WILD GLOBETROTTING COMEDY TIGER STYLE!BY DIRECTED BY MIKE MORITZ VON OCT.14-NOV.13 LEW STUELPNAGEL SOUTH END CALDERWOOD PAVILION AT THE BCA Seasonal cocktails, handmade pasta, perfectly cooked steaks & fresh seafood expertly prepared using the nest ingredients. At Davio’s, it’s all about the guest. CONTENTS OCTOBER–NOVEMBER2016 7 THE PROGRAM 12 10 RAISING A TIGER CUB 12 Q&A WITH SET DESIGNER WILSON CHIN PLUS: 35 Emergency Exits 38 Guide to Local Theatre 43 Boston Dining Guide Jon Norman Schneider and Ruibo Qian in Tiger Style!; 46 Dining Out: Top of the Hub Photo: Greg Mooney THEATREBILL STAFF President/Publisher: Tim Montgomery Publishing services are provided by Theatrebill, Art Director: Scott Roberto a publication of New Venture Media Group Assistant Art Director: Laura Jarvis Editorial Assistant: Olivia J. Kiers LLC, publisher of Panorama: The Official Vice President Publishing: Rita A. Fucillo Guide to Boston, 560 Harrison Ave., Suite 412, Vice President Advertising: Jacolyn Ann Firestone Boston, MA 02118, 857-366-8131. To adver- Senior Account Executive: Andrea Renaud tise in Theatrebill, call 857-366-8131 or e-mail Vice President Operations: Tyler J. Montgomery Business Manager: Melissa J. O’Reilly [email protected]. september 24–may 6 On Sale Now! 617-266-1200 • bso.org HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY 3 BACKSTAGE BEHIND THE SCENES IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL THEATRE BY OLIVIA J. KIERS Bill Truslow THE SOUNDS AND SIGHTS OF SUMMER: Beverly’s beloved North Shore Music Theatre (pictured) begins its 2017 season in June with the classic musical The Music Man. A Sneak Peek at 2017 for Two, in which two actors play 13 different The Cape Playhouse in Dennis and North roles. Returning are The Foreigner, a heartwarm- Shore Music Theatre in Beverley have each ing tale of misunderstanding and mischief, and announced their 2017 season lineups. North Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim’s stunningly Shore Music Theatre is bookending its season scored musical, Gypsy. For more information, visit with classic musicals from decades past, starting capeplayhouse.com and nsmt.org. with The Music Man in June and finishing with 42nd Street next fall. In between is something Celebrating Christmas with for everyone, including the fairy-tale love story Cirque Dreams Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Young Frankenstein, Citi Performing Arts Center hosts Cirque and Evita, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s story about Dreams Holidaze this holiday season. Now in Argentine political leader Eva Perón. The focus its eighth year, Cirque Dreams Holidaze, which is on new material next summer at the Cape makes its Boston debut beginning December Playhouse, whose six-production season includes 9, is a family-friendly Christmas extravaganza. four Playhouse premieres: Yasmine Reza’s Art; Featuring 20 acts, 30 artists, and more than 300 the hilarious musical The 25th Annual Putnam costumes, this variety show is a visual feast com- County Spelling Bee; Red, John Logan’s winner bining snowmen, acrobatics, toy soldiers, seasonal of six Tony Awards based on the life of abstract songs, and, of course, Santa Claus himself! Go to expressionist painter Mark Rothko; and Murder citicenter.org for more information and tickets. 4 TIGER STYLE! BACKSTAGE(continued) The Rockwell Rocks in Somerville Since mid-September, Somerville’s Davis Square Theatre has had a new lease on life as The Rockwell. Still serving the region’s emerg- ing and established artists, The Rockwell’s name change in part helps to announce the venue’s updated look, which involves new flooring, fresh paint, and new theatre curtains and light- THE BUTLER DID IT: Octavia Butler’s Parable of ing for an improved experience. Beyond the the Sower, Toshi Reagon’s stage adaptation of facelift are even further changes. While con- the science fiction novel, comes to the Emerson/ Paramount Mainstage March 23–26. tinuing to welcome local acts and offer the space to patrons, comedians, and theatrical companies, the theatre will begin to produce science fiction novel brings a dystopian world original content as well. marred by climate change and violence to the As for the story behind the name itself, The stage. The story centers on Lauren Olamina, a Rockwell honors the life of late owner Ken young woman who has lost her family and must Kelly, who attended school at Rockwell College venture out into the world unprotected. With in Ireland before moving to the United States. a strong score grounded in African-American Kelly’s family continues to own and operate musical traditions, Parable of the Sower medi- the venue. For a complete schedule of shows, visit tates on nothing less than human destiny. therockwell.org. Parable of the Sower is replacing the originally announced March show, Claudia Rankine’s ArtsEmerson Swaps Out Shows Citizen: An American Lyric, which will move to ArtsEmerson has added Parable of the Sower ArtsEmerson’s 2017–2018 season in order to this March to complement its already power- allow the project more time to develop. Visit ful season. This adaption of Octavia E. Butler’s artsemerson.org for tickets. WHAT’S ON STAGE in October Our picks for the hottest plays and musicals on