The Jungle March 26 - May 19, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Curran Press Contact: Julie Richter, Charles Zukow Associates [email protected] | 415.296.0677 ALL ARE WELCOME.

CURRAN TO HOST THE WEST COAST PREMIERE OF THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED PLAY THE JUNGLE MARCH 26 - MAY 19, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO (January 11, 2019) — Following widely-acclaimed, sensation-stirring, and sold-out engagements in London and New York, Carole Shorenstein Hays and Sonia Friedman Productions with Tom Kirdahy today announced that the West Coast Premiere of the Good Chance Theatre, National Theatre and Young Vic production of THE JUNGLE by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, will take place at San Francisco’s Curran this spring. Under the direction of Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, the strictly limited engagement begins Tuesday March 26, 2019 and will run through Sunday, May 19, 2019. Tickets for THE JUNGLE are $25—$165 and go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, with presale access available for existing Curran subscribers. Tickets will be available at SFCURRAN.com/jungle. $25 day-of rush tickets to THE JUNGLE will be made available through a partnership with TODAY TIX.

Meet the hopeful, resilient residents of The Jungle – the short-lived, self-governing society that emerged within a sprawling refugee camp in Calais, France. Join the residents over freshly baked naan and sweet milky chai at the Afghan Café. Take a seat where men, women and children fleeing war and persecution created a world offering warm hospitality, amidst squalor and danger. After taking London and New York by storm, THE JUNGLE arrives on the West Coast transforming the traditional proscenium theater into Miriam Buether’s award-winning set design as seen in the West End. This “devastating, uplifting show” (The Guardian) is “a story we need to hear” (Time Out London).

“Thrilling... ravishing... devastating…it feels as if all the world is holding its breath. Vigorously engrossing production…” (Ben Brantley, The New York Times).

The majority of the New York cast will transfer with the production, including actors from refugee backgrounds, some of whom came through the Jungle. Full casting to be announced.

"By putting such a heartbreakingly human face on a story too often told through statistics, THE JUNGLE manages to provide us with both an incredible evening of theater and a moral imperative for our times,” said Carole Shorenstein Hays. “It is precisely the show America needs right now, as we struggle mightily to harness the collective strength of our better selves. Let the dialogue begin, Bay Area."

Founded by British playwrights Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, Good Chance Theatre works to promote freedom of expression, creativity, and dignity for everyone. Murphy and Robertson established Good Chance’s first temporary theater space, an 11m geodesic dome, in the heart of the refugee and migrant camp in Calais in September 2015, where they lived for seven months before writing THE JUNGLE after the demolition of the camp.

“The Jungle was a reluctant home for thousands of people from all over the world. It was a place where people built temporary lives and communities formed out of necessity. People who visited asked why we built a theater in a refugee camp, but it’s always seemed clear to us that theater should be at the center of the conversation,” said Robertson and Murphy. “We’re thrilled to bring this play to West Coast audiences with its premiere at the historic Curran and look forward to sharing these timely and important stories.”

"Audiences will be plunged emotionally and physically into the world of the camp in Calais—a place I have visited several times. The combination of the setting, extraordinary performances and storytelling is a real gut punch that leaves each and every audience member utterly transformed,” said Sonia Friedman. “I am so happy that we have the opportunity to bring THE JUNGLE to the Curran, and retain the show’s uniqueness and intimacy."

The creative team for THE JUNGLE includes Miriam Buether (Set), Catherine Kodicek (Costume), Jon Clark (Lighting), Paul Arditti (Sound), John Pfumojena (Composition), Duncan McLean & Tristan Shepherd (Video), Julia Horan CGD (Casting) and David Lan (Executive Producer).

THE JUNGLE was commissioned by the National Theatre and first presented at the Young Vic Theatre on December 7, 2017 in a co-production by the National Theatre and the Young Vic with Good Chance Theatre.

