Round House Theatre Continues 2017-2018 Season With Athol Fugard's 'MASTER HAROLD' ...AND THE BOYS

Round House Theatre continues its 2017-2018 Season with Athol Fugard's "Master Harold"... and the Boys, directed by Artistic Director Ryan Rilette. "Master Harold"... and the Boys runs from April 11 - May 6, 2018. Press night is Monday, April 16, 2018. Please see below for complete program details and ticket information.

In "Master Harold"... and the Boys, Hally meets his two friends Sam and Willie at his mother's teashop in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. While the three enjoy spending time together and reminiscing about their friendship, their relationship would seem strange to anyone looking in on the scene- Hally is a white preparatory student and Sam and Willie are both black, and the adult employees of the teashop. Their playful afternoon, filled with ballroom dancing and witty intellectual challenges, turns sour when Hally receives a phone call informing him that his abusive and alcoholic father will be leaving the hospital and returning home. While Hally is none-too-pleased to hear of his father's return, Sam cautions him not to speak too harshly of his father and, when his power is called into play, Hally leans into his own privilege as a white person and risks his relationship with his true father-figure. Filled with moments of humor and levity, "Master Harold"... and the Boys paints a portrait of a relationship that seems pure and genuine being torn apart by racism.

Artistic Director Ryan Rilette returns to direct his second production of the 2017-2018 Season. "At the heart of Master Harold is the push and pull of joy and guilt, teacher and student, and seeing a possibility beyond the world you're living in. What excites me about this play is how deeply autobiographical it is. In this moment, we see what allowed Fugard to become Fugard. And with the phenomenal cast, we'll be able to tap into the vulnerability required to bring this story to life."

The cast features Nick Fruit as Hally, Craig Wallace as Sam, and Ro Boddie as Willie. The artistic team includes Scenic Designer Meghan Raham, Lighting Designer Autum Casey, Costume Designer Ntokozo Fuzunina Kunene, and Sound Designer Palmer Hefferan.

Tickets may be purchased by calling 240.644.1100, ordering online at RoundHouseTheatre.org, or in person at the box office. Round House Theatre is located at 4545 East-West Highway, one block from Wisconsin Avenue and the Bethesda station on Metro's Red Line.

Athol Fugard (Playwright) started working in the late 1950's with a group of actors in Johannesburg, including Zakes Mokae, who were influenced by Strasberg´s method acting. Fugard wrote his first play No Good Friday, which was performed in The Rehearsal Room. In the early 1960´s Fugard returned to Port Elizabeth and worked with The Serpent Players. Fugard's attacks on Apartheid brought him into direct conflict with the South African government. After his play Blood Knot (1961) was produced in England, the government withdrew his passport for four years. His support in 1962 of an international boycott against the South African practice of segregating theatre audiences led to further restrictions. The restrictions were relaxed somewhat in 1971, when he was allowed to travel to England to direct his play Boesman and Lena (1969). A Lesson from Aloes won the 1980 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award. Master Harold . . . and the Boys (1982) premiered at the Yale Repertory Theatre and then was taken to Broadway. Fugard has appeared as an actor in several international films, including "Meetings with Remarkable Men" (1979), "Ghandi" (1982), and "The Killing Fields" (1984).

Ryan Rilette (Director) is in his sixth season as Artistic Director of Round House, where he has directed The Book of Will; Angels in America: Perestroika; The Night Alive; Fool for Love; This; and How to Write a New Book for the Bible, and acted in Uncle Vanya. Next season, he will direct Small Mouth Sounds and Oslo. During his tenure at Round House, the theater has increased its operating revenue by 66%; earned 49 Helen Hayes Award nominations; and produced the highest-attended, highest-grossing season in its history and the top-three best-selling shows in its history. In addition to his work at Round House, Rilette has directed the numerous world and regional premieres at theatres throughout the country. As an actor, he has been seen in a handful of forgettable made-for-tv movies, an award-winning miniseries, in a film opposite Tommy Lee Jones, and at numerous theaters across the country, including last season's Three Sisters and No Sisters at Studio Theatre. Prior to joining Round House, Rilette served as Producing Director of Marin Theatre Company for five seasons and Producing Artistic Director of Southern Rep Theatre for six seasons. He is also the co-founder of New York's Rude Mechanicals Theater Company, where he served as Artistic Director for three seasons, and is the former President of the National New Play Network. He proudly serves on the boards of Theatre Washington and Maryland Citizens for the Arts.

