FAIRFIELD Announced At Pear Theatre In 2021

Pear Theatre meets 2021 - a year for change - with Fairfield, Eric Coble's hilarious and somewhat uneasy contemporary comedy. Just in time for Black History Month, Fairfield will be co-directed by Aldo Billingslea and Pear Theatre Artistic Director Sinjin Jones.

The show will be presented as a pre-recorded online video, as well as other formats as permitted, beginning January 21. Tickets ($30-37) and information are available by visiting www.thepear.org/season-19 or by calling (650) 254-1148.

Fairfield Elementary is a progressive integrated school in a progressive integrated community where Black History Month goes horribly wrong. One bad role-playing exercise by an over-eager 1st grade teacher and suddenly black and white parents, principals, superintendents, and teachers are fighting for their educational lives, just hoping to reach the "CelebrEthnic Potluck" on February 28th in one piece.

Fairfield is a razor-sharp, insightful comedy from Cleveland playwright Eric Coble that examines the personal bias inherent in discerning appropriate from inappropriate. The Cleveland Plain Dealer called it "an absolute scream," noting how "the crowd howled at the dexterity and audacity of Coble's jewel of a script." BroadwayWorld asserted, "Fairfield' is absolutely not to be missed... the script is a laugh riot." "Piercing and insightful social commentary," declared Scene Magazine; "a wickedly witty comedy of manners mixed with slapstick farce."

Aldo Billingslea is well known in Bay Area theatre circles as an actor (both stage and screen) and director, as well as being the founder of The Juneteenth Theatre Justice Project - to center Black theatre artists and new voices, address systemic racism in the theatre industry, and help raise much-needed funds in support of Black Theaters around the country. He is a professor of Theater at Santa Clara University where he teaches courses in performance and performance studies, including seminars on August Wilson and American Theater from the Black Perspective. Billingslea became SCU's inaugural Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and served as the Vice President of the 100 Black Men of Silicon Valley.

Sinjin Jones came to Pear Theatre one year ago, bringing a broad range of artistic experience including directing, performing, choreography, arts education, creative writing, devised and immersive theatres, photography, lighting design, sound design, and stage management. As a queer artist of color, he has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion both on and off the stage. He received an Honorable Mention for the 2019 Tonys Excellence in Education Award. Jones holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, Film, and Video Production from University of Colorado Denver, and a Master of the Fine Arts in Creative Writing: Fiction and Scriptwriting from Regis University.

The cast for Fairfield includes Cheri L. Miller as Angela Wadley, Annalisa Tkacheff as Laurie Kaminski, Jennifer D. Bradford as Vanessa Stubbs, Terrance Smith as Daniel Stubbs, Janine Saunders Evans as Molly Flemmingsen, Robert Sean Campbell as Scott Flemmingsen, and Keith C. Marshall as Mr. Snyder. U. Jonathan Toppo serves as fight coordinator, Stephanie Johnson provides lighting design, Kevin Davies designs the set and props, and Naomi Arnst provides costumes, and Kelly Weber Barraza stage manages.

In addition to the production itself, these shows will also offer 'Backstage Pass' digital materials such as interviews, behind-the-scenes glimpses, live digital talk-backs, and other opportunities for patrons to connect to one another and to the artists involved.

Pear Theatre began as the Pear Avenue Theatre in June 2002, under the leadership of Artistic Director Diane Tasca, by a group of theatre artists who believe that audiences are eager for plays that challenge as well as delight and move them. Pear Theatre produces intimate theatre by passionate artists, whether classic works or musical revues or cutting-edge plays. Now in its nineteenth season, the Pear attracts theatre artists and audience from all over the Bay Area for its award-winning and high-quality productions; and its ongoing commitment to excellence was recognized by the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle with the Paine Knickerbocker Award, an annual special award for a Bay Area company contributing to the high quality of theatre in the region.

Pear Theatre moved in 2015 from its original 40-seat warehouse space to a new, state-of-the-art black box theatre close by, with capacity of 75-99 seats depending on the configuration of the production. After two years of growth under Artistic Director Betsy Kruse Craig, Pear Theatre is currently completing its first year under the leadership of its third Artistic Director, Sinjin Jones.

For information or tickets, visit www.thepear.org or call (650) 254-1148.