Theatre Pro Rata's EMILIE Opens Tonight

On June 7th, 2013 Theatre Pro Rata will open Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN.

THE PLAY:
Emilie tells the story of Emilie du Châtelet, a noblewoman in 18th century France who skirted the boundaries of polite society by daring to be a scientist as well as a woman. She becomes Voltaire's lover who draws inspiration for his writing from her. The play finds her in the afterlife, examining her past with the diligence of a scientist, even as the impact of her relationships defy her hypotheses. Director Carin Bratlie says of the production, "As soon as we read it we knew it was a play our audiences would love. It's fun, charming, soulful, and smart. Shanan is a perfect Emilie, and I'm so excited to share her work."

THE PRODUCTION:
Regarding the constraints of designing a show in a non-traditional space, Stage Designer Julia Carlis said, "Performing Emilie in a science classroom speaks to the nature of the play as a narrative of learning and discovery, but is a design challenge since it lacks so many of the regular elements of a modern theater space. As a designer, I'm focusing on what I can add to the space to better tell the story rather than what the space lacks."

THE ARTISTS:
Emilie stars Shanan Custer in the title role. A well-known personality in the Twin Cities theater scene, she recently hosted the Ivey Awards to wide acclaim. The part of Voltaire will be played by Ivey Award winner Matt Sciple, who has directed, performed in, or written over 75 plays across Minnesota.

OF SPECIAL INTEREST:
Continuing Pro Rata's tradition of staging a site-specific production each year, Emilie will be performed in a science lecture hall on the St. Catherine University campus, in Mendel Hall. Pro Rata is excited about this partnership as the all-women's university has a strong history of supporting science.

THEATRE PRO RATA:
Since 2001 Pro Rata, Latin for "in proportion," has been producing smart, vivid, varied, and gutsy theater in the Twin Cities. Focusing on the text of the play, the company offers performers and audiences the chance to engage the characters, themes and language more completely. Ranging from classic dramas to modern black comedies, Theatre Pro Rata produces scripts that engender this exploration while still bringing visceral theatrical experiences to the stage. Recent accolades for Pro Rata include three year end mentions for Waiting for Godot (2011, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, and 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 ticketing, allowing patrons to name their own price from $14 to $41.

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