Photo Flash: Rebel and Misfits Productions Presents THE REALISTIC JONESES

REBEL AND MISFITS PRODUCTIONS production of "The Realistic Joneses" by award-winning Will Eno is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. This production, directed by Edward M. Coffield, is the St. Louis premiere of arguably the best work yet from one of America's most clever and perceptive playwrights of the past decade. The event runs for three weeks, Thursday through Sunday, through August 12th at the New Jewish Theatre.

In "The Realistic Joneses," Eno connects two suburban couples who have so much more in common than their identical homes and their shared last names. As their relationships begin to irrevocably intertwine, the Joneses must decide between their idyllic fantasies and their imperfect realities and, ultimately, confront mortality. Eno explains, "It's a story about people doing what people do - you drive around and get groceries, and you do all this in the valley of the shadow of death. Really, you're just getting groceries. But really, you're also in the valley of the shadow of death."

The dynamic quartet features real-life married couple Alan Knoll and Laurie McConnell as Bob and Jennifer Jones, and Isaiah Di Lorenzo and Kelly Hummert as John and Pony Jones. Director Coffield and Producer Kelly Hummert are working closely with Eno on the first non-traditional staging of his work. Eno plans to be in St. Louis to attend a performance.

The creative design team is comprised of local powerhouses Peter and Margery Spack (Set Design), Jon Ontiveros (Lighting Design), Ellie Schwetye (Sound Design), Alycia Martin (Stage Manager), and Jerran Kowalski (Board Operation).

Hummert, who is also the Artistic Director of REBEL AND MISFITS, has been creating immersive theatrical experiences for St. Louis audiences since 2016. Utilizing diverse and unusual locations, their productions invite audiences to enjoy a new, daring way to experience theatre. This production will be a slightly more traditional presentation but will still invoke REBEL AND MISFITS' unique influence on the Drama Desk-winning play. Hummert describes her decision to creatively shift gears on this project, "I chose to take a break from the Immersive format because when you have an opportunity to debut a Will Eno play, you DO it. Will's play has always been on my list of shows that MUST be done, and it felt like a perfect time to pursue it. "The Realistic Joneses" has a hyper-realism aspect to it that demands a different approach, and it serves the play better to treat it as an environmental piece rather than an immersive one. Will is a special writer - he lands somewhere between Albee and Beckett, yet is uniquely himself. We have a similar approach to storytelling in the sense that we both appreciate both the emptiness and the richness of a singular moment. Nothing is precious, however nothing is not nothing. You have to want to invest in the moment. We rely on our audience's desire to take part in the work to get the most out of it. And they are richly rewarded for the effort."

"The Realistic Joneses" was originally produced at Yale Repertory Theater and opened on Broadway at The Lyceum Theatre in 2014 with a star-studded cast featuring Tracy Letts, Toni Collette, Michael C. Hall, and Marisa Tomei, and directed by Sam Gold.

"I was lucky enough to see Will's play at Yale Rep and at The Lyceum. I was blown away by its relevance and Will's ability to maintain his signature quirkiness about a very serious thing we all deal with," Hummert explains. "Mortality is an odd thing. It is forever looming, yet catches us off guard and in unexpected ways. It's deeply funny yet profound in its approach to the characters and the way they choose to confront it, or, for others, run from it. It's arguably his best play, and it fits brilliantly within our main goal, which is to leave the audience looking out of a different lens than the one they came in with."

Hummert's enthusiasm for this play can be summed up by Charles Isherwood of The New York Times, "...plays as funny and moving, as wonderful and weird as "The Realistic Joneses," by Will Eno, do not appear often on Broadway. Or ever, really. You're as likely to see a tumbleweed lolloping across 42nd Street as you are to see something as daring as Mr. Eno's meditation on the confounding business of being alive (or not) sprouting where only repurposed movies, plays by dead people and blaring musicals tend to thrive. Mr. Eno's voice may be the most singular of his generation, but it's humane, literate and slyly hilarious...He also burrows into the heart of his characters to reveal the core of their humanity: the fear and loneliness and unspoken love that mostly remains hidden beneath the surface as we plug away at life, come what may."

Tickets for "The Realistic Joneses" are on sale through Metrotix and at the theatre day of show. Admission is $45 with a discounted price of $40 for college students with a valid student ID. This play is suggested for ages 18 and over. Showtimes are Thursday through Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. More information is available at rebelandmisfitsproductions.com.

Photo Credit: Eric Woolsey

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