Asolo Repertory Theatre Presents
The United States Premiere of
THE BLONDE, THE BRUNETTE,
AND THE VENGEFUL REDHEAD
Opens Friday, January 11, 2008 @ 8:00 PM
Sarasota, Florida (December 17, 2007) – Asolo Repertory Theatre presents the United States premiere of The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead a hit new play by Australian playwright Robert Hewett. The play first performed in Sydney, Australia in 2004, and since has played in Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Canada to rave reviews.
Asolo Rep’s production of The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead is directed by Melissa Kievman who was recently featured in American Theatre Magazine as one of today’s hottest new young directing talents. It stars guest Broadway actress Sharon Scruggs, who promises an unforgettable one-woman tour-de-force performance in her Asolo Rep debut.
“I’m so thrilled to be working on this piece,” says Scruggs. “It truly feels like a once-in-a-career sort of opportunity. The characters I’m playing are marvelously colorful, so deeply human, so vividly drawn by this playwright, and the situations he places them in are so dramatic – that I feel as if it’s an ‘acting banquet’ that’s been spread before me and I can barely wait to dig in. Sharing this piece with an audience is such a joy!”
Hewett says he wrote the play in response to a friend who was complaining about the lack of work available for a mature actress. His anonymous friend liked the script, but she lacked the funding to produce the play. Instead it was another actress and director Jennifer Hagan who put the play on themselves at SBW Stables Theatre in Sydney.
According to Hewett, Jennifer Hagan described the script as Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa film where the story is told from different vantage points) meets Alan Bennett. And Hewett says, “That’s pretty good company to be keeping.”
"The play is about the nature of truth — how people perceive it — and obligation and blame. Those sorts of things," Hewett says, "But I don't want to make it sound too heavy.”
The story is presented as a series of seven individual monologues by characters that were affected by the actions of Rhonda Russell, the first character in the play. The structure reveals theatrical surprises, as more and more of the story is uncovered in something like a whodunit style.
But as Hewett explains it is not all drama and mystery. “I always prefer to make sure there is a lot of laughter. The rest will take care of itself.”
For tickets ($22-$54) to this Asolo Repertory Theatre production in the Historic Asolo Theater at the Ringling Museum, call the Asolo Rep Box Office at 941-351-8000, or toll-free at 800-361-8388. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.asolo.org
More about the Play: This one woman tour de force performance explores multiple perspectives on love, adultery, anger, greed, peace, and the power of forgiveness. Humor and pathos are discovered as the play’s central event and its consequences are revealed by various characters. The audience is forced to question if there is such a thing as absolute truth or whether everything they think they know as fact is really just a matter of perception.
About the Director: This is Melissa Kievman’sfirst time working with Asolo Rep. Recent directing credits include Kate Robin’s Anon at the Atlantic Theater Company, the UK premiere of Big Love by Charles Mee at the Gate Theater in London, Julia Jordan’s Walk Two Moons at the Lucille Lortel, Laura Eason's Ghost’s Bargain at Two Rivers Theater, Kelly Stuart’s Mayhem for SPF, the world premiere of [sic] by Melissa James Gibson at Roadworks in Chicago, Nickel and Dimed (on not getting by in America) for the Great Lakes Theater Festival/ Cleveland Public Theater, Bug by Tracy Letts at Syracuse Stage, Four Short Plays by Lee Blessing, Steven Dietz, Julie Myatt and Tracy Scott Wilson at the Guthrie Theater Lab, and The Necklace, a serial mystery created with members of The Talking Band. She has also developed and directed new work at The O’Neill Theater Center, Portland Center Stage, Geva Theater, Soho Rep, Children’s Theater Company of Minneapolis, Ensemble Studio Theater, ACT Seattle, Clubbed Thumb, among others. Formerly Associate Artistic Director of New Dramatists, Kievman is an alumna of the Drama League Directors Project, the Lincoln Center Directors Lab and was a recipient of the NEA/TCG Fellowship for Directors. Graduate of NYU and Northwestern.
