TRTC Presents World Premiere of ORESTES, A TRAGIC ROMP, 3/23-4/11

Following a highly successful run at the Folger Theatre in Washington D.C., Two River Theater Co. is proud to present the world premiere of Orestes A Tragic Romp, Anne Washburn's razor sharp modern adaptation of the Greek tragedy by Euripides, directed by Two River Artistic Director Aaron Posner.

Says director Posner: "Greek tragedy pretty much has it all. Huge passions, extreme situations, murder, madness, Gods descending from on high... not to mention a singing Greek chorus. It has been an amazing journey putting all the pieces together to turn a 2,400 hundred year old tragedy into a genuinely fresh, engaging, and entertaining play for a contemporary audience. I'm extremely pleased with what we have done."

The unique and arresting nature of this production has been commented on by reviewers and audience members alike. DC Theatre Scene named Orestes its "Top Pick" and recognized it for its "sledgehammer power". The Washington Post recognized it as a "sharply turned-out adaptation", and the Washington City Paper described it as "the weirdest, most aggressively funny Greek tragedy". Orestes A Tragic Romp is a co-production with the Folger Theatre in Washington D.C.

Two River is proud to welcome cast members Jay Sullivan (Orestes), Holly Twyford (Electra), Chris Genebach (Menelaus), and Lauren Culpepper, Rebecca Hart, Marissa Molnar, Margo Seibert, and Rachel Zampelli as the chorus.

Orestes A Tragic Romp begins previews on Tuesday, March 23, opens Saturday, March 27, and runs through Sunday, April 11.

Biographies
Anne Washburn, Translator/Adapter: Washburn is the author of The Internationalist, originally produced Off-Broadway by The Vineyard Theatre and 13P, with successive productions at The Studio Theatre here in Washington and The Gate Theatre in London. Other Off-Broadway productions include: The Connelly Theater: Apparition; The Civilians in association with Dixon Place and Cherry Lane Theatre: The Ladies; Ensemble Studio Theatre: Marathon, October/November; Clubbed Thumb: I Have Loved Strangers. Regional productions include: American Repertory Theater: The Communist Dracula Pageant. She is an associate artist with 13P, The Civilians, New Dramatists, and New Georges Theatre. Awards include a Guggenheim, MacDowell, and Yaddo fellowships and the Bug ‘n' Bub. Commissions include works for The Civilians, Soho Rep, and Yale Rep.

Aaron Posner, Director: For nearly 20 years Aaron has worked as a director, playwright, teacher, and consultant in the American professional theater. As a co-founder and former artistic director of Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia, he directed over 40 productions, taught dozens of classes, and created award-winning educational programs. As a freelance director, Aaron has worked at many of the country's leading regional theaters including Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Folger Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, the Alliance, The Children's Theatre Company and many more. In addition to directing, Aaron is a published playwright and has penned nearly a dozen adaptations of literature. Aaron's most recent adaptations include Mark Twain's A Murder, A Mystery and A Marriage with music by James Sugg; My Name is Asher Lev based on the novel by Chaim Potok; and Sometimes a Great Notion, based on the novel by Ken Kesey. Aaron has won Barrymore Awards for directing and playwriting, two Helen Hayes Awards for direction, and is an Eisenhower Fellow. He is originally from Eugene, Oregon and graduated from Northwestern University.

Lauren Culpepper, Chorus: Theater J: A New Jerusalem (upcoming); No Rules Theatre Company Member; Lincoln Center Institute: The Dinner Party. Off-off Broadway: A Midsummer Night's Dream. Regional: Dream Machines: Wright Brothers, Peril on the Red Planet, The Two Gentleman of Verona. Training: University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Chris Genebach, Helen of Troy/Menelaus/ Pylades/Trojan Slave: Shakespeare Theatre Company: King Lear, Titus Andronicus; The Studio Theatre: Shining City. Broadway: Manhattan Theatre Club: Shining City, The Other Side. Off-Broadway: The Duke on 42nd Street: Rose Rage: Henry VI Parts 1, 2, and 3. Regional: TheatreWorks-Hartford: The Seafarer; Goodman Theatre: King Lear; Chicago Shakespeare Theatre: Rose Rage: Henry VI Parts 1, 2, and 3 (four Joseph Jefferson Awards including Best Play and Best Ensemble), Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night's Dream, Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet, King John. Training: The Theatre School at DePaul.

