San Jose Stage to Present SEX WITH STRANGERS in October

San Jose Stage Company has announced the cast and creative team for the first production of its 40th Anniversary 2022-23 Season, Sex with Strangers by Laura Eason. Directed by Johnny Moreno, Sex with Strangers will run from October 12 - 30, 2022 at San Jose Stage Company (490 South 1st Street, San Jose, CA, 95113). The press opening will take place on Saturday, October 15th at 8:00 p.m. Tickets range from $34 - $74 and can be purchased through the Box Office at (408) 283-7142 or online at www.thestage.org. For more information, visit www.thestage.org.

San Jose Stage Company's previously scheduled production of The Play That Goes Wrong (originally set to perform September 21 - October 16, 2022) will now serve as the 2022-2023 season finale. The production will run June 7 - July 2, 2023.

How far will you go to get what you want? Will you be the same person if you do? When star sex blogger and memoirist Ethan tracks down his idol, the gifted but obscure novelist Olivia, he finds they both crave what the other possesses. As attraction turns to sex, and they inch closer to getting what they want, both must confront the dark side of ambition and the near impossibility of reinventing oneself when the past is only a click away.

"Sex with Strangers exhibits wit, humor, power, and nuance," says Randall King, Artistic Director. "The play navigates existence in our current and ever-evolving digital world; a social media-filtered existence displaying who we are (or appear to be). Is intimacy still achievable if our private selves differ so greatly from our internet selves? Laura Eason's play accentuates the defibrillation of our disconnect and connection in society - ethically, generationally, and physically. After we endured the isolation of the pandemic, how apropos to open our 40th Season with a play that delves into technological communications and its necessity for our survival. Through Laura Eason's lens, our blurry internet existence is snapped into focus."

"For 40 years, The Stage has delighted San Jose audiences with thought-provoking and daring theater," says Johnny Moreno, Director. "I am thrilled to be a part of the company's 40th Anniversary Season directing Laura Eason's Sex with Strangers, a compelling story about two strangers negotiating passion, identity, and the powerful influence of social media today."

The cast of Sex with Strangers will feature Allison F. Rich* as "Olivia Lago" and Matthew Kropschot as "Ethan Kane."

In addition to Johnny Moreno, the creative team includes Jean Cardinale (Costume Designer), Maurice Vercoutere (Lighting/Scenic Designer), Steve Schoenbeck (Sound Designer), Jenn Trampenau (Props Coordinator), and Justin Travis Buchs* (Stage Manager).

*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.

ABOUT MILESTONE: THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

San Jose Stage Company's 40th Anniversary 2022-23 Season: MILESTONE will continue with the World Premiere adaptation of Meet John Doe (November 23 - December 18, 2022; Press Opening: November 26, 2022), the World Premiere presented in collaboration with African-American Shakespeare Company of Strange Courtesies (February 1 - 26, 2023; Press Opening: February 4, 2023), the Regional Premiere of Grand Horizons (April 5 - 30, 2023; Press Opening: April 8, 2023), and the Award-Winning Comedy The Play That Goes Wrong (June 7 - July 2, 2023; Press Opening: June 10, 2023).

All programming and scheduling is subject to change.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.thestage.org.

ABOUT Laura Eason

Laura Eason is an Emmy-nominated producer, screenwriter and playwright.

She is currently an executive producer and showrunner of Showtime's forthcoming new drama series Three Women, an adaptation of the blockbuster nonfiction bestseller by Lisa Taddeo, starring Shailene Woodley, Betty Gilpin, DeWanda Wise and Gabrielle Creevy.

Her writing and producing credits for TV include the Showtime / Blumhouse drama The Loudest Voice (WGA nomination, adapted long form; Golden Globe nomination, limited series) and four seasons of Netflix's five-time Emmy-nominated best drama series House of Cards (Emmy and WGA nominations, drama series.) Laura's feature film debut, Here and Now, produced by and starring Sarah Jessica Parker, premiered at Tribeca Film Festival (then titled Blue Night) and is available on demand. Past and present TV development includes pilot scripts for Amazon, Apple, BBC, Starz, Fox 21 and Fox Network.

An award-winning playwright, her more than twenty produced plays and adaptations include Sex with Strangers which began at Steppenwolf in Chicago before playing Second Stage in NYC (NYT Critic's pick.) The play was one of the most produced in the U.S. with international productions in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Finland, Greece, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Turkey. Her adaptation of Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days began under her direction in Chicago (seven Jeff Award nominations including Best Production and Best Adaptation) and went onto subsequent productions in London and eighteen other UK cities before transferring to the New Victory Theatre in NYC (NYT Critic's pick.) Her plays are published by Nick Hern Books, Overlook Press, DPS & Broadway Play Publishing.

She served as Artistic Director of Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago (2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award) and is still a proud ensemble member, having worked as a writer, director, actor and/or producer on more than twenty productions to date.

ABOUT SAN JOSE STAGE COMPANY

Through powerful, provocative and profound theatre, San Jose Stage Company (The Stage) seeks to expand community, forge creative partnerships and challenge individuals in order to illuminate the human condition.

San Jose Stage Company is recognized as the South Bay's leading professional theatre company, having earned a reputation for artistic excellence through imaginative and edgy theatrical experiences that spark ideas and dialogue with the audience. The Stage is dedicated to the presentation and development of new works, with a concentration on American literature scripted by modern playwrights that speak to the conditions, hopes and fears of humanity. With the farthest seat in the house no more than 15 feet from the three-quarter thrust stage, the connection between actor and audience is profoundly visceral.

The Stage is a multi-award-winning theatre company, including the 2018 Paine Knickerbocker Award for continued contributions to Bay Area theatre from the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. The Stage has produced over 185 productions, including 19 world premieres and 50 new works and is ranked as the 2nd largest professional theatre and 8th largest performance arts organization in Silicon Valley (Silicon Valley Business Journal).

Attracting over 30,000 patrons to downtown and employing more than 150 local artists annually, San Jose Stage Company continues to be a vital force in the region's economic and creative landscape.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for performances in San Jose Stage Company's 2022-2023 Season may be purchased online at www.thestage.org.

COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES

To continue our safe return to in-person performances at The Stage, we have updated our Covid-19 Safety Policies in accordance with guidelines provided by the State of California and Santa Clara County:

• Vaccination checks will no longer be required of patrons before entering the theatre.
• Masking is strongly encouraged but no longer required for all patrons and staff while inside the theatre and lobby area.
• San Jose Stage Company remains a fully vaccinated company, i.e., artists, staff, and crew are vaccinated.
• Concessions will be permitted in the theatre and lobby area.
• We have upgraded our air filters and increased air flow in the theatre.
• Hand sanitizer stations will be provided throughout the theatre and lobby area.
• Performers will not be masked.
• All tickets will be e-tickets for touchless check-in.
• Digital playbills will be available by QR code and website link. Physical playbills can be provided upon request.
• Patrons will not be allowed to wait for performers in the lobby after the show, but are welcome to wait in the courtyard.
• The theatre, backstage, and lobby areas will be sanitized after each performance.

The Stage is constantly monitoring state and county guidelines and these policies may change and evolve over time. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining safety at The Stage. These policies and procedures are in place to keep our doors open for live performances. If you have any questions or concerns regarding our policies, please contact us via email at boxoffice@thestage.org.

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