Tony Award winner and American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon announced the full cast and creative team for the scorching world premiere of Kate Attwell's Testmatch, a contrast of two time-traveling stories focusing on cricket, a game of strict rules and hidden violence.
In the first story, tensions in the locker room rise during a match between rival women's cricket players from England and India, as secrets spill about relationships, influencers, and the integrity of the sport. Then in 1800 (or so), Abhi, the Number One Sepoy of the East India Co., struggles to force two bungling, cheating British administrators-absorbed in setting down the rules of cricket-to focus on the famine they have created outside the compound walls.
Asking hard-hitting questions about colonialism, gender, and power, Testmatch launches an exciting new voice in American theater. Testmatch is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. Testmatch performs at A.C.T.'s Strand Theater (1127 Market St., San Francisco) October 24-December 8, 2019. Press nights for Testmatch will be held on Wednesday, November 6 and Thursday, November 7, 2019. Single tickets (ranging from $15-$110) are available at the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or online at act-sf.org. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice.
Says MacKinnon: "Digging ever more explicitly into A.C.T.'s season theme of "Rules of Play," I am thrilled to be directing this world premiere by Kate Attwell. Using the world's biggest sport, cricket, as a lens, Testmatch is a play for the ages-funny and devastating, smart and fanciful."
Adds Attwell: "I'm so thrilled to have Testmatch premiering at A.C.T. I think many of the particular dynamics of the city are going to be reflected in the play, and the opportunity for art and context to be in dialogue like that is extremely exciting to me. I'm also so happy to be getting the chance to work with
Pam MacKinnon and am already so excited about what she's bringing to the text. Because the play relies on the reality of theater itself, I hope there's lots of room for the director, lots of room for the actors, and ultimately lots of room for the audience in order to make it. I can't wait to dive in with this extraordinary cast of badass women."
Under the direction of MacKinnon-in her Strand Theater debut-Testmatch features (in alphabetical order): Arwen Anderson, Millie Brooks,
Meera Rohit Kumbhani,
Lipica Shah, Avanthika Srinivasan, and
Madeline Wise.
The creative team for Testmatch includes Nina Ball (Scenic Designer),
Beaver Bauer (Costume Designer),
Marie Yokoyama (Lighting Designer), and
Elisheba Ittoop (Sound Designer and Original Music).
In connection with Testmatch, 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.
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