Rebecca Hart, Chorus: Off and Off-Off Broadway: 3LD/New Georges: Dead City (world premiere); Clubbed Thumb: Vendetta Chrome; HERE Arts Center: Phenomenon; Theatre @ St. Clements: Punk Princess; New York Musical Theatre Festival: Love Sucks; Culture Project: Jazz Desert; At Hand Theatre: Lila Cante. Regional: Actors Theatre of Louisville: Rock & Roll: The Reunion Tour; Stonington Opera House: A Midsummer Night's Dream; Hartford Stage: Prozak & the Platypus; William Inge Center: That Pretty Pretty. Training: Brown University, Maggie Flanigan Studio, Public Theater Shakespeare Lab. Singer/songwriter for Rebecca Hart & the Sexy Children. www.rebeccahart.net

Marissa Molnar, Chorus: Round House Theatre: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; Synetic Theater: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet (Helen Hayes Award Ensemble), The Fall of the House of Usher, Animal Farm; Shakespeare Theatre Company: The Imaginary Invalid; Rorschach Theatre: Birds; Doorway Arts Ensemble/Mead Theater Lab Program: Anima; Spooky Action Theatre: Alice in Wonderland; Natural Theatricals: Phoenician Women; Didactic Theatre Company: Bright Ideas; Adventure Theatre: The Gingerbread Man. Regional: CalRep: The Secret Garden, Jesus Christ Superstar. Film: Modern Love Is Automatic, Happy Birthday Wes, Trapped by the Mormons. Training: American University.

Margo Seibert, Chorus/Hermione: Folger Theatre: Arcadia, The School for Scandal; Ford's Theatre: A Christmas Carol; Olney Theatre Center: Fiddler on the Roof, Of Mice and Men, Cinderella; Studio Theatre 2ndStage: Reefer Madness: The Musical; Signature Theatre: Saving Aimee; Imagination Stage: Sleeping Beauty, Seussical; Toby's Dinner Theatre: Grease, Footloose, Evita. Tours: Kennedy Center: The Phantom Tollbooth. Training: American University.

Jay Sullivan, Orestes/Messenger: The Public Theater: Durango; Soho Playhouse: Dog Sees God; American Theatre of Actors: Matthew Passion; Abingdon Theatre: Afternight Seating; Jean Cocteau Repertory: Miss Milligan's Third Grade Class Presents Animal Farm; As Written Productions: Much Ado About Nothing; The Studio Theatre: Rock ‘N' Roll, The History Boys (Helen Hayes Award nomination); Regional: The Alley Theatre: Our Town, Eurydice; Arkansas Rep: Romeo and Juliet; Long Wharf Theatre: Durango; Boiler Room Theatre: A Chorus Line. Television: "Law & Order: SVU", "The Good Wife". Film: "The Unidentified".

Holly Twyford, Electra/Tyndareus: Folger Theatre: Arcadia, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Helen Hayes Award), All's Well That Ends Well, Melissa Arctic, Twelfth Night, Othello, As You Like It, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet (Helen Hayes Award); Folger Consort: The Second Shepherds' Play; Signature Theatre: Twentieth Century, The Little Dog Laughed; Round House Theatre: The Sisterhood, Living Out; The Studio Theatre: The Steward of Christendom, Desk Set, Betty's Summer Vacation, The Shape of Things (Helen Hayes Award), Far Away, Black Milk, The Internationalist, The Road to Mecca; Theater J: Life in Refusal, There Are No Strangers, Lost in Yonkers; Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), Stop Kiss, Recent Tragic Events; Arena Stage: A Long Day's Journey into Night, The Plough and the Stars, The Matchmaker, The Miser, Arcadia, On the Jump, An American Daughter. Regional: Arden Theatre Company: Private Lives, Candida.

