ACT to Stage World Premiere of BLOOMSDAY

ACT - A Contemporary Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of Bloomsday by Steven Dietz. Set against the backdrop of James Joyce's masterwork, Ulysses, an American man searches for the Irish woman who first captured his heart 30 years earlier while leading a "Bloomsday" walking tour in Dublin. We meet the couple at different points of their lives, as their younger and present selves. Told with humor, wit and heartache, this buoyant and moving new play commissioned by ACT brings the power and importance of living in the present to the light.

Bloomsday references June 16, 1904, the day in Joyce's novel Ulysses when the central characters in the novel, Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus, peregrinate through Dublin and briefly encounter one another. The geography of Dublin is factually rendered in the novel. Joyce had friends walk and time the routes of his characters in his effort to structure a backbone of durable reality into the book. Some of the establishments visited in the book still exist, and are stops on Joyce tours in Dublin today. And this sort of tour sets the scene of the play.

Bloomsday marks Dietz's 11th mainstage production at ACT since arriving in Seattle in 1988. Six have been world premieres, three of which are ACT commissions. Producing Bloomsday during its 50th season is a celebration of ACT's commitment to new play production and to the collaboration between Artistic Director Kurt Beattie and Mr. Dietz. Bloomsday was commissioned through ACT's New Works for the American Stage program supported in part by five couples and was part of the 2014 Icicle Creek New Play Festival.

ACT has assembled a stellar cast of actors for this world premiere. Sydney Andrews, who appeared in ACT's production of Christopher Durang's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, will be playing the role of Caithleen. Eric Ankrim, who recently appeared in ACT's collaboration with The 5th Avenue Theatre for Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris will be playing the role of Robbie. Seattle's critically acclaimed Peter Crook, who played Ebenezer Scrooge in ACT's production of A Christmas Carol last year, is playing Robert. Recently seen as Big Mama in ACT's sizzling production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, the always superb Marianne Owen will round out the cast as Cait.

Cast:

Sydney Andrews as Caithleen

Eric Ankrim as Robbie

Peter Crook as Robert

Marianne Owen as Cait

Creative Team:

Kurt Beattie - Director

Robert Dahlstrom - Scenic Designer

Cathy Hunt - Costume Designer

Duane Schuler - Lighting Designer

Chris Walker - Sound Designer

JR Welden - Stage Manager

Ruth Eitemiller - Production Assistant

The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are Members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.