FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Cindy Moran, Public Relations Director, 414-224-1761 October 6, 2006 A REMARKABLE JOURNEY TO GRACE AND REDEMPTION Directed by Timothy Douglas Made possible in part by the generous support of: Quadracci Powerhouse Theater The first episode of August Wilson’s epic cycle of African-American life in the 20th century, this critically-acclaimed play is filled with memorable characters, gentle humor and soulful poetry. Tickets can be purchased in person at The Rep Ticket Office at 108 East Wells Street, or by telephone at 414-224-9490. Tickets can also be purchased online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com. Set in 1904 in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, GEM OF THE OCEAN tells the story of a young black man, Citizen Barlow, who escapes the hostility of the South to the black boroughs of Pittsburgh. Tension boils in the town as its population grows impatient with the poor working conditions of the town mill and overpriced lodging. Local constable Caesar makes the situation more volatile by ruling with an iron fist. Citizen seeks guidance from the wise old Aunt Ester who is rumored to possess magical powers. “They say you can wash people’s souls,” he tells her, begging her to relieve him of the guilt and shame of his past. Aunt Ester invites him to live with her, and he becomes part of a makeshift family composed of Aunt Ester, her cleaning woman, Black Mary, her gate keeper, Eli, and friends, Solly Two Kings and Rutherford Selig. Citizen is promised a journey to the mystical City of Bones to earn his redemption. But more important is the journey these characters take to find the meaning of freedom in an environment eager to keep the shackles locked. GEM OF THE OCEAN takes the audience on a journey toward reckoning with one’s self while exploring the concepts of truth, freedom and justice. Playwright August Wilson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, PA. Wilson was bi-racial, identifying more with his African heritage, which led him to drop his German last name of Kittel and adopt his mother’s name of Wilson. Getting exposed to the blues led him to the realization that the history and culture of African Americans took their roots from an oral, rather than a written tradition. It was then that Wilson decided to become a writer. He co-created the Centre Avenue Poets Theater Workshop in Pittsburgh, and co-founded Pittsburgh’s Black Horizons Theater in 1969, with the intent of promoting black self awareness. Wilson claimed his major aspiration was to tell the story of the African-American experience for each decade of the 20th century. He accomplished this through his cycle of ten plays which includes JITNEY, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE, FENCES, THE PIANO LESSON, TWO TRAINS RUNNING, SEVEN GUITARS, KING HEDLEY II, GEM OF THE OCEAN and RADIO GOLF. Because of his work, Wilson earned himself a Tony Award, Olivier Award, two Pulitzer Prizes, five New Play Awards/Citations from the American Theatre Critics Association and seven New York Drama Critics Circle Awards. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award. Timothy Douglas, a highly respected director and former Rep actor, will be returning to The Rep to direct GEM OF THE OCEAN. Mr. Douglas has directed many productions, notably the Yale Repertory Theatre’s world premiere of August Wilson’s RADIO GOLF. He also directed a new translation/adaptation of Ibsen’s ROSMERHOLM Off-Broadway. Mr. Douglas was the Associate Artistic Director at Actors Theatre of Louisville from 2001 – 2004 and during that time, he directed productions of A.M. SUNDAY, ALL MY SONS, ‘ART,’ BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY, CRIMES OF THE HEART, FENCES, JITNEY, THE LIVELY LAD and THE PIANO LESSON. Other directing credits include: Guthrie Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Portland Center Stage, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Downstage Theatre in New Zealand , Pittsburgh Public Theater, City Theatre, Syracuse Stage and Utah Shakespearean Festival. Mr. Douglas received his B.F.A. from Marymount Manhattan College and his M.F.A. from Yale School of Drama. In a recent interview Douglas explains that, “August gives voice to the multilayered and deeply felt stories of historically disenfranchised black American men and women. He provides a context for the challenges of existing within the dominant American culture, without ever wallowing in a diatribe about the ‘white man.’ Instead, all of his characters are written as warriors who always ultimately triumph on their own terms. Sometimes the results are tragic, but the characters always come by their revelations honestly. A discerning theatergoer will certainly recognize that these are uniquely African-American stories, but because they are portrayed with such personal integrity, Wilson’s stories and characters do not allow themselves to be defined at the level of race only . . . they transcend to communicate the ultimate in the revealing of the human condition.” Included in the cast of GEM OF THE OCEAN are Resident Acting Company Members: Lanise Antoine Shelley (Black Mary) and Peter Silbert (Rutherford Selig). Also included in the cast are: Stephanie Berry (Aunt Ester Tyler); Doug Brown (Eli); Ernest Perry, Jr. (Solly Two Kings); Shane Taylor (Citizen Barlow); and Ray Anthony Thomas (Caesar Wilks). (To learn more about our Resident Acting Company, Guest Actors, or our Intern Company, please visit milwaukeerep.com). The production/design team for GEM OF THE OCEAN includes: Tony Cisek (Scenic Designer); Michael Gilliam (Lighting Designer); Junghyun Georgia Lee (Costume Designer); Vincent Olivieri (Sound Designer and Original Music); Richelle Harrington Calin (Stage Manager); Amanda Weener (Assistant Stage Manager); and Margo Gray (Assistant Director). Tickets to GEM OF THE OCEAN range in price from $7.50 to $52.50. Students and senior citizens may purchase half-price RUSH TICKETS with proper identification 60 minutes before curtain time for all Quadracci Powerhouse performances at The Rep Ticket Office. For more info rmation or to charge tickets, call 414-224-9490. Tickets can be purchased online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com. For group sales of 20 or more, call The Rep Ticket Office at 414-224-9490. Open to the public before and after all evening performances, Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s newly-remodeled Stackner Cabaret, located on the second floor of the Milwaukee Center, is our own full-service bar and restaurant. Featuring delicious dinners, as well as late night cocktails, coffee, and desserts, the Cabaret is the ideal meeting place for patrons attending Rep performances. For dinner reservations, call 414-224-9490. Special Events for GEM OF THE OCEAN
For more information about The Rep’s Access Services, please contact The Rep’s Ticket Office at 414-224-9490. A REMARKABLE JOURNEY TO GRACE AND REDEMPTION Directed by Timothy Douglas FACT SHEET THEATER: Quadracci Powerhouse Theater DATES: October 18, 2006 – November 19, 2006 DESCRIPTION: Seeking refuge from his past, a young man finds comfort in the company of a magical old woman whose wisdom guides him on a remarkable journey to grace and redemption. The first episode of August Wilson’s epic cycle of African-American life in the 20th century, this critically acclaimed play is filled with memorable characters, gentle humor and soulful poetry. PERFORMANCES: Tuesday 10/24/06 - 7:30 p.m. Pay-What-You-Can Tuesday 10/31/06 - 7:30 p.m. Tuesday 11/7/06 - 7:30 p.m. Early Bird Tuesday 11/14/06 - 7:30 p.m. Audio Description TICKET OFFICE LOCATION: TICKET PRICES: TICKETS/INFORMATION: 414-224-9490 or buy tickets online at milwaukeerep.com NEW TICKET OFFICE HOURS: ### Open to the public before and after all evening performances, Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s newly-remodeled Stackner Cabaret, located on the second floor of the Milwaukee Center, is our own full-service bar and restaurant. Featuring delicious dinners, as well as late night cocktails, coffee, and desserts, the Cabaret is the ideal meeting place for patrons attending Rep performances. For dinner reservations, call 414-224-9490. The Stackner Cabaret is now smoke-free. Milwaukee Repertory Theater is a nationally recognized theater company that presents a critically-acclaimed selection of compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works and lively Cabaret shows on three stages from September through May. The Rep also produces an annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. The Rep’s home, the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex, contains the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, the Stiemke Theater and the Stackner Cabaret. The Rep is also “home” to a Resident Acting Company of 11 actors who perform with The Rep throughout the season. The Rep is proud to be a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), which provides major annual financial support. The Rep is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a management association of some of the nation’s largest non-profit professional theaters that collectively bargains with the unions that represent the actors, directors and designers that work at The Rep; a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the nonprofit professional theater; and a member of Theatre Wisconsin, the statewide association of non-profit professional theaters. This theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. The set, costume and lighting designers are members of United Scenic Artists, a national labor union. This theater is an equal opportunity employer. Except in plays where race itself is an issue, casting is decided based on ability, not race. Milwaukee Repertory Theater |
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