THE JUNGLE opened in the West End at the Playhouse Theatre on Saturday, June 16, 2018, presented by Sonia Friedman Productions and Tom Kirdahy, Hunter Arnold in association with Elizabeth Dewberry & Ali Ahmet Kocabiyik, Gary & Marcia Nelson, UshkowitzLatimer Productions, Paula Marie Black, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Michael DeSantis, 1001 Nights Productions, Rupert Gavin, Brenda Leff, Stephanie P. McClelland, Richard Winkler, Jane Cee & Glenn Redbord.

THE JUNGLE received its North American Premiere at St. Ann’s Warehouse on Tuesday, December 4, 2018, a Good Chance Theatre co-production with the National Theatre and Young Vic, presented by St. Ann’s Warehouse with support from JKW Foundation, Good Chance Theatre, SHS Foundation, Curtis Cravens & Martha Berry, Jolie & Gabriel Schwartz, Antonia & David Belt, Nancy & Chad Dickerson, Leyli Zohrenejad, Alexander Leff.

Good Chance Theatre Joe Robertson and Joe Murphy founded the Evening Standard Editor’s Award-winning Good Chance Theatre.

Good Chance established its first temporary theatre of hope, an 11m geodesic dome, in the heart of the refugee and migrant camp in Calais in September 2015, promoting freedom of expression, creativity and dignity for everyone. It has since travelled to London’s Southbank for a nine-day festival led by refugees in July 2016, and opened its doors to refugees, artists and local Parisians in the French capital for eight weeks in spring 2017 in partnership with Collectif MU and Théâtre de la Ville and for ten weeks in spring 2018 in collaboration with humanitarian NGO Emmaüs Solidarité. At the invitation of the Mayor of Paris, the Good Chance dome returned to the French capital in summer 2018 for a further ten weeks, and was then invited to the National Museum of the History of Immigration for a three-week residency as part of the ‘Welcome’ Festival, extended to five weeks by popular demand.

Alongside the dome theatres, the company creates groundbreaking Good Chance Productions and works with a collective of artists from across the world through the Good Chance Ensemble, most recently supporting the creation of the album ‘Sounds of Refuge’ by John Falsetto and Mohamed Sarrar, recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

Through theatre and art, Good Chance creates new kinds of communities, empowering artists from across the world and connecting people, stories and cultures.

Good Chance is an Associate Company of the Young Vic Theatre and recipient of the Evening Standard Editor’s Award (2016), an Empty Space Peter Brook Award (2017) and the Genesis Award (2018).

Good Chance Trustees: Stephen Daldry (Chair), Sonia Friedman, David Lan, Natalia Kaliada, Anirudh Mathur www.goodchance.org.uk

Stephen Daldry started his career at the Sheffield Crucible Theatre and directed extensively in Britain’s regional theatres. In London he was Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre where he headed the £26 million redevelopment. He has also directed at the National Theatre, the Public Theatre in New York and transferred many productions both to Broadway and the West End. His award-winning 1992 National Theatre production of An Inspector Calls recently completed a 16 week run in the West End following a successful UK tour. Billy Elliot the Musical opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 2005 where it ran for 11 years. It has also played on Broadway, in Holland, Seoul, Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago, Toronto and across the US with two further productions opening in Japan and Korea in 2017. In 2009, the production won ten Tony awards including Best Musical, more than any other British show in Broadway history. Its first UK and Ireland Tour will finish its highly successful 18 month run in Hamburg. Stephen’s first four films Billy Elliot, The Hours, The Reader and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close together received 19 Academy Award® nominations and two wins. His film, Trash, set in the favellas of Rio de Janeiro, was nominated for Best Film Not In The English Language at the 2015 BAFTAs. He also directed The Audience and Skylight to critical acclaim both in London and on Broadway with Skylight winning a Tony award for Best Revival. Stephen has previously directed for BBC Radio and Television. He is Executive Producer and Director on the highly acclaimed Netflix series The Crown by Peter Morgan, which won Best Drama Series at the Golden Globes. Stephen was Creative Executive Producer of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Justin Martin previously directed Last Chance with Good Chance Theatre at the Young Vic in 2016. Theatre includes: Low Level Panic (Old Fitz Theatre, Sydney; Galway Theatre Festival and Irish National Tour), Street (Mick Laly Theatre), The Black Balloon (in development), Harvey and Frieda (Arcola Theatre), Far Away and Skintight (fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne), The Kitchen (HMS Theatre, Vic), Echarcissus (Natya Mandala Theatre) and Billie (The Studio, Sydney Opera House and La Mama). As Associate Director: Inheritance (Young Vic/Scott Rudin - workshop), Skylight (West End, Broadway), The Audience (West End, Broadway), Let The Right One In (National Theatre Of Scotland, The Royal Court, Apollo Theatre, St Anne's Warehouse), Billy Elliot (New York, Toronto, Brazil, Chicago, North America Tour, Korea and Australia) and The Give and Take (Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company). Television credits includes: The Crown (Series 1 and 2)

