FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Cindy Moran,
Public Relations Director, 414-224-1761
January 21, 2010
In a game of poker, the stakes are highest when
your soul is collateral
THE SEAFARER
By Conor McPherson
Directed by Ben Barnes
| Made possible by the generous
support of: |
 |
Quadracci Powerhouse Theater
Previews: February 9, 10, and 11, 2010 Opens: February
12, 2010 Closes: March 7, 2010
As Sharky and his blind brother settle into their run-down Dublin home for
their traditional whiskey-soaked card game, a mysterious stranger arrives.
They deal him in, but as the stories pour out, Sharky finds himself in a game
of the highest stakes – with his soul as collateral. (Please note: this
production contains adult language.) 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 purchases online 24/7 at milwaukerep.com.
Sharky Harkin stumbles down the stairs of his “grim living area of a house” in
Baldoyle, Ireland. It’s Christmas Eve and Sharkey is startled as his brother,
Richard, awakens from a drunken slumber. Richard, having recently gone blind
and lying in a bed of rags, begins to protest against his brother’s usual
inquiries – “What happened last night? Why couldn’t you make
it up the stairs to bed? Won’t you let me give you a bath? Why are you
such a drunk?”
The sibling drama turns into the usual banter as Ivan, Richard’s drunken
playmate, appears shaky and lost. Having hit the hot whiskey as hard as Richard,
Ivan can’t remember where he placed his glasses. The three men begin to
squabble and it’s soon revealed that Sharky has quit the bottle for a whole
two days and plans to stay sober – despite the badgering he receives from
his brother.
Unbeknownst to Sharky, Richard phones his long-time friend, Nicky, who also happens
to be the current companion of Sharky’s ex-wife Eileen. Much to Sharky’s
dismay, Nicky is invited to the annual Christmas Eve poker game. Nicky arrives
with a well-dressed, seemingly harmless companion, Mr. Lockhart – yet,
looks can be deceiving. Among the carelessly strewn playing cards and empty bottles,
Lockhart soon reveals the true purpose of his visit – Sharky.
The mysterious Mr. Lockhart ups the ante of the card game. The other players
remain oblivious to the high stakes that he’s asking for as Sharky, who
was not having a great game to begin with, sips his 7 Up and carefully calculates
each of his moves. Sharky finds that he’s playing the card game of his
life. The table is strewn with a few hundred euros and empty glasses of poteen.
The last hand is dealt . . . and it looks like it’s going to be a good
game.
Literary Director Kristin Crouch found that “within the
dark and mysterious corners of Celtic myth and history, and under the weight
of his own personal struggles with alcoholism, Playwright Conor McPherson discovered
an inspiration for his play in the transformative power of the faintest ray of
light:
‘There’s this monument in Ireland, not very big, a 5,000-year-old
tomb called Newgrange. It’s got a long tunnel with a little hole in the
middle of it, and on [winter solstice] each year, the sun shines directly down
that chamber and lights it up – on the darkest day of the year. That image
was mind-blowing to me – so simple, spiritual, amazing. I wanted to write
a play that had that moment.’”
When THE SEAFARER made its North-American debut at the Booth Theater in New
York in 2007, The New York Times praised McPherson’s work:“Structured
as a long night’s journey into day, with truly frightening glimpses of
a darkness that stretches into eternity, THE SEAFARER turns out to be a thinking-person’s
alternative to It’s a Wonderful Life as a flagon of Christmas
cheer.”
Playwright Conor McPherson was born in Dublin
on August 6, 1971, is one of the most original and important Irish playwrights
to emerge in the 1990s. Although he grew up in a working-class area, hated
school and didn’t
impress his teachers, McPherson did well on his exams and studied English and
Philosophy at University College Dublin, finishing with a double major at the
age of 20. He went on to do a Masters in Philosophy and taught ethics for two
years. During his time at UCD he began acting, writing and directing for the
theater. McPherson had always been interested in the tradition of storytelling
and he found an outlet for it as a college student, acting and writing in productions.
His early work with the UCD Drama Society includes TAKING STOCK (1989), MICHELLE
PFEIFFER (1990) and SCENES FEDERAL (1991).
In 1992, McPherson and a group of friends set up their own production company,
the Fly By Night Theatre Company in Dublin, which has since made a name for
itself by promoting and staging new and upcoming fringe work. Until 1997, McPherson’s
early work was produced largely by Fly By Night. Among his earlier pieces are
RADIO PLAY – CONCERNING COMMUNICATION (1992), A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW OF
INDUSTRY (1993) and THE STARS LOSE THEIR GLORY (1994), all of which premiered
at The International Bar, a pub in the center of Dublin, which since the late
1980s has hosted a number of new emerging talents in the field of theater and
music.
In 1994, with scripts such as INVENTING FORTUNE’S WHEEL, RUM AND VODKA
and THE GOOD THIEF, McPherson’s promise began to manifest itself more clearly.
THE GOOD THIEF won the Stewart Parker Award in 1994. Like most of his early work,
these plays are mainly characterized by an emphasis on language and storytelling
in general and a tendency towards monologue in particular – a somewhat
unjust criticism often held against many contemporary Irish dramatists. McPherson
validates his use of the monologue form to explore the “shared sense of
narrative” between actor, audience and writer, which distinguishes him
as a playwright.
