SWEAT Comes to Pear Theatre

Blue collar rage and the shifting of America's self-image are at the heart of Lynn Nottage's "Sweat," opening at Pear Theatre in October. Directed by Caroline Clark, "Sweat" previews on October 17, with press and Opening Night on Friday, October 18, followed by a champagne gala. The show runs Thursdays through Sundays through November 10. All performances are held at the Pear Theatre, 1110 La Avenida St., Mountain View. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.thepear.org or calling (650) 254-1148.

"I became really interested in the way which economic stagnation and inequality were shifting the American narrative," said playwright Nottage of this play and its development. "I knew that the revolution that I wanted to explore was the de-industrial revolution, and the way in which the loss of industrial base changed how Americans thought of themselves."

"Sweat," winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, tells of a group of steel workers in Berks County, Pennsylvania. They have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a desperate fight to stay afloat. Nottage spent two years interviewing workers in the town of Reading, Pennsylvania to create this play about the collision of race, class, family, and friendship; and the tragic, unintended costs of community without opportunity.

Director Caroline Clark has helmed such Pear Theatre productions as In The Next Room, or, the Vibrator Play; Kimberly Akimbo; Uncanny Valley; The Walls of Jericho; and Sojourn, as well as local productions of The Hood of Sherwood (Silicon Valley Shakespeare), Dustin Lance Black's 8: The Play, and The Vagina Monologues (The Empty Space). These plays have received a total of four Theatre Bay Area recommendations and two San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle awards. Acting credits include Susan in [title of show] at Los Altos Stage Company; BoBug in Geeks VS Zombies at Pear Theatre; and Holly in Next Fall and Prudence in Beyond Therapy at The Empty Space.

"Sweat" features Alicia Stamps as Cynthia, Kristin Brownstone as Tracey, Kristin Walter as Jessie, Jonathan Covey as Jason, Devin Cunningham as Chris, Tom Gough as Stan, Fred Pitts as Brucie, Armando Torres as Oscar, and James Glass as Evan. The design and crew team includes Stage Manager Chrissie Schwanhausser; Assistant Stage Manager Ellen Schwartz; Set Designer Kevin Davies; Costume Designer Kathleen Qiu; Lighting Designer Meghan Souther; and Fight Choreographer Carla Pantoja.

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 cutting-edge plays. Now in its eighteenth 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. This exciting move allows The Pear to continue its tradition of intimate theatre while taking on new challenges and opportunities. In August 2017, Betsy Kruse Craig took the helm as the new Artistic Director, instituting several new programs and expanding the range of the theater's offerings. In January 2020, Kruse Craig will be stepping down from that role, which will be filled by a candidate selected by the Board of Directors.