Yale Bulletin and Calendar

April 23, 2004|Volume 32, Number 27

Play by Drama School graduate
to close Yale Rep season

The Yale Repertory Theatre will close out its 2003-2004 season with the world premiere of "The Mystery Plays" by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.

The play, directed by Connie Grappo, will be presented April 30-May 22 at the New Theater, 1156 Chapel St. The show is a co-production with Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, artistic director, and Timothy J. McClimon, executive director), where it will be staged following the Yale Rep premiere as part of the New York theater's New Plays Uptown series.

In "The Mystery Plays," two seemingly random events -- a train wreck in the Northeast corridor and a desperate expedition to find meaning in an incomprehensible crime in Oregon -- cast oblique light on one another, as the play explores the mysteries of death, the afterlife, faith and forgiveness.

Playwright Aguirre-Sacasa is a graduate of the School of Drama. His other plays include "The Muckle Man," a folkloric thriller; "Golden Age," a comic book fantasia; "Rough Magic," a revision of Shakespeare's "Tempest"; and "Dark Matters," a family drama about the mysteries of deep space and alien abduction. His occult comedy "Say You Love Satan" won an Excellence in Playwriting Award from the 2003 International Fringe Festival. Aguirre-Sacasa also writes the adventures of Marvel Comics' first family: "The Fantastic Four!"

Grappo most recently directed a Bare Bones production of Rob Ackerman's new play, "The Last Word," at the Lark Theatre in New York. Her numerous New York productions include Ackerman's "Tabletop" at Working Theatre, which won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Acting Ensemble. She wrote and directed "Little Feet," a short film presented at Sundance and aired on Showtime. She's written the book for a new musical titled "Ballad of Little Pinks" with Alan Menken and Marion Adler.

The cast of "The Mystery Plays" features Gavin Creel, Scott Ferrara, Leslie Lyles, Mark Margolis, Heather Mazur and Peter Stadlen. The production features scenic design by Sandra Goldmark, costume design by Amanda Walker, lighting design by S. Ryan Schmidt and sound design by Keith Townsend Obadike. Scott French and Rachel Rusch are the dramaturgs. Molly Elizabeth McCarter is the stage manager.

The play will be performed at 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays starting on May 8 and on Wednesdays starting on May 12.

The Yale Rep will offer a variety of special events during the run of "The Mystery Plays" at no additional cost, including "Yale Night" on Friday, April 30, which includes a pre-show discussion with members of the creative team as well as free pizza courtesy of BAR and soft drinks for students from area colleges and universities; "Opening Night" on Thursday, May 6, with a celebration following the performance at an area restaurant; "Re:Play," a question-and-answer session with the cast and crew following the matinee performance on Saturday, May 8; and "Senior Matinee" on Wednesday, May 19. The production will be sign interpreted and audio described on Saturday, May 22 at 2 p.m.

Tickets for "The Mystery Plays" range from $20 to $45, and are available by calling (203) 432-1234; in person at the Yale Rep box office, 1120 Chapel St. (corner of York St.); and online at www.yalerep.org. Student, senior and groups rates are also available.

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