PRESS RELEASE for IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, October 7, 2011 CONTACT: Patrick Finlon, Marketing Director 315-443-2636 Or [email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, October 7, 2011 CONTACT: Patrick Finlon, Marketing Director 315-443-2636 or [email protected] Syracuse Stage’s The Boys Next Door Finds Comedy and Compassion in a Group Home for People with Developmental Disabilities (Syracuse, NY)—Meet Arnold Wiggins. He’s basically a nervous person. He lives with Lucien P. Smith who fancies very big books, and Norman who works in the doughnut shop, and Barry who has schizophrenia and has convinced himself that he is a golf pro. In addition to an apartment, these guys share a caseworker named Jack who, despite his genuine concern for his clients, is on the verge of total burn-out. The Boys Next Door is a gentle comedy from the late 80s set in a group home for people who are developmentally disabled. As playwright Tom Griffin reveals the daily struggles of his characters to make sense of their world and their places in it, he reminds us to consider how much we take for granted every day. The Boys Next Door is very funny and very touching. Running October 19 through November 6, The Boys Next Door will be performed in the Archbold Theatre at Syracuse Stage, 820 East Genesee Street. Tickets range $18-$50 and are available at the Syracuse Stage Box Office, 315-443-3275 or www.SyracuseStage.org. The presenting sponsor for The Boys Next Door is The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation. Sponsors are Syracuse University Humanities Center, POMCO Group, Burton Blatt Institute, and Arc of Onondaga (celebrating their 60th anniversary). The media sponsor is WRVO. Syracuse Stage’s 2011-2012 season sponsor is The Post-Standard. After a successful 1987 Off-Broadway run, The Boys Next Door was produced at hundreds of theatres around the country and the world, and in 1996 it was made into a movie featuring Nathan Lane. “It’s a fun, funny, and very moving rollercoaster ride of a play that stands the test of time,” said Timothy Bond, Director and Syracuse Stage Producing Artistic Director. Set clearly in the 1980s, the play sheds light on the progress that has been made for people with developmental disabilities. “Part of our mission as the region’s premier professional theatre is to tell the stories of people who have been underrepresented in the American culture,” said Bond. “Stories about people with developmental disabilities are rarely ever seen or explored on stage, though they are vital to our community and to so many of our audiences’ lives.” During the rehearsal period, members of the cast visited and shadowed with local organizations that provide services to people with disabilities. “The cast has done amazing 1 research in understanding these characters, and they are incredibly skilled, physically and comedically,” said Bond. “Many of the actors are from Chicago, where you can find a lot of physical style theatre, a big plus for this production.” The ensemble cast is comprised of professional actors from Chicago, New York City, and Central New York. Cast members include Timothy Davis-Reed (SU Drama Professor, best known for his role as White House Press Reporter Mark O’Donnell on The West Wing), Carey Eidel (Executive Director and founding member of Auburn Public Theatre, as Mr. Klemper), Sean Patrick Fawcett (as Norman), Ellis Foster (Black Alliance Theatre Award for Best Actor, as Lucien), Marie Kemp (SU Drama Professor, last seen at Syracuse Stage as Marmee in Little Women), Michael Joseph Mitchell (Artistic Associate at Chicago Dramatists, as Arnold), Alanna Rogers (a recent graduate of SU Drama, as Sheila), Samuel Taylor (last seen at Syracuse Stage in Lookingglass Alice, as Barry), and Demetrios Troy (as Jack, the caseworker). One hour before each performance, except the Wednesday matinee, an actor from the play will lead a 20-minute discussion that’s free and open to all patrons, as part of Stage’s Prologue program. Actors will answer questions and share stories about the process of developing The Boys Next Door at Syracuse Stage. Throughout the run, a number of community partnerships will highlight the work of local organizations that provide services to people who are disabled: Special post-show talk after the 2 p.m. matinee on Oct 30. Speakers: - Peter Blanck, Chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University, an international organization for advancing the civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities. - Brian McLane, Strategic Advisor to Syracuse University’s Inclusive Campus Initiative, which involves all aspects of SU’s operations, every school and college, and 10 campuses across four continents. - Stanfort J. Perry, Executive Director of Arc of Onondaga, the largest provider of services to people with developmental disabilities in Onondaga County. - A representative from ARISE, an Independent Living Center (ILC) that promotes the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the community. Stanfort J. Perry, Executive Director of Arc of Onondaga, will speak at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26 in Syracuse Stage’s Sutton Pavilion, as