Miriam Buether’s theatre and dance credits include: To Kill a Mockingbird, Three Tall Women, A Doll’s House 2 (Broadway); Escaped Alone (Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York); Machinal, Albion, Boy, When the Rain Stops Falling, Judgement Day (Almeida Theatre); The Jungle (also West End and New York), The Trial, Public Enemy, Wild Swans, The Government Inspector, In the Red and Brown Water, The Good Soul of Szechuan, Generations (Young Vic); Get Santa!, Sucker Punch, Cock, In the Republic of Happiness (Royal Court Theatre) The Children, Escaped Alone, Love and Information (RCT and New York); Sunny Afternoon, Chariots of Fire (Hampstead Theatre and West End), Bend it Like Beckham (West End); The Father (Theatre Royal Bath); The Effect, Earthquakes in London (National Theatre); Six Characters in Search of an Author (Chichester Festival Theatre / West End); Red Demon, The Bee (Young Vic / Japan); Guantanamo: “Honor Bound to Defend Freedom” (Tricycle Theatre / West End / New York / San Francisco), Frame of View (Cedar Lake, New York). Opera includes: La Fanciulla Del West (ENO and Santa Fe Opera); Turandot, Wozzeck (ENO); Suor Angelica (Royal Opera House); Anna Nicole (Royal Opera House and New York), The Death of Klinghoffer (Edinburgh Festival / Scottish Opera).

National Theatre The National Theatre’s mission is to make world class theatre that’s entertaining, challenging and inspiring – and to make it for everyone. It aims to reach the widest possible audience and to be as inclusive, diverse and national as possible with a broad range of productions that play in London, on tour around the UK, on Broadway and across the globe. The National Theatre's extensive UK-wide learning and participation programme supports young people’s creative education through performance and writing programmes like Connections, New Views and Let’s Play. Its major new initiative Public Acts creates extraordinary acts of theatre and community; the first Public Acts production was 2018’s Pericles. The National Theatre extends its reach through digital programmes including NT Live, which broadcasts some of the best of British theatre to over 2,500 venues in 65 countries, and the free streaming service On Demand In Schools, used by nearly 60% of UK state secondary schools. The National Theatre invests in the future of theatre by developing talent, creating bold new work and building audiences, partnering with a range of UK theatres and theatre companies. In New York, NT America collaborates with the U.S. theatre community and produces the National Theatre’s productions for Broadway, Off-Broadway and on tour. Recent work on Broadway includes Angels in America and Network currently playing at the Belasco Theatre. Other recent work in the US includes Off-Broadway: People, Places & Things (St. Ann’s Warehouse) and The Jungle, a Good Chance Theatre and Young Vic co-production, at St Ann’s Warehouse. The Lehman Trilogy will transfer to the Park Avenue Armory for a limited run in March 2019.

Young Vic Based on The Cut in London’s Waterloo, we produce new plays, classics, musicals, adaptations of books, short films, digital projects and game changing forms of theatre. We attract large audiences from many different backgrounds, and forge deep connections in our neighbourhood where we provide extensive free activities. For many years the Young Vic has been synonymous with inclusivity, accessibility and creativity. We foster emerging talent and collaborate with some of the world’s finest directors, performers and creatives; creating productions that say much about the world we live in.