Nick Fruit (Hally) Round House Theatre: debut. Regional- Iron Crow Theatre: Cloud Nine (Joshua/Gerry); The Rocky Horror Show (Brad); The Zero Hour (Doug); The Wild Party (Ensemble); Chesapeake Shakespeare Company: Romeo and Juliet (Peter, Romeo u/s); Cumberland Summer Theatre: Yankee Tavern (Adam); The Collaborative: Alice in Wonderland (Caterpillar/White Knight); Baltimore Shakespeare Factory: Love's Labour's Lost (King Ferdinand). Education- BFA: Towson University (Acting).

Craig Wallace (Sam) is excited to return to Round House Theatre for this production. Craig's past performances at Round House include Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3); Stage Kiss; Permanent Collection; and The Little Prince. Local credits include performances at Ford's Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Folger Theatre and others. Regionally, Craig has been on stages all over the country including Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and Shakespeare Santa Cruz.

Ro Boddie (Willie) is pleased to be making his debut at Round House Theatre. Other DC credits include Three Sisters, No Sisters and Dirts at Studio Theatre; Seven Guitars at No Rules Theatre; Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at Centerstage; and Angels in America at Forum Theatre. Regional credits include Skeleton Crew at Old Globe (tour); The Mountaintop at Cleveland Playhouse; Blueprints to Freedom at La Jolla Playhouse; The Whipping Man at Milwaukee Rep; and Stupid f-ing Bird at Cygnet Theatre. TV credits include "The Good Wife"; "Person of Interest"; and "Elementary". Ro is recipient of The Craig Noel Award for Actor of the Year 2017 and an Alum of University of the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 240.644.1100, ordering online at RoundHouseTheatre.org, or visiting the box office. Available ticket discounts include:

· Free Play - free tickets for all High School students throughout the DC- Metro area: Round House wants to make attending our shows an integral part of a Montgomery County education. With Free Play, all High School students throughout the DC-Metro area can reserve a free ticket to the performance of their choice during the 2017-2018 Season. For details and information, visit RoundHouseTheatre.org/Free-Play or call 240.644.1100.

· Pay-What-You-Can performances: Wednesday, April 11 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, April 14 at 2 pm. PWYC tickets go on sale in person at the box office one hour prior to curtain. Cash and exact change only. Limit of 2 tickets per order. PWYC tickets are subject to availability.

· Age 30 & Under, Senior Citizens, Military, and Veterans: Patrons under 30, seniors over the age of 65, and active duty military personnel and veterans qualify for a $10 discount off the single ticket price. Single Ticket fees apply. Discounts can be redeemed in person at the box office, or by calling 240.644.1100.

· $10 Tuesday: For our Tuesday, April 24 and May 1 performances, all Section B seats are available at the discounted price of $10. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office, online, or by calling 240.644.1100, while supplies last.

· Group Sales: Groups of 10 or more can save 10% off the single ticket price and are exempt from single ticket fees. These tickets must be reserved and purchased in advance by calling 240.644.1100 or emailing groupsales@roundhousetheatre.org.

ABOUT ROUND HOUSE THEATRE

Round House Theatre is one of the leading professional theatres in the Washington, D.C. area, producing a season of new plays, modern classics, and musicals for more than 40,000 patrons each year at our theatre in Bethesda. Round House has been nominated for more than 181 Helen Hayes Awards and has won over 32, including four Outstanding Resident Play Awards and the Charles MacArthur Award for Original New Play in 2016. Round House's lifelong learning and education programs serve over 4,000 students each year at its Education Center in Silver Spring and in schools throughout Montgomery County. Cornerstone programs include Play It Forward, which provides free tickets for teens and college school students, the year-round Teen Performance Company, which culminates in the student-produced Sarah Metzger Memorial Play, Summer Camp for students in grades K-12, and a full slate of classes for Adults & Youth.