part of Stage’s longstanding Wednesday @ 1 Lecture Series that takes place before Wednesday matinee performances. Onondaga Historical Association, in conjunction with Arc of Onondaga, will offer a panel exhibit in the Coyne Lobby at Syracuse Stage. It will explore the history of Arc on its 60th anniversary plus offer historical background on Syracuse's pioneering role in the mid-19th century directed toward the education of youth with developmental 2 disabilities. The New York State Asylum opened in 1855 on the city's west side and was the first facility built in the United States with that purpose in mind. An art exhibit by UNIQUE, a magazine published by ARISE, will feature work by individuals with disabilities. The exhibit will appear throughout the run of The Boys Next Door at Syracuse Stage in the Sutton Pavilion and Upper Lobby. ONGOING SPECIAL EVENTS & PROGRAMS M&T Bank Pay-What-You-Can Series: Tuesday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m. to watch the final dress rehearsal. $9 suggested donation, tickets available at the door 2 hours prior to curtain. LIVE in the Sutton Series: Friday, October 21 following the 8:00 p.m. press opening night. Live music by Merit. Wednesday @ 1 Lecture Series: Wednesday, October 26 at 1 p.m., before the 2 p.m. matinee. Speaker: Stanfort J. Perry, Executive Director at Arc of Onondaga. Open Captioned Series: Wednesday, October 26 at 2 p.m. & Sunday, November 6 at 2 p.m. Welch Allyn Sign Interpreted Performance Series In Memory of Susan Thompson: Saturday, October 29 at 3 p.m. Happy Hour: Thursday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m. Half-price drinks and live music by Soho Trio, before the 7:30 p.m. performance. Actor Talkback Series: Sunday, October 30 following the 7:00 p.m. performance. Audio-Described Series: Saturday, November 5 at 3 p.m. Patrons who are blind or visually impaired may pick up an infrared audio receiver upon arriving at the theatre, and during the performance a live narrator will verbalize visual details about the actors and scenic elements. Due to limited availability, audio receivers must be reserved in advance at our Box Office, 315-443-3275. SYRACUSE STAGE Syracuse Stage is Central New York’s premier professional theatre. Founded in 1974, Stage has produced more than 235 plays in 38 seasons including a number of world, American, and East Coast premieres. Each season 90,000 patrons enjoy an adventurous mix of new plays and bold interpretations of classics and musicals featuring the finest theatre artists. In addition, Stage maintains a vital educational outreach program that annually serves over 30,000 students from 24 counties. A solid core of subscribers and supporters helps keep Syracuse Stage a vibrant artistic presence in Central New York. Additional support comes from the government, foundations, corporations and Syracuse University. Syracuse Stage is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, and a member of the Arts and Cultural Leadership Alliance (ACLA), the University Hill Corporation and the East Genesee Regent Association. Syracuse Stage is a member of The League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the largest professional theatre association in the country. 3 Info Sheet & Bios BASIC INFO The Boys Next Door By Tom Griffin Directed by Timothy Bond October 19—November 6, 2011 Archbold Theatre at Syracuse Stage 820 East Genesee Street; Syracuse, NY 13210 SPONSORS Season Sponsor: The Post-Standard Presenting Sponsor: The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation Show Sponsors: Syracuse University Humanities Center POMCO Group Burton Blatt Institute Arc of Onondaga Media Sponsor: WRVO TICKETS Adults: $28-$50 18 & Under: $18 40 & Under: $28 *Senior discounts available all performances except Friday and Saturday evenings. *Rush tickets day of performance only: $20-$25 general public and $18 with valid student ID, subject to availability. Online: www.SyracuseStage.org Call: 315-443-3275 In person: 820 East Genesee Street Groups (10 or more): 315-443-9844 CAST Timothy Davis-Reed (Mr. Hedges/Mr. Corbin/Senator Clarke) Carey Eidel (Mr. Klemper) Sean Patrick Fawcett (Norman) Ellis Foster (Lucien) Marie Kemp (Mrs. Fremus/Mrs. Warren/Clara) Michael Joseph Mitchell (Arnold) Alanna Rogers (Sheila) 4 Samuel Taylor (Barry) Demetrios Troy (Jack) DESIGNERS Michael Vaughn Sims (Scenic Design) Jessica Ford (Costume Designer) Dawn Chiang (Lighting Design) Jeremy Lee (Sound Designer) STAGE MANAGER Laura Jane Collins ADDITIONAL CREDITS Kyle Bass (Dramaturg) Claire Simon Casting SHOW CALENDAR (OCTOBER/NOVEMBER) SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 18 19 20 21 22 7:30 7:30 P 7:30 P 8:00 O 3:00 PWYC 8:00 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 2:00 2:00 7:30 8:00 3:00 S W, OC 8:00 7:30 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 2:00 7:30 7:30 7:30 8:00 3:00 AD 7:00 D 8:00 6 2:00 OC PWYC=Pay What You Can Night (Final Dress Rehearsal) P=Preview O=Press Opening, LIVE in the Sutton S=Sign Interpreted AD=Audio Described OC = Open Captioned D=Actor Talkback W=Wednesday @ 1 Lecture 5 BIO – PLAYWRIGHT Tom Griffin’s plays include The Boys Next Door, Amateurs, The Taking Away of Little Willie, Mrs.