Pittsburgh Public Theater Presents Circle Mirror Transformation 3/3-4/3

Pittsburgh Public Theater welcomes spring with Circle Mirror Transformation, winner of the 2010 Obie Award for Best New American Play. Its author is 29-year-old Annie Baker, acclaimed by many as the freshest new voice in theater today. Directed by Jesse Berger, Artistic Director of the Red Bull Theater in New York, Circle Mirror Transformation runs March 3 - April 3, 2011 at the O'Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater's home in the heart of Downtown's Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit www.ppt.org. Circle Mirror Transformation is presented by LANXESS.

Circle Mirror Transformation follows a six-week Creative Drama class held in a Vermont community center. The instructor is Marty (Bridget Connors), who balances on a yoga ball as she teaches role-play exercises and theater games. The students include Schultz (Daniel Krell), a newly divorced carpenter; Theresa (Daina Michelle Griffith), who tried making it as an actor in New York but has recently returned to her hometown; Lauren (Lauren Blumenfeld), a sullen teenager; and Marty's husband, James (John Shepard). Through short scenes, spare dialogue, and physical comedy we get to know the group members, whose revelations are both hilarious and touching. Ben Brantley in The New York Times described Baker as a seriously gifted young playwright and said she has, "as natural an ear for how people really talk - and shut up - as any American playwright in recent years."

The design team for Circle Mirror Transformation is David M. Barber (Scenic & Costumes), Don Darnutzer (Lighting), and Zach Moore (Sound). Fred Noel is the Production Stage Manager and Adrienne Wells is the Assistant Stage Manager.

About the Playwright

Annie Baker grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her full-length plays include Body Awareness (Atlantic Theater Company), Circle Mirror Transformation (Playwrights Horizons), The Aliens (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), and Nocturama. Recent honors include a New York Drama Critics Circle Special Citation, a Time Warner Storytelling Fellowship, a MacDowell Fellowship, and commissions from Center Theatre Group and Playwrights Horizons. She received her MFA from Mac Wellman's playwriting program at Brooklyn College.

Pittsburgh Public Theater Presents

What: Circle Mirror Transformation
When: March 3 through April 3, 2011
Performance Schedule
Tues. through Sat. at 8 pm (except Tues., March 29 when the show is at 7 pm).
Sat. at 2 pm (except March 5 & 12).
There will be an additional 2 pm matinee on Thurs., March 31.
Sun. at 2 & 7 pm.
Press Night is Thurs. March 10. Opening Night is Fri. March 11.
Ticket Prices: $30.75 to $55.75. $15.75 for students and age 26 and younger.
For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit www.ppt.org

 

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