In 1996 he was writer-in-residence at The Bush Theatre, London, which commissioned
and first produced ST. NICHOLAS. This piece had an extended run Off-Broadway
in 1998 and won McPherson the Meyer Whitworth Award. McPherson’s THE
WEIR, which also had a long run on Broadway, won the Evening Standard Most
Promising Playwright Award and London's prestigious Olivier Award. Milwaukee
Repertory Theater produced THE WEIR in the Stiemke Theater during the 2000/01
season. In 2004, SHINING CITY prompted the London Telegraph to describe
McPherson as "the finest dramatist of his generation. . . ." The
play subsequently opened on Broadway in 2006 and was nominated for two Tony
Awards, including Best Play.
In September 2006, to great critical acclaim, McPherson made his National Theatre
debut as both author and director with THE SEAFARER at the Cottlesloe. McPherson
was nominated for both the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Play.
In October 2007 THE SEAFARER came to Broadway keeping with it most of its creative
team.
The film of his first screenplay, I Went Down, was critically acclaimed
and a great commercial success. His first feature film as a director, Saltwater,
won the CICAE award for Best Film at the Berlin Film Festival. His second feature
film was The Actors, which he both wrote and directed. He is the director
and co-writer of The Eclipse, a film which had its world premiere
at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.
Director Ben Barnes is a frequent visitor to the theaters
in North America and THE SEAFARER is his fifth production for The Rep, the
others being THE CHERRY ORCHARD (2008/09), ENDGAME (2007/08), TRANSLATIONS
(2006/07) and A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY (2005/06). His productions of UNCLE VANYA
by Anton Chekhov and ARISTOCRATS by Brian Friel have been seen at the Lincoln
Center, New York, and his centenary Abbey Theatre production of THE PLAYBOY
OF THE WESTERN by John Synge was performed in New York, Chicago and went on
tour throughout the country. Outside of America, his award-winning work as
a director has been seen in many of the major cities throughout the world including
London, Paris, Budapest, Prague, Moscow, St. Petersberg, Barcelona, Athens,
Sydney, Adelaide, Tokyo, Toronto and Montreal. He is currently the Director
of the Theatre Royal in Waterford, the oldest performing arts venue in Ireland,
where he spearheaded a major capital program of restoration which was completed
in November of last year. He is a former Artistic Director of the Opera Theatre
Company and the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin and from 2000 – 2005 was Artistic Director of the Abbey
Theatre, Ireland’s national theater. He is the author of Plays and
Controversies, the diaries of his period as director of the Abbey which
were published in 2008.
The cast of THE SEAFARER includes Resident Acting Company
Members: Jonathan
Gillard Daly (Nicky), Lee E. Ernst (Sharky) and James
Pickering (Richard).
Guest Actors in this production include: Jonathan Smoots (Mr.
Lockhart) and Chris Tarjan (Ivan).
(To learn more about our Resident Acting Company, Guest Actors or our Intern
Company, please visit milwaukerep.com)
(The Rep’s online publication Prologue Winter
2010 is available now at milwaukeerep.com)
(THE SEAFARER production photos will be posted at milwaukeerep.com/about/photos.htm.)
The Production/Design Team for THE SEAFARER includes: Todd
Rosenthal (Scenic Designer); Rachel Healy (Costume
Designer); Thomas C. Hase (Lighting Designer); Barry
G. Funderburg (Sound Designer); Cecilie O’Reilly (Dialect
Coach); Kristin Crouch (Literary Director); Becky Merold (Stage
Manager); Amanda Weener (Assistant Stage Manager); Kate
Roberts (Stage Management Intern) and Dylan K. Sladky (Assistant
Director).
Tickets for THE SEAFARER range in price from $10 - $60. 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 information or to charge tickets, call 414-224-9490.
Tickets can be purchased online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com.
For group sales of 10 or more, call The Rep Ticket Office at 414-224-9490.
Under 40 Discount
For patrons under the age of 40, select Quadracci Powerhouse Theater tickets
are $15. Proper identification required. Go to therep-entourage.com to
order tickets. (Under 40 tickets are based on availability.)
Special Events for THE SEAFARER
· The Rep in Depth begins 45 minutes before every
performance in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater. This Rep in Depth will be
led by Resident Acting Company Member, Jonathan Gillard Daly.
· On Thursday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday,
February 16 at 6:30 p.m. there will be an Audio-Described Performance
for patrons who are blind or have low vision.
· On Thursday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. there
will be an American Sign Language Interpreted Performance for patrons who are
deaf or have low hearing.
· The Rep Talkbacks will be held after the
7:30 p.m. Thursday performances on February 18, February
25 and March
4. The Rep Talkbacks are offered immediately after select performances
and offer an opportunity for audience members to ask questions about the
play to Rep company members and actors in the production. For more information
on The Rep Talkbacks, please contact the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490 or
refer to The Rep’s Patron Guide.
