 | Jedadiah Schultz plays Val Xavier, a drifter and musician who changes the life of a "forgotten woman" in Mississippi. |
"Orpheus Descending," Tennessee Williams' story of betrayal and redemption in Mississippi, will open the School of Drama's 2003-2004 season Tuesday-Saturday, Nov. 4-8.
The play -- directed by Benjamin Mosse, a third-year M.F.A. candidate in directing at the drama school -- will be staged in the New Theater, located in Holcombe T. Green Hall, 1156 Chapel St.
The rarely produced work by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright tells the tale of Lady Torrance, a forgotten woman in rural Mississippi, who longs for rebirth. Her life is changed forever by the appearance of Val Xavier, a handsome drifter with a guitar, who walks into the Torrance Mercantile Store one rainy afternoon.
"Orpheus Descending" is a reworking of Williams' first major production, "Battle of Angels," which closed after less than two weeks. Williams continued to work on the play for 35 years. "Why have I stuck so stubbornly to this play?" Williams wrote in 1958. "Well nothing is more precious to anybody than the emotional record of his youth, and you will find the trail of my sleeve-worn heart in this completed play that I now call 'Orpheus Descending.'"
In 1960, Williams and Meade Roberts turned the script into the film "The Fugitive Kind," starring Marlon Brando, Anna Magnani, Joanne Woodward and Maureen Stapleton. Through special permission from MGM and the Williams' Estate, the School of Drama production will incorporate select material from the film.
Before coming to Yale, Mosse was founding artistic director of the IF Theatre Collective in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has also served in regional theaters as assistant director to John Tillinger at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Michael Wilson at Hartford Stage Company, Mark Lamos at the Yale Rep, David Esbjornson at the Guthrie Theater and Eric Rosen at About Face Theatre. His directing credits at the School of Drama include "Hamlet," Adam Rapp's "Nocturne" and Sarah Fornia's "Buried History." Mosse is also artistic director of the Yale Cabaret, where his production of "The Wild Party" opened the fall season.
The cast for "Orpheus Descending" includes Gabrielle Castellini (Beulah), Anita Gandhi (Nurse Porter/Woman), Jacob Knoll (Talbott), Rey Lucas (David), Jordan Mahome (Uncle Pleasant), Mozhan Navabi (Carol), Christianna Nelson (Dolly), James Lloyd Reynolds (Pee Wee), Kevin Rich (Jabe), Stefani Romanov (Lady), Jedadiah Schultz (Val) and Keiko Yamamoto (Vee).
The play features scenic design by Lee Savage, costume design by Erin Billings, lighting design by Miriam Crowe and sound design by Phillip Peglow. Christine Mok is the dramaturg. Marion Friedman is the stage manager.
"Orpheus Descending" is the first School of Drama play to be staged in the New Theater, a 120-seat facility located inside the School of Art's Holcombe Hall.
Performances will take place at 8 p.m. nightly; there will be a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets are $15-$18; $12-$14.50 for students. Discounted rates for seniors and groups are also available.
Subscription packages for the School of Drama's 2003-2004 season are also available for $48-$60. The season will also include Thornton Wilder's "The Skin of Our Teeth," Dec. 11-17; Martin McDonagh's "The Lonesome West," Feb. 3-7; and Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya," May 4-8.
To purchase tickets, visit the Yale Repertory Theatre box office, corner of Chapel and York streets, or call (203) 432-1234.
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