Leavitt & Block Honored At Intiman Theater's 2009 Gala 6/20

Intiman Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Bartlett Sher and Managing Director Brian Colburn, announces that outgoing Board President Susan J. Leavitt and William H. Block, a former Intiman Trustee and Director of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County, will be honored for their outstanding contributions to Intiman at the 2009 Gala.

"Sue and Bill are active supporters of Intiman and exceptional advocates for social justice in our region, working tirelessly to better the lives of people who are ill and homeless," says Colburn. "As our country struggles in this difficult economic climate, Sue and Bill embody Intiman's belief that the arts sustain us, and that the sharing of great stories matters more than ever in times of crisis. We are thrilled to honor them for their work on behalf of our community and our Theatre."

Intiman also announces new casting information for its 2009 season. Ato Essandoh will play Othello in Artistic Director Bartlett Sher's production, running July 2-August 2. Essandoh previously appeared at Intiman in the 2006 production of Native Son as Bigger Thomas, a performance that Terry Teachout of the Wall Street Journal praised as "one of the finest pieces of acting I've seen this season." Adapted from Richard Wright's novel and directed by Kent Gash, Native Son had its world premiere at Intiman as part of the American Cycle series.

Herb Gardner's comedy A Thousand Clowns, running May 15-June 17, will feature Matthew Boston (who played Otto Frank in Intiman's 2008 production of The Diary of Anne Frank) as Murray and Nick Robinson (Jem in the 2007 American Cycle production of To Kill a Mockingbird) as Nick. The cast also features Bradford Farwell, Timothy Hyland, Julie Jesneck and David Pichette. Sari Ketter, who made her Intiman debut with The Diary of Anne Frank, directs.

Intiman's 2009 season launches on March 29 with Crime and Punishment, directed by Intiman Associate Director Sheila Daniels and featuring Hana Lass, Todd Jefferson Moore and Galen Joseph Osier. The press opening is April 3 and the production, adapted by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus from the novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, runs through May 3.

Season subscriptions and single tickets for the 2009 season are on sale now from 206.269.1900 or www.intiman.org. Single tickets range from $40-$55, tickets for patrons 25 and under are $10 for all performances, and discounts are available for seniors and groups. A limited number of rush tickets are available 15 minutes before curtain subject to availability.

Intiman Theatre

Intiman Theatre was founded in 1972 to provide its patrons with intimate, consistently high-quality experiences of classical drama and modern masterpieces. Today, guided by the vision of Artistic Director Bartlett Sher and Managing Director Brian Colburn, Intiman is one of the preeminent theaters in the country. We produce classics and new plays created by artists who make their homes in Seattle and artists from across the country, recognized masters of their craft and exciting new voices. We curate our seasons to create a "ladder" for our audiences: each show is part of an active progression of stories and themes. Our audiences come to us because they love the combination of intimate performances and big ideas that they find on our stage. Our education and community programs include the statewide Living History program, the American Cycle Rough Eagles youth collaboration, the Front Porch Theater series of dramatic readings, and facilitated conversations in our lobby and, beyond our own doors, throughout our region. Intiman is dedicated to creating opportunities for our entire community to engage in dialogue, cultivate curiosity and value our interconnectedness. Intiman has received many honors including the 2006 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.

Intiman Theatre gratefully acknowledges the following major donors for their institutional support: The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Ameriprise Financial, ArtsFund, The Boeing Company, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, John Graham Foundation, Hafer Family Foundation, Intiman Theatre Foundation, Kreielsheimer Remainder Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Microsoft Corporation, Nesholm Family Foundation, The Norcliffe Foundation, PONCHO, Safeco Insurance, The Shubert Foundation, The Seattle Foundation, U.S. Bancorp Foundation, and WaMu. Additional funding is received from Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, City of Seattle; 4Culture; Metropolitan King County Council, National Endowment for the Arts and Washington State Arts Commission.

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