 | Marcus Gardley |
The reunion of an estranged grandson and a grandfather who prefers to re-live his memories rather than live his life ignites the drama in the Yale Repertory Theatre's world-premiere production of "dance of the holy ghosts: a play on memory," opening on Friday, March 17.
In this family drama, Clifton must face a very different version of his past when his grandson, Marcus G -- out of sight for 18 years -- comes calling. The play "dances" from the comedic innocence of a childhood crush to the heartbreak of a ruined marriage as Clifton and his grandson together embark on creating a future.
Playwright Gardley, a 2004 graduate of the School of Drama, is also a poet and teaches creative writing at Columbia University. He says his years at Yale taught him "the discipline and patience that is required to write from the heart." He adds, "It is quite fitting and quite an honor to have my first major production, which is semi-autobiographical, staged here. If home is where the heart is, you will surely hear mine rapping nervously away during 'dance of the holy ghosts.' You may even see me dance."
Gardley says that the character of Marcus G is based both on himself and his older brother. He recently described some childhood habits that have influenced his work, saying, "As I child, I couldn't keep my eyes off of elderly people's mouths. I wanted to play dominos or bid whiz with the old folks and watch the poetry, profanity and praise pop off their tongues. I was nosey.
"In church, I studied how ministers preached, folks danced and choir directors directed, and I mimicked them in front of other kids," he adds. "This music is buried in my core."
In school, Gardley recalls, his teachers began to call the poems he had written "plays." He disputed that description, he says, until he took a playwriting course. "Eventually I had a production and after the first rehearsal I knew I had found my calling," he remembers. "I was a playwright."
He has since had five plays produced, including "(L)imitations of Life" at the Empty Space Theatre in Seattle; "like sun fallin in the mouth" at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and "livin tired" at the Yale Summer Cabaret. He was a finalist for the Alliance Theatre Graduate Playwriting Competition in 2004 and was the sole runner-up for the Princess Grace Award the same year. His other honors include a Eugene O'Neill Memorial Scholarship and the ASCAP Cole Porter Prize. Gardley is a member of New Dramatists.
Diamond is resident director of the Yale Rep as well as chair of the Directing Program at the School of Drama. Her Yale productions include last season's "Miss Julie" as well as "Fighting Words," "Rice Boy," "Betrayal" "The Cure at Troy," "The Skin of Our Teeth" and "Mrs. Warren's Profession," among others. She has also directed productions at Arena Stage, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the American Repertory Theatre, the Manhattan Theatre Club and others. Her productions have won Obie Awards and Connecticut Critics Circle Awards, including two for outstanding direction. She was recently named a visiting professor at Shanghai Theatre Academy in Shanghai, China.
Cooper won the Tony® Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in "The Life." His other Broadway credits include "Lennon, Caroline, or Change" (for which he won the AUDELCO Award for best featured actor), "Someone To Watch Over Me" and "Amen Corner." He has also appeared Off-Broadway and in such television shows as "Law & Order: SVU," "Hack," "Oz," "NYPD Blue" and "Cosby." He appeared for two seasons on "100 Centre Street." He was also in the films "The Hurricane," "The Juror," "Gloria," "Our Song" and "Three Days of Rain" and will be seen in the upcoming "Find Me Guilty."
The other members of the cast are Pascale Armand, who has performed in "Breath, Boom" and "Four" in New York and traveled through Europe in Peter Sellars' production of "The Artaud/Jordan Piece"; La Tonya Borsay, who has appeared Off-Broadway and will making her Yale Rep debut; Harriett D. Foy, who has appeared on Broadway in "Mamma Mia!" and "Once on This Island"; Brian Henry, a student at the School of Drama who is making his professional theater debut; and Paul J. Medford, who has mostly performed in the United Kingdom and Europe, including in "The Lion King," "My One and Only" and "Hair" in London's West End. He was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in London's "Five Guys Named Moe."
The creative team for "dance of the holy ghosts: a play on memory" includes composer Scott Davenport Richards; music director XY Eli; choreographer Peter Pucci; scenic designer Aleksandra Maslik; costume designer Jennifer Moeller; lighting designer Jennifer Tipton; and sound designer Arielle Edwards.
Performances take place Monday-Saturday at 8 p.m., with additional performances at 2 p.m. on March 25, March 29, April 1, April 5 and April 8. Special events include an opening night celebration on March 23, with a gathering following the performance at The Playwright Irish Pub & Restaurant; a Grad Night Poetry Slam on Friday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. with Gardley and local poets; Talk Back discussions following the matinee performances on March 25 and April 1 and the 8 p.m. performance on March 31; a senior matinee on March 29, with a pre-show presentation by members of the creative team; an open-captioned performance on April 1 at 2 p.m.; and an audio-described performance on April 8 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $30-$50 and can be ordered by phone at (203) 432-1234; online at www.yalerep.org or in person at the Yale Rep box office, 1120 Chapel St., at York St. Group, senior and student rates are also available. For further information, visit www.yalerep.org.
T H I S
Alumnus playwright debuts 'dance
of the holy ghosts' at Yale Rep
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
Patient care expert Paul Cleary named dean of public health
Gift will help expand music education for city students
Yale experts provide cancer information on 'Healthline'
Alumnus playwright debuts 'dance of the holy ghosts' at Yale Rep
Noted journalists to discuss media's role in international justice
Public service is focus of talk by former U.S. secretary of state
Library acquires the papers of artist and gay rights activist Harvey Fierstein
SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT NEWS
Conference will explore challenges to providing quality healthcare
School hosts second delegation of Kazakhstan government leadersScientists say most human-chimp differences due to gene regulation
Events to mark guitarist's two decades of teaching
Yale biomedical engineers create stable network of fine blood vessels
Fortune magazine editor to deliver lecture on 'Power and Leadership'
Famed composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim to visit campus
Event to explore how Christians, Muslims view government
Event to explore executive power and its recent effects
MEDICAL SCHOOL NEWS
Disaster planning and recovery is focus of conference
Study: Turned head results in more serious whiplash
Researchers say frailty in elderly is preventable
Team finds bone marrow cells can convert to gut lining cells
Deleting specific gene in brain cells mimics effects of . . .
Trial to assess new treatment for auditory hallucinations
Keys to successful heart attack treatment identified
Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale to host 'Seeing Sinai' . . .
Survey shows that STARS alumni give program high marks
In Memoriam: Dr. Lawrence Brass
Celebration of the library's 75th anniversary continues . . .
Forum will explore issue of payment for forest ecosystem services
Free haircuts offered to those who donate to Locks of Love
Memorial service planned for Dr. Charles McKhann
Campus Notes
Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News
Bulletin Board|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines
Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs|News Releases|
E-Mail Us|Yale Home