· Pay-What-You-Can dates for this production are Tuesday, February
9 and Wednesday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. Here is your chance
to experience some of Milwaukee’s best live theater at a price you
can afford. A $5 minimum donation is suggested. Quadracci Powerhouse performances
start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the performance.
There is a limit of 10 tickets per person for the Quadracci Powerhouse
performances. All performances are held in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater
located in the Milwaukee Center at 108 E. Wells Street. For more information
call The Rep’s Ticket Office at 414-224-9490.
· We are excited to again be offering our Director’s
Dialogue Series for the 2009/10 season. The Director’s Dialogue
Series is your chance to get behind the scenes and meet the director of our
productions. Hear what you have to say about their process, learn more about
the play, and get a chance to ask then any questions you may have about a
professional production. The series will feature THE SEAFARER on Thursday,
February 11, 2010 at 6 p.m. and will be lead by Ben Barnes.
Tickets are only $25. Please check out our website at milwaukeerep.com/support/events.htm for the most current information or contact our Development Events Manager,
Becca Kitelinger at 414-290-5347 or rkitelinger@milwaukeerep.com.
· Come join the InterContinental for a special pre-show
matinee luncheon before The Rep’s performance of THE SEAFARER on Wednesday,
February 24 and March 3. Managing Director
Dawn Helsing Wolter will be the guest speaker on Wednesday,
February 24. The inclusive lunch buffet is from 11:45 to 1:15
p.m. and costs $15 (includes tax and gratuity). To make your reservation,
please call Meghan Deutsch at 414-905-1200 or e-mail
her at meghandeutsch@marcuscorp.com.
In a game of poker, the stakes are highest when your soul is
collateral
THE SEAFARER
By Conor McPherson
Directed by Ben Barnes
| Made possible by the
generous support of: |
|
FACT SHEET
THEATER: Quadracci Powerhouse
Theater
DATES: February 9 – March 7,
2010
DESCRIPTION: As Sharky and his blind
brother settle into their run-down Dublin home for their traditional whiskey-soaked
card game, a mysterious stranger arrives. They deal him in, but as the stories
pour out, Sharky finds himself in a game of the highest stakes – with
his soul as collateral.
PERFORMANCES:
Tuesday, 2/9/10 - 7:30 p.m. - Preview/Pay-What-You-Can
Wednesday, 2/10/10 - 7:30 p.m. - Preview/Pay-What-You-Can
Thursday, 2/11/10 - 7:30 p.m. - Preview/Audio-Description
Friday, 2/12/10 - 8:00 p.m. - Open
Saturday, 2/13/10 – 4:00/8:00 p.m.
Sunday 2/14/10 - 2:00/7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 2/16/10 - 6:30 p.m. – Early Bird/Audio-Description
Wednesday, 2/17/10 - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, 2/18/10 - 7:30 p.m.
Friday, 2/19/10 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, 2/20/10 - 4:00/8:00 p.m.
Sunday, 2/21/10 - 2:00/7:00 - 2:00/Smoke-Free
Wednesday, 2/24/10 - 1:30/7:30 p.m. – 1:30 Bus Matinee
Thursday, 2/25/10 - 7:30 p.m.
Friday, 2/26/10 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, 2/27/10 - 4:00/8:00 p.m.
Sunday, 2/28/10 - 2:00/7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, 3/3/10 - 1:30/7:30 p.m.
Thursday, 3/4/10 - 7:30 p.m. - American Sign Language
Friday, 3/5/10 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, 3/6/10 - 4:00/8:00 p.m.
Sunday, 3/7/10 - 2:00/7:00 p.m. - Close
TICKET PRICES:
PREVIEWS: $10.00 - $40.00
WEEKDAY/SUNDAY: $10.00 - $45.00
FRIDAY/SATURDAY: $10.00 - $60.00
TICKETS/INFORMATION: 414-224-9490
or buy tickets online at milwaukeerep.com
TICKET OFFICE LOCATION: 108 East Wells Street in Milwaukee’s
Downtown Theater District
TICKET OFFICE HOURS: Mon - Fri, 12 pm - 6 pm on phones,
12 pm - curtain for window
Sat/Sun 12 pm - 6 pm on phones, 12 pm - curtain for window
###
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 10 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. Through
community support of the United Performing Arts Fund, UPAF
Member and Affiliate Groups are able to provide education
and outreach to over 400,000 children, provide over 2,000
live performances and reach over 1,000,000 people every year.
When everyone supports the arts through UPAF, they help our
local economy, improving education and strengthening outreach
programs to the disabled and elderly – all while adding
culture to their own life. Support of UPAF is critical to
UPAF Member Groups’ ability
to continue to offer exceptional live performances, award-winning
education and outreach programming and substantial economic
impact to our region. To learn more about UPAF or to donate,
go to www.upaf.org.
The Rep is supported in part by a grant
from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the state of
Wisconsin. 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
Patty & Jay Baker Theatre Complex
108 E Wells St Milwaukee, WI 53202
Ticket Office: 414-224-9490 Ticket Office Fax: 225-5490
Administrative: 414-224-1761 Fax: 414-224-9097
milwaukeerep.com |
