Prelude to a Kiss12th Ave Arts MAINSTAGE
Sep-8 to Oct-6, 2018 Thu-Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Mon 7:30pm No performance Monday Sep-10 Press Release Calendar "PRELUDE TO A KISS" REPLACES "RECKLESS" AT
STRAWBERRY THEATRE WORKSHOP Exchange of Playwright Craig Lucas titles initiated by artists in rehearsal With careful deliberation, Strawberry Theatre Workshop has elected to change its fall production to Craig Lucas' Prelude to a Kiss. The new title will feature the same core artistic team behind Reckless and be ready for a Sep-8 opening at 12th Ave Arts. This adjustment allows Strawshop to present an important playwright's theatrical voice with unconditional support. Lucas' Reckless is a beautiful and meaningful play, but some aspects of the story have not aged well. Specifically, the use of American Sign Language as a means of deception and plot points surrounding the Disabled community do not reflect contemporary sensibilities. Part of the Strawshop mission statement reads, "Our collective includes our work, our audience, and our neighborhood. To be a good neighbor is to be a relevant neighbor, a responsible neighbor, and a vocal neighbor." The Seattle Deaf and Disabled communities are part of our neighborhood, and Strawshop's work must reflect that. The conversation that Seattle Theatre is having with Deaf and Disabled artists and audiences is constructive, and any foray Strawshop makes into that conversation should be respectful, receptive, and compassionate. As the cast and crew worked on Reckless, concerns about the material grew more complex, and they realized that this production was not the best way to responsibly engage in that discussion. Director Greg Carterand his cast now turn their full attention to Prelude to a Kiss. Only through the versatility and talents of the ensemble that includes MJ Sieber, Anastasia Higham, and Galen Joseph Osier, would success over such a short time frame be possible. Strawshop presents Prelude with enthusiasm and heart, and hopes the community will embrace it. Prelude to a Kiss is Craig Lucas' most popular play; it was nominated for both a Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1990; it was made into a film featuring Meg Ryan and Alec Baldwin in 1992. The story centers around a newlywed husband (Sieber), who has to consider whether his beautiful young wife (Higham) has changed bodies with a terminally ill septuagenarian (Osier) on their honeymoon. Like Reckless, Prelude is a comic fantasy that serves as an allegory for deeper issues. In Reckless, Rachel was stripped of her privilege and thrown into a world of unpredictability that represented the world of homelessness and addiction. In Prelude, Peter must discover if his love for his partner transcends the sudden loss of physical beauty and vitality. It was written as a response to the ravages of AIDS. Additional points (FAQ)
written by Craig Lucas (1988)
directed by Greg Carter performed by Marianna de Fazio Brandon Felker Rachel Guyer-Mafune Anastasia Higham Galen Joseph Osier MJ Sieber Ray Tagavilla designed and constructed by Craig B Wollam Adam Zopfi Hulse Evan Price Greg Carter stage managed by Evan Price graphic design by Melanie Wang 12th Ave Arts 1620 12th Ave, Capitol Hill, Seattle 98122 Map |