A.C.T. to Bring Miles Davis to the Stage in Robert Lepage's NEEDLES AND OPIUM

This spring, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) will present Robert Lepage's internationally acclaimed play, Needles and Opium (March 30-April 23, 2017).

Jazz legend MiLes Davis travels to Europe in 1949 to discover the pleasures of Paris, unlock his creativity, and find his heroine in Juliette Gréco. At the same time, French filmmaker Jean Cocteau embarks on his own opium-fueled journey to New York. Individually, the stories are thrilling and heartbreaking, but what elevates this production is the extraordinary storytelling.

Visionary Canadian director Robert Lepage mounts his set inside a vast cube suspended over the Geary Theater stage, with which he frames interlocking scenes from the different journeys. The result is not only a breathtaking dive into art and exile, but also a spellbinding mix of stagecraft and visual storytelling.

Press night for Needles and Opium will be held on Wednesday, April 5, 2017. Single tickets (ranging from $20-$105) are available at the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or online at www.act-sf.org. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice.

Written and directed by Robert Lepage, Needles and Opium features Olivier Normand as Jean Cocteau and Wellesley Robertson III as MiLes Davis. Both actors have performed these roles previously to critical acclaim.

Says Perloff: "One of my goals for A.C.T.'s 50th anniversary has been to bring some of the great theater masters. Robert Lepage is such a master, a visionary director who has created magical universes that have enchanted audiences worldwide. Needles and Opium follows such astonishing A.C.T. works as No Exit, The Overcoat, Brief Encounter, and The Black Rider, introducing our audiences to the best of international theater. Even better, it features the life of jazz great MiLes Davis, which we think will resonate in this jazz-loving city."

Produced by Ex Machina, the creative team for Needles and Opium includes Normand Bissonnette (Director Assistant), Bruno Matte (Lighting Designer), François St-Aubin (Costume Designer), Carl Fillion (Set Designer), Claudia Gendreau (Props Designer), Lionel Arnould (Images Designer) and Jean-Sébastien Côté (Composer and Sound Designer).

In connection with Needles and Opium, A.C.T. will offer numerous InterACT events-many of which are presented free of charge-that will give patrons opportunities to get closer to the action while having an entire night out at the theater. Visit act-sf.org/interact to learn more about subscribing to these events throughout the season:

• Bike to the Theater Night:
Thursday, March 30, 7 p.m.
Providing a greener alternative to theater transportation, A.C.T. and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition offer free valet bike parking, as well as a special discount on tickets, for these select performances.

• Prologue:
Tuesday, April 4, 5:30 p.m.
Before the curtain goes up, get a sneak peek at the artistic process at this fascinating preshow discussion with the director and artistic staff.

• PlayTime:
Saturday, April 8, 12:45 p.m.
Before this matinee performance, get hands-on with the artists who make it happen at this interactive theater workshop.

• Audience Exchanges:
Sunday, April 9, 2 p.m. | Tuesday, April 11, 7 p.m. | Wednesday, April 19, 2 p.m.
After the show, stick around for a lively Q&A session with the actors and artists who create the work onstage.

• OUT with A.C.T.:
Wednesday, April 12, following the 8 p.m. performance
The best LGBT night in town! Mingle with the cast and enjoy free drinks and treats at this popular after-party.

• Theater on the Couch:
Friday, April 14, following the 8 p.m. performance
Led by Dr. Mason Turner, chief of psychiatry at San Francisco's Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, this exciting postshow discussion series addresses audience questions and explores the minds, motives, and behavior of the characters.

• Wente Vineyards Wine Series:
Tuesday, April 18, 7 p.m.
Before the show, raise a glass at this wine-tasting event featuring the Bay Area's hottest local winery. For this production of Needles and Opium, Ex Machina is in coproduction with Théâtre du Trident, Québec; Canadian Stage, Toronto; Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, Montréal; Adelaide Festival; New Zealand Festival; Le Grand T, théâtre de Loire-Atlantique; Les Quinconces-L'espal, scène conventionnée, théâtres du Mans; Célestins, Théâtre de Lyon; Le Volcan, Scène nationale du Havre; Festival de Otoño a Primavera, Madrid; NAC English Theatre with le Théâtre français du CNA and the Magnetic North Theatre Festival; Setagaya Public Theatre, Tokyo; LG Arts Center, Seoul; and the Barbican, London.

Up next, legendary director Peter Brook is back with Battlefield (April 26-May 21, 2017). A.C.T. will close out its 2016-17 season with the critically acclaimed musical, A Night with Janis Joplin (June 7-July 2, 2017), in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the legendary Summer of Love in San Francisco.

Pictured: Wellesley Robertson III as MiLes Davis in Robert Lepage's Needles and Opium.
Photo by Nicola Frank Vachon.