The Young Vic’s Supporters: The Young Vic receives public subsidy from Arts Council England and Lambeth & Southwark Borough Councils. www.youngvic.org

Sonia Friedman Productions Sonia Friedman Productions (SFP) is a West End and Broadway production company responsible for some of the most successful theatre productions in London and New York.

Since 1990, SFP has developed, initiated and produced over 160 new productions and together they have won a staggering 48 Olivier Awards including a record-breaking 14 at the 2014 Awards. In 2017, SFP won 9 Olivier Awards for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the most awards ever received by a single production in Oliviers’ history. The company has also won 24 Tonys and 2 BAFTAs.

In 2017, Sonia Friedman OBE was awarded 'Producer of the Year' at the Stage Awards for the third year in a row as well as taking the number one spot in 'The Stage 100', becoming the first number one in the history of the compilation not to own or operate West End theatres and the first solo woman for almost 20 years. In 2018, Friedman was also featured in TIME100, a list of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.

West End and Broadway productions include: the UK premiere of The Book of Mormon, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London and New York, The Ferryman at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, New York, Mean Girls at the August Wilson Theatre, New York, The Jungle at St Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn, The Inheritance, Summer and Smoke, Dreamgirls, The Jungle at the Playhouse Theatre, London, Consent, The Birthday Party, Ink, Hamlet starring Andrew Scott, Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, The Ferryman Royal Court and Gielgud Theatre, London, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Travesties, The Glass Menagerie, Nice Fish, A Christmas Carol, Funny Girl, Farinelli and The King, Hamlet starring Benedict Cumberbatch, 1984, Sunny Afternoon, Bend It Like Beckham, The Nether, The River, Electra, King Charles III, Shakespeare in Love, Ghosts, Mojo, Chimerica, Merrily We Roll Along, Old Times, Twelfth Night and Richard III, A Chorus of Disapproval, The Sunshine Boys, Hay Fever, Absent Friends, Top Girls, Betrayal, Much Ado About Nothing, Clybourne Park, The Children’s Hour, A Flea in Her Ear, La Bête, All My Sons, Private Lives, Jerusalem, A Little Night Music, Legally Blonde, Othello, Arcadia, The Mountaintop, The Norman Conquests, A View From the Bridge, Dancing at Lughnasa, Maria Friedman: Re-Arranged, La Cage aux Folles, No Man’s Land, The Seagull, Under the Blue Sky, That Face, Dealer’s Choice, Hergés Adventures of Tintin, In Celebration, Boeing-Boeing, The Dumb Waiter, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Love Song, Faith Healer, Bent, Eh Joe, Donkeys’ Years, Otherwise Engaged, Celebration, Shoot the Crow, As You Like It, The Home Place, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, By the Bog of Cats, The Woman in White, Guantanamo: ‘Honor Bound to Defend Freedom’, Endgame, Jumpers, See You Next Tuesday, Hitchcock Blonde, Absolutely! {Perhaps}, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Ragtime, Macbeth, What the Night Is For, Afterplay, Up for Grabs, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, Noises Off, On an Average Day, A Servant to Two Masters, Port Authority, Spoonface Steinberg and Speed-The-Plow.

Forthcoming productions include: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Curran, San Francisco, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at Mehr! Theatre am Großmarkt, Hamburg.

For a full list of SFP’s theatre credits, please visit soniafriedman.com.

Curran The Curran’s official reopening in 2016, following an extensive, two-year, top-to-bottom renovation, became one of the most widely discussed and covered cultural happenings in San Francisco. A key component of the national movement to renovate and revitalize America’s great culture palaces from coast-to-coast, the Curran’s impact has resonated far beyond the seven square miles of its hometown.

The Curran’s impact extends to the Bay Area’s education system, with a strong emphasis on student-focused initiatives and programming, including hosting student performances of HEAD OVER HEELS, ECLIPSED and THE ENCOUNTER, as well as presenting the first ever amateur performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s SCHOOL OF ROCK: THE MUSICAL, which were performed entirely by the students of Oakland School for the Arts.

SFCURRAN.com

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