local stages this month A GENTLEMAN’S MALA GUIDE TO LOVE & ARTSEMERSON MURDER October 27– SHUBERT THEATRE November 23 October 18–23 The newest work by Boston The 2014 Tony Award win- playwright Melinda Lopez ner for Best Musical, this (pictured) is a one-woman turn-of-the-20th-century show exploring family life, tale follows anti-hero Monty death and survival in a Navarro as he closes in on Cuban-American context. a distant inheritance, one Refer to listing, page 38. murder at a time. Refer to listing, page 38. WARRIOR CLASS TWELFTH NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD LYRIC STAGE COMPANY ANTHEM THEATRE COMPANY October 21–November 13 October 27–November 5 Fascinated by the spectacle this election season is provid- Brian MacInnis Smallwood’s zombie-ridden take on ing? Then Kenneth Lin’s (TV’s “House of Cards”) new politi- Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night arrives just in time for cal stage drama is just the ticket for you. Refer to listing, Halloween. Refer to listing, page 41. page 41. HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY 5 LIZA VOLL PHOTOGRAPHY RETELLING OF THE OEDIPUS STORY— MARK-ANTHONYA BLAZING TURNAGE’S CULT #GREEKBLO TURNAGE CLASSIC NOV 16-20 | EMERSON/PARAMOUNT CENTER HUNTINGTON THEATRE TICKETS START AT $25 BLO.ORG | 617.542.6772 COMPANY [email protected] AVENUE OF THE ARTS & SOUTH END HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY AVENUE OF THE ARTS & SOUTH END TIGERSTYLE! Scenic Design Directed by Wilson Chin by Moritz Mike von StuelpnagelLew PETERDUBOIS NORMAJEANCALDERWOOD Sound Design & ARTISTICDIRECTOR Costume Design PalmerOriginal Hefferan Music Production Stage Manager Junghyun MICHAELMASO Georgia Lee MANAGINGDIRECTOR Meg Tracy Leddy Huntington’s 2016–2017 Season Sponsors We gratefully acknowledge Lighting Design Projection DesignMatthew Richards Alex Koch Sherryl & Gerard Cohen JeremiahStage Mullane Manager the Production Sponsor Carol G. Deane and the Production Co-SponsorsJ. David Wimberly The world premiere of Carol B. Langer the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference in 2014. Susan & David Leathers Preston Whiteway, ExecutiveAtlanta, Director; Georgia. Wendy Susan C. Goldberg,V. Booth, Artistic Artistic Director. Director. Tiger Style! of Tiger Style! Tiger Style! was developed during a residency at the was produced by Allianceof Theatre, Tiger Style! HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY 7 S RT TON TRE E A G TH TIN F THEAANYUE O N HUN VE MP A SOUTH END CO & JOIN USFOR THERESTOF THE 2016-2017 SEASON WICKEDLY FUNNY ROMP PROVOCATIVE AND BEDROOMFARCE MOVING DRAMA by Alan Ayckbourn THEWHO&THEWHAT Directed by Maria Aitken by Ayad Akhtar (Disgraced) Nov. 11 – Dec. 11, 2016 Directed by M. Bevin O’Gara Avenue of the Arts / Mar. 31 – Apr. 30, 2017 BU Theatre South End / Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA ICONIC CLASSIC DRAMA UPROARIOUS COMEDY ADOLL’SHOUSE by Henrik Ibsen RIPCORD Adapted by Bryony Lavery by David Lindsay-Abaire Directed by Melia Bensussen (Good People) Jan. 6 – Feb. 5, 2017 Directed by Jessica Stone Avenue of the Arts / May 26 – June 25, 2017 BU Theatre South End / Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA EXPLOSIVE PULITZER PRIZE WINNER FARCE TOPDOG/UNDERDOG by Suzan-Lori Parks Directed by Billy Porter PICKANY4PLAYS Mar. 10 – Apr. 9, 2017 Avenue of the Arts / FORJUST$199 BU Theatre huntingtontheatre.org/intro 617 266 0800 BEDROOM CAST (in order of appearance) Albert ....................................................Jon Norman Schneider Tzi Chuan, Melvin, etc. ...........................................Francis Jue Russ the Bus, Reggie, etc. ......................... Bryan T. Donovan Jennifer ..................................................................... Ruibo Qian Mom, Therapist, etc. ........................................... Emily Kuroda SETTING Irvine, America. And also the Shenzen Special Economic Zone, China. TIME Now. There will be one 10-minute intermission. The Huntington Theatre Company is supported in part by a major contribution from Boston University. Additional support is provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and by more than 6,000 massculturalcouncil.org individual, foundation, and corporate contributors. DIRECTED BY MARIA AITKEN “A masterclass in BY comedy at its finest.” ALAN AYCKBOURN —THE LONDON TELEGRAPH FARCE WICKEDLY FUNNY ROMP AVENUE OF THE ARTS NOV.11-DEC.11BU THEATRE BEDROOM HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY 9 RAISING A TIGER CUB by Shirley Fishman SUZANNE HANSEN OFELDT Dr. Wilbur Lew, Zayden Mirza Lew (baby), Playwright Mike Lew, Rehana Lew Mirza, and Dr. Bertha Gee-Lew When Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua was published in 2011, controversy erupted over Chinese versus Western parenting styles and their effect on children, which became the jumping off point for playwright Mike Lew’s comedy, Tiger Style!. When I asked Mike if he was raised by tiger parents, he suggested that I speak with his mother and father, Dr. Bertha Gee-Lew, a pediatrician, and Dr. Wilbur Lew, a cardiologist. They greeted me at their La Jolla home and I learned how they emigrated from China’s Canton region to California and how their own parenting styles affected them and their children.