News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS CONTACT: Ben Randle, Artistic Associate & Publicist ~ 415.694.6156 ~ [email protected] Pictures and Press Kit: nctcsf.org/press
OTHER DESERT CITIES BY JON ROBIN BAITZ MAKES SAN FRANCISCO PREMIERE AT NCTC
Pulitzer Prize Finalist to be directed by Arturo Catricala
March 6 – April 5, 2015
San Francisco, CA (January 29, 2015) — After last season’s successful run of the San Francisco Premiere of Jon Robin Baitz’ The Paris Letter, New Conservatory Theatre Center presents Baitz’ Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Other Desert Cities, directed by Aturo Catricala. In this “witty, deeply enjoyable family drama” (The New York Times) Brooke announces to her prominent Republican parents she is about to publish a memoir on an explosive chapter in the family’s history, drawing a line in the Palm Springs sand and daring them all to cross it. As Baitz brings dysfunctional family drama to blazingly witty and gripping new heights, NCTC’s intimate Decker Theatre brings the passion, drama, and superbly crafted blow darts of wit closer to the audience than ever.
Other Desert Cities runs March 6 – April 5, 2015 in NCTC’s Decker Theater. Opening Night is Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 8pm. Tickets are $25 - $45 and available at nctcsf.org or by calling (415) 861-8972.
Greeted with unanimous praise on its premiere at Lincoln Center Theatre in 2009, Other Desert Cities has gone on to garner raves in productions across the country.
"Funny, fierce, and immensely entertaining,” raves New York Daily News.
Newsday declares Other Desert Cities is “the play we have been waiting for Baitz to write!”
"Power, passion, and superbly crafted palaver stippled with blowdarts of wit,” exclaims New York Magazine. “This is what Baitz does best."
Ed Decker Barbara Hodgen ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
"Spending time with these messed-up, complicated people is a genuine pleasure," raves The New York Post.
Playwright Jon Robin Baitz’s plays include The Paris Letter, The Film Society, The Substance of Fire, The End of the Day, Three Hotels, A Fair Country (Pulitzer Prize finalist 1996), Mizlansky/Zilinsky, Ten Unknowns, as well as a version of Hedda Gabler that appeared on Broadway in 2001. He is the creator of Brothers & Sisters, an acclaimed television series that ran for five seasons on ABC until 2011. Other television work includes PBS’ version of Three Hotels, for which he won the Humanitas Prize, and episodes of The West Wing and Alias. He is the author of two screenplays: the film script for The Substance of Fire (1996) and People I Know (2002). Baitz is a founding member of Naked Angels theater company, a professor at Stony Brook Southampton, and Artistic Director of the BFA Theatre program at The New School for Drama.
Director Arturo Catricala has is a frequent collaborator with NCTC, most recently directing Bay Area Premiere of The Homosexuals by Philip Dawkins, the World Premiere of Rights of Passage, as well as productions Master Class, A Perfect Ganesh, and the West Coast Premiere of The Pride. He attended Fordham University at Lincoln Center and NYU School of the Arts where he studied stage directing with Carl Weber of the Berliner Ensemble and Mel Shapiro. Mr. Catricala is a member of SDC, the national labor union representing Stage Directors and Choreographers.
The cast of Other Desert Cities features Paul Collins, Geoffrey Colton, Michaela Greeley, Melissa Keith, and Cheryl Smith.
The design team for Other Desert Cities includes Scenic Design by Kuo-Hao Lo, Lighting Design by Christian Mejia, Costume Design by Keri Fitch, Prop Design by Amy Crumpacker, and stage management by Casey Fern.
Special Engagements: During the run of the show, theatre lovers can enjoy many special events: Onstage Insight, Post-Show Discussion after the following performance: . Sunday, March 28, 2015 at 2pm– Panel discussion featuring the cast. Low-cost Previews take place Friday, March 6 – Friday, March 13, 2015. Community Pay What You Wish Tickets: A limited number of tickets are held for each preview performance for our Pay-What-You-Wish program. These tickets cannot be reserved or purchased in advance and are only available for walkup sales beginning 1 hour before the performance. These tickets must be purchased in person. Opening Night will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 8pm. The performance will be followed by a reception with the cast, designers and director.
Ed Decker Barbara Hodgen ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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New Conservatory Theatre Center is San Francisco’s premier LGBTQIA and allied performing arts institution and progressive arts education conservatory since 1981. NCTC is renowned for its diverse range of innovative, high quality productions, touring productions and shows for young audiences; its foundational anti-bullying work with youth and educators through YouthAware; and its commitment to nurturing emerging artists and playwrights to expand the canon of queer and allied dramatic work.
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Ed Decker Barbara Hodgen ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Other Desert Cities FACT SHEET
WHO: Written by Jon Robin Baitz Directed by Arturo Catricala Starring Paul Collins, Geoffrey Colton, Michaela Greeley, Melissa Keith, and Cheryl Smith.
WHAT: San Francisco Premiere of Other Desert Cities
WHERE: New Conservatory Theatre Center Decker Theatre, 25 Van Ness Ave @Market, San Francisco, CA 94102
WHEN: March 6 – April 5, 2015 Wednesday – Sat at 8pm Sundays at 2pm
COST: $25-$45
TICKETS AND BOX OFFICE: nctcsf.org, 415-861-8972, [email protected]
Special Engagements: Onstage Insight with cast……………..…….………..3/28 Low-Cost Previews…..…………………...... 3/6 – 3/13 Opening Night…..…………………………………..…..3/14
PHOTOS AND PRESS KITS: nctcsf.org/press
Ed Decker Barbara Hodgen ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR