Continuing its 2013-14 season, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) travels to 1940s Italy with A.C.T. favorite Marco Barricelli (former Artistic Director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz; Vigil at A.C.T.) and Canada's Stratford Festival star Seana McKenna (Phedre at A.C.T.), who return to lead the cast of Napoli!, Beatrice Basso and Linda Alper's vivid new translation of Eduardo De Filippo's poignant Italian comedy. During the chaotic days of World War II in Naples, an enterprising woman sets up a small-time black market business in the middle of her home to keep her family afloat. She prospers, but maybe a bit too much-compelling her husband to ask hard questions about morality, civility, and the state of their society. In a war-torn culture in which coffee is like liquid gold, De Filippo's masterful blend of humor and pathos tells the story of an unforgettable and wildly entertaining family determined to make a living even if it means profiteering. Directed by A.C.T. Associate Artistic Director Mark Rucker, this production culminates the Year of Italian Culture in the United States. Napoli! runs February 12-March 9, 2014 at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Press night is Wednesday, February 19, 2014. Tickets ($20 -$120) are on sale now and may be purchased online at act-sf.org or by calling 415.749.2228.
'The Board of Directors of Shakespeare Santa Cruz was deeply saddened by the decision of the University of California, Santa Cruz to terminate SSC. We are incredibly grateful to UCSC for 32 years of partnership. We know the University is as proud of that relationship and our mutual achievements and contributions as we are, despite the fact that the goals, methods, accounting systems, needs and priorities of a professional producing theater and a public university often differ. The fact that we could complement each other's missions and aspirations for as long as we have, through good times and bad, is really the story that needs to be told.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Carey Perloff announced today two additional productions for the company's 47th subscription season: Glen Berger's acclaimed solo drama, Underneath the Lintel, starring Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee David Strathairn, and Beatrice Basso and Linda Alper's new translation of Eduardo De Filippo's poignant Italian comedy, Napoli!, featuring A.C.T. favorites Marco Barricelli and Stratford Festival star Seana McKenna. These two productions join the previously announced 1776, A Christmas Carol, Major Barbara, Venus in Fur, and The Orphan of Zhao. The final production for the 2013-14 season will be announced at a later date.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Conservatory Director Melissa Smith previously announced that honorary master of fine arts degrees would be conferred on acclaimed actress and comedian Mary Birdsong and California Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Conservatory Director Melissa Smith announced today that honorary master of fine arts degrees will be conferred on acclaimed actress and comedian Mary Birdsong and California Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone.
Closing the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum 2011 season will be the wickedly funny 'Vigil,' a dark comedy written and directed by Morris Panych and featuring Marco Barricelli and Academy Award-winner Olympia Dukakis, November 2 through December 18. The opening is set for November 6.
With the title Vigil what should one expect? And its graphic with Olympia Dukakis framed by the parameters of a coffin? Death, most assuredly. But will it be funny? Vigil... Waiting For Godot comes to mind. Well, if it weren't for its two actors cavorting and acting silly, that play's tediousness might turn its audience to stone. As it turns out, Vigil's first act goes on and on as well... with Grace (Olympia Dukakis) saying nothing and Kemp (Marco Barricelli) waiting super impatiently for her to die. He's her nephew and hasn't seen her for thirty years. He's come back to care for her unwillingly at her request, and he's left his job with no money and is very unhappy. Once he starts talking about himself, we learn that he has always been unhappy... since childhood. He considers life stupid and pointless. What doesn't appear negative to him? As he looks from Grace's loft apartment window, he sees a crippled man with a wooden leg and makes fun of his zest for living, as he hops along. Sad fellow, this Kemp. As in most black comedies, there's a normal situation which somehow turns abnormal and very, very sour. If it's already sour, than more so. Events, usually queer, occur, as if out of the blue, that provoke tremendous over-the-top laughs. Being a black comedy, Vigil is no exception. It's dark humor is infectious, but as playwright Panych questions how long Kemp will last, he puts his audience at the mercy of this whole scenario as well, and that does create some painstaking anxiety. Will she die? Or more agonizingly when will she say something? Vigil is not an easy pill to digest.
Closing the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum 2011 season is the wickedly funny 'Vigil,' a dark comedy written and directed by Morris Panych and featuring Marco Barricelli and Academy Award-winner Olympia Dukakis, through December 18. Check out photos from opening night below!
