).

Friday, July 8th @ 7:30
Saturday, July 9th @ 7:30
Monday July 11th @ 7:30 (Pay What You Can Performance)

Friday, July 15th @ 7:30
Saturday, July 16 @ 7:30

Friday, July 22 @ 7:30
Satruday July 23 @ 7:30

All performances at The Hollywood Theater,
2815 Johnson Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
General admission tickets on a sliding scale from $14 to $41, cash or check.
For reservations, please call (612) 874-9321, or email info@theatreprorata.org, or visit our website at http://www.theatreprorata.org for more information.

 

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