About the Actress: Sharon Scruggs has appeared on Broadway in Thoroughly Modern Millieas Mrs. Meers (Marriott Marquis), Mike Nichol’s production of The Seagull (NYSF Delacourt), and Welcome To The Club (Music Box.) Off-Broadway, she has appeared in leading roles at Theater for a New Audience - Richard III, The Vineyard Theater - Goblin Market, The Don Juan and the Non Don Juan, The Atlantic - Hellhound on My Trail, The York - Destry Rides Again, The West Bank Café’ -- Stand Up Shakespeare, What Cheer, and En Garde Arts -- Stonewall Night Variations, Orestes. She won an Obie Award for her performance as Cassandra in Tina Landau’s production of Chuck Mee’s Trojan Women, also for En Garde Arts. She was a company member at Bob Brustein’s American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts where she appeared as Jenny in The Three Penny Opera, Marie in Woyzeck, Cod in the American premier of Naomi Wallace’s SlaughterCity, and Aline Solness in The Master Builder. She has worked with directors Doug Hughes, Des McAnuf, Michael Maggio, Irene Lewis, Tina Landau, Tom O’Horgan, and Mark Lamos, appearing in leading roles at The Long Wharf -- Black Forest, La Jolla Playhouse and Ford‘s Theater -- Elmer Gantry, Baltimore Center Stage -- Happy End, American Music Theater Festival -- States of Independence, Mrs. Farmer’s Daughter, and Virginia Stage -- The Secret Garden. At Hartford Stage, she played opposite Richard Thomas in Edward Albee’s Tiny Alice. Film appearances include Last Days of Disco, Swimming, ScarredCity, and The Story of a Bad Boy. On television: Law and Order and All My Children.
About the Playwright: Robert Hewett began his theatrical career as an actor. An Honours graduate of FlindersUniversity, he joined the Melbourne Theatre Company in 1972 before switching to writing. His first play, Just...One Last Dance, premièred in Auckland at the Mercury Theatre in 1980. The Melbourne Theatre Company produced Robert's second and highly acclaimed 1983 play Gulls (Green Room Award for Best Play, short listed in the inaugural Premier's Literary Awards). Productions followed on five continents including Great Britain, playing Bristol Old Vic, Leicester Haymarket, Glasgow Tron and Shaw Theatre London. The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead, starring Jacki Weaver, opened to high praise at The Stables Sydney in 2004 and toured Australia for 3 years with productions in Switzerland, Canada (Stratford Festival) and New Zealand. Future productions include: Vancouver Playhouse, DallasTheaterCenter and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Roberts’ other writing credits include the plays, The Adman, Waking Eve, Goodbye Mrs. Blore, a one act play, Showday, and the cabaret Taught by Experts.
Several events are planned to enhance the production of The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead.In addition to audio described services and celebratory festivities, Asolo Rep is offering free discussions with both actors and creative team members so audiences can discover the scope of work that is done behind-the-scenes.
PLAYTALKS will be held on Sunday, January 20 after the 2 PM matinee performance and on Thursday, January 24 after the 8 PM evening performance in the Historic Asolo Theater at the RinglingMuseum. This is a free opportunity for the community to meet the actors of each play and participate in an animated and honest discussion about the production process. Tickets to show prior to the discussion are $22-$54.
INSIGHTS provide a peek at the intriguing and often humorous inside stories behind the selection, development and staging of each production. Moderated by the Asolo education staff, the one-hour Saturday morning talk (January 19 at 11AM) includes discussions with the cast, directors, and technical artists who create the work you see on stage. The discussion is FREE; you may purchase tickets to the 2 PM performance following the discussion for $22-$52; however, attendance at the show is not required.
CLOSING NIGHT CELEBRATIONS take place on the last evening performance (February 2) and you’re invited to join Asolo Rep and Prudential Palms Realty for a fun-filled, blow-out cast party. Mingle with the cast and enjoy free wine, late night snacks, D.J. music, beer tasting (compliments of Gold Coast Eagle Distributing), and a cash bar.
AUDIO DESCRIBED SERVICES will be provided on Sunday, January 20 at 2 PM and Wednesday, January 30 at 8 PM where specially trained audio describers provide elaborate audio imagery of the play action and setting to visually impaired audience members through a headset.
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Asolo Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Department of State, the Florida Arts Council, the City and County of Sarasota and the Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax through the Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council and the Sarasota County Arts Council. Funding is also received through efforts of support groups including the Asolo Angel Association, the Asolo Rep Guild, the Directors Emeritus and the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations.