PRESS RELEASE for IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, April 19, 2012 CONTACT: Patrick Finlon, Marketing Director 315-443-2636 Or [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE for IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, April 19, 2012 CONTACT: Patrick Finlon, Marketing Director 315-443-2636 Or Pjfinlon@Syr.Edu

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, April 19, 2012 CONTACT: Patrick Finlon, Marketing Director 315-443-2636 or [email protected]

Flights of Poetry, Music and Dance in The Brothers Size A Timeless and Contemporary Tale of Filial Love Put to the Test

(Syracuse, NY)—Tarell Alvin McCraney is an exciting new voice in American Theatre and his award-winning The Brothers Size proves why. In the Louisiana bayou, big brother Ogun Size is hardworking and steady. Younger brother Oshoosi is just out of prison and aimless. Elegba, Oshoosi’s old prison mate, is a mysterious complication. A simple circle defines a world that begins in ritual and evolves into a tough and tender drama of what it means to brother and be brothered. Flights of poetry, music, dance and West African mythology combine in a contemporary tale that explores the tenuousness of freedom and the need to belong somewhere, to something, to someone.

Performances of The Brothers Size started April 18 and will continue through May 12 in the Storch 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. Family Guide: The Brothers Size contains strong adult language, discussions of sexuality, and sexual gestures. Recommended for high school and up.

Sponsors are the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and the Syracuse Stage Board of Trustees. Media sponsors are Urban CNY and WAER. Syracuse Stage’s 2011-2012 season sponsors are The Post-Standard and Time Warner Cable.

“The Brothers Size is a play that’s very much about sibling love,” said Timothy Bond, Director and Producing Artistic Director of Syracuse Stage. “The younger brother has to find his way. What must the older brother do to empower him so that he can move forward in his life? Does that mean letting go? This kind of family relationship and conflict cuts across cultures. It’s universal.”

To emphasize the universal aspect of his contemporary story, playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney infuses elements that reflect the Yoruba culture of West Africa. A drumbeat initiates action and helps propel the story forward, physical movement accents and explores emotional connections, and the three characters are named after orishas, or Yoruba divinities.

Ogun Size, played by Joshua Elijah Reese, is the older brother Size named after the spirit of iron and labor. Oshoosi Size, played by Rodrick Covington, is the younger brother Size named after the spirit of the forest and a wanderer. Elegba, played by Sam Encarnación, is a friend of the brothers named after the spirit of chaos and the god of the crossroads, a go-between between this world and the world beyond. 1

In a further exploration of language and communication, the ritual of theatre itself is invoked as McCraney has the actors speak and act out the stage directions. The effect, according to Timothy Bond, is to bring the audience closer to the performers and make them more active participants.

“In the same way a soliloquy in Shakespeare brings us closer to the emotional or mental state of say Hamlet, having the characters speak the stage directions gives us an inside look at what’s going on with them,” said Bond.

Having mentored with August Wilson at Yale, McCraney’s unique voice has been described as poetic, profane, soulful, right, fresh, and mind-blowing. He is best known for his acclaimed trilogy, The Brother/Sister Plays, which includes The Brothers Size, In the Red and Brown Water, and Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet. From 2008 to 2010 he was the International Playwright in Residence at London’s Royal Shakespeare Company. He received the inaugural New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award, as well as the inaugural Paula Vogel Playwriting Award. Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where he is an ensemble member, will produce the world premiere of his commissioned play, Head of Passes, in the spring of 2013.

SYRACUSE TO SOUTH AFRICA

Following its run at Syracuse Stage, The Brothers Size will move to leading theatres in South Africa, made possible by support from the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation. Performances will run May 18 – June 9 at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town, and June 15 – July 1 at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg. In addition to the performances in Johannesburg and Cape Town, the actors, Timothy Bond and Jeffrey Woodward will participate in a number of cultural exchange sessions with South African audiences, artists and arts administrators. Follow the transfer from Syracuse to South Africa on the actors’ blog, www.SyracusetoSouthAfrica.org.

SPECIAL EVENTS

TUES, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. M&T Bank Pay-What-You-Can Night $9 suggested donation to watch the final dress rehearsal. Tickets available at the Syracuse Stage Box Office on day of show starting at 10 a.m. Call 315-443-3275.

THUR, April 19, 6 p.m. Jazz Vocal Project Live music before the 7:30 p.m. show featuring SU Drama student vocalists and the Bill Horrace Trio.

FRI, April 20 LIVE in the Sutton Series A post-show party in the Sutton Pavilion following the 8 p.m. opening night performance with drinks, complimentary food, and live music.

SAT, April 21 at 5 p.m. Discussion with playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney Located in the Storch Theatre, moderated by Timothy Bond. Free and open to the public.

WED, April 25 Jazz Vocal Project Live music entertainment starts at 6 p.m. by the Jazz Vocal Project, featuring SU Drama student vocalists with the Bill Horrace Trio.

THUR, April 26 Happy Hour Series Half-price drinks 6:30-7:30 p.m., before the 7:30 p.m. performance.

SAT, April 28 at 3 p.m. Welch Allyn Sign Interpreted Performance Series In Memory of Susan Thompson

SUN, April 29 Actor Talkback Series Meet the actors after the 7:00 p.m. performance.

SAT, May 6 at 2 p.m. Gifford Open Captioned Series Open captioned 2 p.m. performance.

SAT, May 6 at 4 p.m. Cinema Syracuse Presents The Gods Must Be Crazy Located in the Storch Theatre. Free and open to the public. https://www.facebook.com/events/127795847344857/

WED, May 9 at 2 p.m. Gifford Open Captioned Series Open captioned 2 p.m. performance.

WED, May 9 Wednesday @ 1 Lecture Series A 1 p.m. lecture, located in the Sutton Pavilion, before the 2 p.m. performance.

SAT, May 12 at 3 p.m. Audio Described Series 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

3 member of The League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the largest professional theatre association in the country.

Info Sheet

BASIC INFO

The Brothers Size By Tarell Alvin McCraney Directed by Timothy Bond Choreographed by Patdro Harris

April 18—May 12, 2012 Storch Theatre at Syracuse Stage 820 East Genesee Street; Syracuse, NY 13210