Rachel Zampelli, Chorus: Folger Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream; Signature Theatre: See What I Wanna See, The Happy Time, Saving Aimee; Studio Theatre 2ndStage: Jerry Springer the Opera, Reefer Madness: The Musical; Ford's Theatre: Shenandoah. Regional: New Repertory Theatre: Into the Woods, Romeo and Juliet; Oregon Shakespeare Festival special appearance/Black Swan Theatre: Breast Entanglements. Training: Santa Clara University.
*Denotes a member of Actors' Equity Association.

The creative team is made up of James Sugg (composer/co-music director/sound designer) who was most recently at Two River Theater Co. with A Murder, A Mystery, and A Marriage; Daniel Conway (set designer), whose last production at Two River was 26 Miles, Jessica Ford (costumes), who designed the costumes for A Year with Frog and Toad and The Underpants at TRTC, Tyler Micoleau (lighting designer) who was most recently here with The Charlatan's Séance, and Patty Gallagher (Movement Director).

Orestes A Tragic Romp is scheduled to run Tuesday, March 23 through Sunday, April 11. Tickets are $35 - $61. Get more information online at www.trtc.org, call 732.345.1400, or visit the Two River Theater Company Box Office in Red Bank, located at 21 Bridge Avenue. Box Office Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10am-6pm; Sunday: 12pm-5pm.

TRTC's Artistic Department will lead Before Play. This pre-show discussion series is scheduled 45 minutes prior to every performance and will offer an in-depth look at the production. Post-show discussions are scheduled following the 8pm performance on Wednesday, March 31 and following each of the Sunday matinees: March 28, and April 11 at 3pm, as well as Wednesday, April 7 at 1pm. There is one student matinee performance scheduled on March 30 at 10am (SOLD OUT). Discounted group rates are available through the Box Office.

TRTC is accessible to people with disabilities, including wheelchair accessibility, assistive listening devices and large print programs at every performance. Accessible seating is available by reservation. For more information call the Box Office at 732.345.1400.

Events for Orestes A Tragic Romp:

Tuesday, March 23 - Community preview performance. More than 100 members of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 29, the Westlake Men's Club, the Women's Club at Westlake, and the Community YMCA will be treated to the first public performance.

Saturday, March 27 - Opening Night performance of Orestes A Tragic Romp and post-show celebration.

Sunday, March 28 - FYI Series: A lively and in-depth conversation about the play. These discussions with scholars, experts and artists are designed to ignite passionate and thought-provoking dialogue, discourse and further investigation. The discussion for this show will be Being Human: 2,500 Years of the Trojan War and the House of Tantalus, and will explore why artists through the ages have used the Trojan War story to explore what it means to be human. The panel for this discussion includes Bryan Doerries, the founder of Theatre of War, an organization that uses the Ancient Greeks to create dialogue in the military community; Peter Meineck, a translator, theater artist, and clinical professor of Classics and Ancient Studies at NYU; and the playwright, Anne Washburn.

Wednesday, March 31, 8pm; Wednesday, April 7, 1pm - Post-show discussions led by a member of the artistic staff will follow each performance.

Wednesday, April 7 - An audio-described performance is scheduled at 1pm. Tickets are $15 for those needing audio-description. Call 732.345.1400.

Sunday, April 11 - "So What Was That?" Brand new this season, join TRTC Executive Producer Robert Rechnitz for wine, cheese, and a lively exploration of the play. Whether you were amazed or confused, enthralled or appalled, this is the conversation for you.

 

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