Closing the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum 2011 season will be the wickedly funny 'Vigil,' a dark comedy written and directed by Morris Panych and featuring Marco Barricelli and Academy Award-winner Olympia Dukakis, November 2 through December 18. The opening is set for November 6.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Carey Perloff announced that A.C.T. core acting company member Gregory Wallace has accepted a much-coveted tenured associate professor of acting position at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and will step down from his position at A.C.T.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Carey Perloff announced that A.C.T. core acting company member Gregory Wallace has accepted a much-coveted tenured associate professor of acting position at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and will step down from his position at A.C.T.
A.C.T. Conservatory Director Melissa Smith announced today that honorary master of fine arts degrees will be conferred on longtime A.C.T. artistic family member Marco Barricelli and Senator Mark Leno, D-San Francisco.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announced the schedule for "Pursuing Pinter," an event celebrating the life and work of Harold Pinter in discussion and performance, which will take place on March 20, 2011, following the 2 p.m. performance of A.C.T.'s revival of The Homecoming
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announced the schedule for "Pursuing Pinter," an event celebrating the life and work of Harold Pinter in discussion and performance, which will take place on March 20, 2011, following the 2 p.m. performance of A.C.T.'s revival of The Homecoming
Shakespeare Santa Cruz announced today that the Company's managing director, Marcus Cato, will retire after twenty five years of service to the company.
The American Conservatory Theater Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Program presents Anton Chekhov's masterpiece The Three Sisters, translated by Carol Rocamora and directed by Shakespeare Santa Cruz Artistic Director Marco Barricelli, a longtime member of the A.C.T. artistic family. Barricelli was a core acting company member at A.C.T. for more than a decade and most recently received favorable notices for his appearance in last season's Vigil at A.C.T. alongside Olympia Dukakis. One of Chekhov's most popular and accessible plays, The Three Sisters explores the decay of Russia's privileged class in the haunting story of the Prozorov family. Trapped in a small provincial town with few prospects, the sisters dream of returning to urban Moscow. Along with facilitating smaller class sizes, the appointment of a full-time faculty, and extended opportunities for financial aid, the new curriculum of the three-year A.C.T. M.F.A. Program (launched last season with the incoming class of 2012) creates opportunities for collaboration among the three classes in their education and performance; The Three Sisters features members of the A.C.T. M.F.A. Program classes of 2011 and 2012. The Three Sisters runs October 13-23, 2010, at Hastings Studio Theater (77 Geary Street, San Francisco). Tickets are $10 and are available at www.act-sf.org or by calling the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228. Press is welcome to attend the production, but reviews are not allowed for The Three Sisters.
The American Conservatory Theater Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Program presents Anton Chekhov's masterpiece The Three Sisters, translated by Carol Rocamora and directed by Shakespeare Santa Cruz Artistic Director Marco Barricelli, a longtime member of the A.C.T. artistic family. Barricelli was a core acting company member at A.C.T. for more than a decade and most recently received favorable notices for his appearance in last season's Vigil at A.C.T. alongside Olympia Dukakis. One of Chekhov's most popular and accessible plays, The Three Sisters explores the decay of Russia's privileged class in the haunting story of the Prozorov family. Trapped in a small provincial town with few prospects, the sisters dream of returning to urban Moscow. Along with facilitating smaller class sizes, the appointment of a full-time faculty, and extended opportunities for financial aid, the new curriculum of the three-year A.C.T. M.F.A. Program (launched last season with the incoming class of 2012) creates opportunities for collaboration among the three classes in their education and performance; The Three Sisters features members of the A.C.T. M.F.A. Program classes of 2011 and 2012. The Three Sisters runs October 13-23, 2010, at Hastings Studio Theater (77 Geary Street, San Francisco). Tickets are $10 and are available at www.act-sf.org or by calling the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228. Press is welcome to attend the production, but reviews are not allowed for The Three Sisters.
The 2011 Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum season was announced today by Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. Stellar actors such as Jane Fonda, John Lithgow and Olympia Dukakis will be featured in plays by Moisés Kaufman, John Lithgow and Morris Panych, respectively, plus works by Lanford Wilson and Theresa Rebeck will be presented in the Taper's 44th season at the Los Angeles Music Center.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) will end the return of three acclaimed artists to its stage: Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis (Steel Magnolias, A.C.T.'s Hecuba) and beloved Bay Area veteran actor Marco Barricelli's return to A.C.T. in a delightfully mordant comedy written and directed by Morris Panych (A.C.T.'s The Overcoat) on April 18th.
