TheatreLAB Announces First Full Season of Productions

TheatreLAB announces first full season of productions and two new programs to engage and inspire the community

Directed by Deejay Gray

As part of the 2014 Acts of Faith Festival
in association with Henley Street Theatre & Richmond Shakespeare
The difference between belief and knowledge, and the consequences of mistaking one for the other are at the heart of Craig Wright's acidly funny and relentlessly searching new play, Grace. An evangelical Christian couple, Sara and Steve, leave a dreary life in Minnesota for sunny Florida and the hope of fast money from turning abandoned hotels into a chain of gospel-themed inns. Their new neighbor, Sam, is struggling to emerge from the trauma of a car accident that killed his fiance?e and left him badly maimed. And the building's pest exterminator, Karl, is still tormented by a dark childhood episode. As their stories converge, Wright's characters find themselves face-to- face with the most eternally vexing questions-the nature of faith, the meaning of suffering, and the possibility of redemption.
"This is a darkly comic, eerily tragic, wholly timely play... It explores the nature of those often deeply painful partners: love and change." -Chicago Sun-Times.

Cast Breakdown: 1 Woman / 3 Men

STEVE - a faithful evangelical Christian
SARA - his new wife; shares his beliefs
SAM - their neighbor; just lost his fiance?e in a car crash that also mutilated his face KARL - the building's pest exterminator; speaks with a German accent, 70s Winter 2014

Closer by Patrick Marber Directed by Chanelle Vigue

A writer, a photographer, an enigmatic young woman, and a doctor get caught up in an unusual set of cross-relationships that move across blind dates, internet chat rooms, and high end strip clubs. In Closer, Patrick Marber has created a brilliant exploration into the brutal anatomy of modern romance, where a quartet of strangers meet, fall in love, and become caught up in a web of sexual desire and betrayal. Winner of the 1998 Olivier Award for Best Play and the 1999 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Play. It was later adapted into an Oscar-nominated film with Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Jude Law, and Natalie Portman, directed by Mike Nichols.

"In its cutting contemporary picture of sexual desire and emotional failure, CLOSER is a brilliantly unusual virtual reality that rings true." - NY Observer

Cast Breakdown: 2 Women / 2 Men

ALICE - A girl from the town
DAN - A man from the suburbs LARRY - A man from the city ANNA - A woman from the country Spring 2014

Time Tells: a devised theatre piece

Directed by Heather Falks
Through a series of games and exercises, the Time Tells ensemble will explore ideas of social and cultural significance that will culminate in a scripted performance piece that utilizes theatrical elements relating to time and space. This piece will be developed throughout the season.

Seeking 8 performers to fill the ensemble.

Summer 2014

In addition to our four productions, TheatreLAB is proud to announce the development of two brand new partnerships:

SPECTRUM: a youth outreach program at Richmond Triangle Players
Over an 8-week residency, a group of LGBTQQIA-identified youth will create an evening of theatre based on their own personal stories. Through a series of master classes and workshops, the participants will learn the basics of storytelling and performance, production and playwriting, as well as marketing and promotion, as their original theatre piece comes to life.

The participants will each create their own expository monologue to be performed by another member of the ensemble. The authors of these stories will remain confidential, as they will be randomly assigned to the other performers.

Stay tuned for application information.

ON BOOK!: an interactive new play series at The Shop
Since its inception, TheatreLAB has been extremely passionate about three things in particular: the development of new works, offering opportunities to young and emerging artists, and providing a platform for the artist to communicate with their audience. With these key components in mind, TheatreLAB has partnered with The Shop to create a new kind of staged reading series.

With On Book!, four plays by local playwrights will be selected and partnered with a director and a cast. Throughout the rehearsal process, the playwright will have the opportunity to work closely with their team to further develop their piece, culminating in a staged reading at The Shop. Copies of the script will be made available on TheatreLAB's website (www.theatrelabrva.com) for audience members to read before the performance in order to have a more informed opinion about the piece when offering feedback in a moderated post-show talk-back session. One of the four pieces will then be selected for a full production in TheatreLAB's next season, giving the playwright and the community at large the exciting opportunity to see a new play grow from early draft to first full production.

For those interested in having their work considered for this season, submissions are now being accepted. Please send your latest draft and a cover letter to theatrelabrva@gmail.com with the subject line "On Book!"