Will Eno's MIDDLETOWN Plays ACT, Now thru 9/29

ACT Theatre has announced the Seattle premiere of Will Eno's whimsical and poetic comedy drama, Middletown. In his contemporary take on Thornton Wilder's classic Our Town, Will Eno (2012 PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award) digs acutely into American life, bringing the deeply human journeys of neighbor and stranger together in an "Everytown USA." Eno's critically acclaimed new play explores how the imponderable mysteries of the universe reveal themselves through the apparently everyday lives and relationships of ordinary people in an ordinary place.

ACT will stage this metaphysical and epic new play with a ten person cast of Seattle's finest talent and with a set designed by Stranger Genius Award Winner Jennifer Zeyl and directed by John Langs (The Seagull, A Christmas Carol, The Pinter Festival).

ACT's new Associate Artistic Director John Langs says of Middletown, "Some plays look to drill deep to get at the heart of an issue or a relationship, but other plays look up to the stars to ponder the meaning of it all, Middletown is definitely the latter." Langs, who has garnered a reputation for masterfully handling large works is a natural fit to direct Eno's most powerful and profound work to date. "This play is about the poetry of everyday life, and I'm thrilled to have a chance to bring that to the stage."

Cast:

Aaron Blakely THE ASTRONAUT/LANDSCAPER/VARIOUS

Matthew Floyd Miller THE COP

Renata Friedman THE TOUR GUIDE/SWEETHEART

Sarah Harlett THE FEMALE TOURIST/VARIOUS

Sarina Hart DOCTOR/VARIOUS

Marianne Owen THE LIBRARIAN

ERic Reidmann JOHN DODGE

Ray Tagavilla THE MECHANIC

Alex Tavares MARY SWANSON

R. Hamilton Wright THE PUBLIC SPEAKER/DOCTOR/VARIOUS

Creative Team:

John Langs - Director

Jennifer Zeyl - Scenic Design

Rose Peterson - Costume Design

Ben Zamora - Lighting Design

Brendan Patrick Hogan - Sound Design

JR Welden - Stage Manager

Middletown Mainstage Performances:
Friday, August 30, 8:00pm
Saturday, August 31, 8:00pm
Sunday, September 1, 7:30pm
Tuesday, September 3, 7:30pm (Behind The Scenes)
Wednesday, September 4, 7:30pm

Thursday, September 5, 7:30pm - OPENING NIGHT
Friday, September 6, 8:00pm
Saturday, September 7, 2:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday, September 8, 2:00pm and 7:00pm
Tuesday, September 10, 7:30pm (Post-show discussion)
Wednesday, September 11, 7:30pm
Thursday, September 12, 2:00pm and 7:30pm

Friday, September 13, 8:00pm
Saturday, September 14, 8:00pm
Sunday, September 15, 2:00pm and 7:00pm (Post-matinee discussion)
Tuesday, September 17, 7:30pm
Wednesday, September 18, 7:30pm
Thursday, September 19, 7:30pm
Friday, September 20, 8:00pm
Saturday, September 21, 2:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday, September 22, 2:00pm and 7:00pm (Post-show discussion after 7:00pm performance)
Wednesday, September 25, 7:30 pm
Thursday, September 26, 7:30pm
Friday, September 27, 8:00pm
Saturday, September 28, 2:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday, September 29, 2:00pm - Closing Performance

Special Event: "What is our Middletown?" September 8, 4:00pm

As Middletown reflects the themes of the classic American play, Our Town, ACT aims to reflect on the Seattle side of the conversation. Join artists, academics and fellow audience members to investigate "our" human interactions and social norms. Features actors reading excerpts from Middletown andOur Town and moderated by community organizer, Zaki Abdelhamid.

Located in the heart of downtown Seattle and serving a population of curious, open-minded, and brave audiences, ACT - A Contemporary Theatre is the only theatre in Seattle dedicated to producing contemporary work with promising playwrights and local performing artists since 1965. A theatre of new ideas, ACT serves as a cultural engine that makes plays, dance, music, and film that touch us through its annual Mainstage play series and Central Heating Lab program. Because contemporary life demands examination, ACT is driven to inspire and strengthen our diverse community through works that advance our understanding of human life. With more than 120,000 people who attend shows annually, ACT is an interactive community where artists and the public witness, contemplate, and engage in dialogue on today's thought-provoking issues, ideas and art, presented with intelligence, insight, and humor.

ACT - A Contemporary Theatre Mainstage Production of MIDDLETOWN will play The Falls Theatre, 700 Union Street, Downtown Seattle. Previews begin August 30. Press Opening Sept. 5 and ends Sept. 29, shows Tuesday-Sunday. Tickets: Adults: Single Tickets start at $41; Discounts available: Seniors, Students, Under 25, PWYC daily. Middletown is included on the monthlyACTPass Membership. Now on sale (206) 292-7676 or www.acttheatre.org.