FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Cindy Moran, Public Relations Director, 414-224-1761 April 4, 2006 A PULSE-QUICKENING ADVENTURE Quadracci Powerhouse Theater Danger lurks behind every corner as the master detective embarks on his greatest challenge yet with the notorious villain, Professor Moriarty. Written by Steven Dietz and based on the original play by William Gillette and Arthur Conan Doyle, this treasured classic brings Holmes’ adventures to life in a chilling mystery of treachery, passion and suspense. 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. The Rep . . . See it LIVE! Holmes’ final escapade kicks off when some small-time criminals quickly become entangled with some big-time crooks and an intricate network of London crime. As the case begins to unfold, Holmes uses his deductive genius only to discover that he may be the next victim. His trusty sidekick, Watson warns him not to tread into dangerous waters but Holmes presses on, determined to solve the ultimate case. He soon finds himself thrown off course by the alluring opera diva, Irene Adler, who puts her unwavering faith in Holmes. As the plot thickens Watson finds himself caught in the middle to save his friend. Audiences will be left on the edge of their seats wondering if Holmes can survive not only his final adventure but also the misgivings of his heart. The immense popularity of this celebrated classic is due to the talents and expertise possessed by the character of Sherlock Holmes. Named after Oliver Wendell Holmes and an English cricketer, Sherlock Holmes is an expert singlestick player, boxer and swordsman. He plays the violin and has a vast knowledge of sensational literature, chemistry and botany. Holmes is also said to have an IQ of 190 and, of course, a keen eye for ordinary details that can unlock a world of cunning secrets. Steven Dietz is an American playwright who was born in 1958 in Denver, Colorado. He is the author of over 25 plays and adaptations performed at more than 100 regional theaters across the country as well as off-Broadway. He is one of the most produced playwrights in the United States. His work has been produced around the world, from England and France to Japan, Argentina and South Africa, just to name a few. Some of his most memorable plays include: STILL LIFE WITH IRIS (1997), which won the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays award; LONELY PLANET (1992), which won the PEN U.S.A. Award in drama; and GOD’S COUNTRY (1988), which was nominated for a Tony Award. Some of Dietz’s other plays include OVER THE MOON (2003), PRIVATE EYES (1996) and BROTHERS AND SISTERS (1982). Dietz is a member playwright and resident director at the Playwright’s Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Milwaukee Repertory Theater has produced many of his plays including; INVENTING VAN GOGH (2002/03), DRACULA (1999/00), PARAGON SPRINGS (1999/00), ROCKET MAN (1998/99), PRIVATE EYES (1997/98) and SILENCE (1995/96). Steven Dietz recently commented on what it’s like to adapt such a classic and familiar piece of literature. “This world is so rich, so varied, so wonderfully complex and contradictory, that it makes for a very thrilling dramatic palette to work from. . . . It’s my avid hope that I have done justice to Mr. Conan Doyle and his legion of admirers.” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 – 1930) was born in Scotland and studied medicine at Edinburgh Medical School. One of his professors at the university, Dr. Joseph Bell, later became the model for Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Doyle was a physician in the Boer War and later opened his own practice, but wrote in his free time. Doyle’s third attempt at a novel was in 1887 with A Study in Scarlet, where Sherlock Holmes was born. The Holmes’ novels were so successful that Doyle was able to give up his medical practice and write full time. He wrote four novels and 56 short stories featuring his creation. Doyle also wrote several historic novels in his life including, Micah Clarke (1888), The White Company (1890), Rodney Stone (1896) and Sir Nigel (1906). In 1897 Doyle wrote a five-act play of Holmes and sold it to an American theatrical Agent, Harold Frohman, who suggested the play needed work. Doyle agreed to have it rewritten and to have it star William Gillette (one of Frohman’s clients). Gillette finished the play and showed up in London in full costume. Doyle was impressed by Gillette and the two became longtime friends. In 1889 the play opened in Buffalo, New York and was a hit. In the next few years it was performed all over Europe and in 1902 the King and Queen of England attended. Gillette became famous for his portrayal of Holmes along with a young man named Charles Chaplin who played the role of Billy, the pageboy. Gillette continued to perform the play throughout his life, having performed the role over 1,300 times on stage. Even when he toured with other plays, audiences demanded he include a showing of SHERLOCK HOLMES. In 1916 he made a silent movie version at the age of 63. The Rep’s Artistic Director, Joseph Hanreddy, will be directing SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE. He has been the Artistic Director at The Rep since 1993. Under his direction, The Rep has premiered several new works and adaptations of literature by leading American dramatists. He has also established one of the country’s finest acting ensembles and initiated innovative collaborations with leading international theater companies. Joseph has directed many plays at The Rep including SUEÑO, THE CRUCIBLE, YES. NO. (MAYBE SO . . . ), TWELFTH NIGHT, LOVE’S LABOR’S LOST, MARY STUART, THE SEAGULL, THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, AN IDEAL HUSBAND, ENGAGED, ARCADIA, FORCE OF NATURE and ESCAPE FROM HAPPINESS. He has also appeared as an actor in The Rep’s productions OF MICE AND MEN, A SKULL IN CONNEMARA and Edward Albee’s THE GOAT OR, WHO IS SYLVIA? Included in the cast of SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE are Resident Acting Company Members Mark Corkins (King of Bohemia), Lee E. Ernst (Sherlock Holmes), Laura Gordon (Madge Larrabee), Torry Hanson (Dr. Watson), James Pickering (Moriarty), Peter Silbert (Sid Prince/ Clergyman/Policeman) and Deborah Staples (Irene Adler). Also included in the cast is Reese Madigan (James Larrabee). (To learn more about our Resident Acting Company, Guest Actors or our Artistic Intern Company, please visit milwaukeerep.com.) The production/design team for SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE includes Sandy Ernst and Judy Berdan (Associate Directors), Robin Stapley (Scenic Designer), Helen Q. Huang (Costume Designer), Dawn Chiang (Lighting Designer), Barry G. Funderburg (Composer & Sound Designer), Paul Kosidowski (Production Dramaturg), Joseph Buberger, Jr. (Stage Manager), Whitney Frazier (Assistant Stage Manager), Amanda Weener (Stage Manager Associate), Lauren Shepard and Brian Cichocki (Assistant Directors). Tickets to SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE range in price from $7.50 to $50.00. Students and senior citizens may purchase half-price RUSH TICKETS with proper identification 30 minutes Special Events for SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE
For more information about The Rep’s Access Services, please contact The Rep’s Ticket Office at 414-224-9490. A PULSE-QUICKENING ADVENTURE FACT SHEET THEATER: Quadracci Powerhouse Theater DESCRIPTION: Who will test the master detective with the greatest challenge of his career: Professor Moriarty and his intricate network of London crime, or Irene Adler, the beautiful opera diva who has captured his heart? It’s elementary, my dear Watson! In this pulse-quickening new play by Rep favorite Steven Dietz, passion and intellect collide, and the most insignificant clue can unlock the deepest secrets of the mind and heart. PERFORMANCES: Tuesday 4/18/06 7:30 p.m. – Pay-What-You-Can Tuesday 4/25/06 7:30 p.m. Tuesday 5/2/06 6:30 p.m. – Early Bird Tuesday 5/9/06 7:30 p.m. – Audio-Described 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 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. 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, accommodates 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 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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