2015 World Builders by Johnna Adams • Everything You Touch by Sheila Callaghan • On Clover Road by Steven Dietz • WE ARE PUSSY RIOT by Barbara Hammond • The Full Catastrophe by Michael Weller 2014 The Ashes Under Gait City by Christina Anderson • One Night by Charles Fuller • Uncanny Valley by Thomas Gibbons • North of the Boulevard by Bruce Graham • Dead and Breathing by Chisa Hutchinson 2013 A Discourse on the Wonders of the Invisbile World by Liz Duffy Adams • Modern Terrorism, or They Who Want to Kill Us and How We Learn to Love Them by Jon Kern • H2O by Jane Martin • Heartless by Sam Shepard • Scott and Hem in the Garden of Allah by Mark St. Germain 2012 Gidion’s Knot by Johnna Adams • The Exceptionals by Bob Clyman • In a Forest, Dark and Deep by Neil LaBute • Captors by Evan M. Wiener • Barcelona by Bess Wohl 2011 From Prague by Kyle Bradstreet • Race by David Mamet • Ages of the Moon by Sam Shepard • We Are Here by Tracy Thorne • The Insurgents by Lucy Thurber 2010 The Eelwax Jesus 3-D Pop Music Show by Max Baker & Lee Sellars • Lidless by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig • Breadcrumbs by Jennifer Haley • Inana by Michele Lowe • White People by J.T. Rogers 2009 The History of Light by Eisa Davis • Yankee Tavern by Steven Dietz • Dear Sara Jane by Victor Lodato • Fifty Words by Michael Weller • Farragut North by Beau Willimon 2008 Stick Fly by Lydia R. Diamond • A View of the Harbor by Richard Dresser • Pig Farm by Greg Kotis • WRECKS by Neil LaBute • The Overwhelming by J.T. Rogers 2007 Lonesome Hollow by Lee Blessing • My Name is Rachel Corrie from the writings of Rachel Corrie, edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner • The Pursuit of Happiness by contemporaryamericantheaterAT SHEPHERDfestival UNIVERSITY Richard Dresser • 1001 by Jason Grote 2006 Augusta by Richard Dresser 25TH SEASON • JUL 10 - AUG 2, 2015 Jazzland by Keith Glover Mr. Marmalade by Noah Haidle • Sex, Death and the Beach Baby by Kim Merrill 2005 Sonia Flew by Melinda Lopez • The God of Hell by Sam Shepard • American Tet by Lydia Stryk • Father Joy by Sheri Wilner 2004 Flag Day by Lee Blessing • Rounding Third by Richard Dresser • Homeland Security by Stuart Flack • The Rose of Corazon by Keith Glover 2003 Whores by Lee Blessing • Bright Ideas by Eric Coble • The Last Schwartz by Deborah Zoe Laufer • Wilder by Erin Cressida Wilson 2002 Thief River by Lee Blessing • Silence of God by Catherine Filloux • The Late Henry Moss by Sam Shepard • Orange Flower Water by Craig Wright 2001 Tape by Stephen Belber • The Occupation by Harry Newman • The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa by John Olive • The Pavilion by Craig Wright 2000 Something in the Air by Richard Dresser • Mary and Myra by Catherine Filloux • Miss Golden Dreams, A Play Cycle by Joyce Carol Oates Hunger by Sheri Wilner 1999 Coyote on a Fence by Bruce Graham • Compleat Female Stage Beauty by Jeffrey Hatcher • Tatjana in Color by Julia Jordan • The Water Children by Wendy MacLeod 1998 Gun-Shy by Richard Dresser • Interesting Times by Preston Foerder • Carry the Tiger to the Mountain by Cherylene Lee • BAFO by Tom Strelich 1997 Lighting Up the Two Year Old by Benjie Aerenson • Below the Belt by Richard Dresser Demonology by Kelly Stuart • 1996 Tough Choices for the New Century by Jane Anderson • The Nina Variations by Steven Dietz • The Nose by Elizabeth Egloff • Octopus by Jon Klein • Bad Girls by Joyce Carol Oates 1995 Betty the Yeti by Jon Klein • Maggie’s Riff by Jon Lipsky • Psyche Was Here by Lynn Martin • Voir Dire by Joe Sutton 1994 What are Tuesdays Like? by Victor Bumbalo • Shooting Simone by Lynne Kaufman • Spike Heels by Theresa Rebeck • Forgiving Typhoid Mary by Mark St. Germain 1993 A Contemporary Masque by Stephen Bennett • Dream House by Darrah Cloud • Alabama Rain by Heather McCutchen • Black by Joyce Carol Oates • 1992 The Baby Dance by Jane Anderson • The Swan by Elizabeth Egloff • Still Waters by Lynn Martin • Static by Ben Siegler 1991 Accelerando by Lisa Loomer • Welcome to the Moon by John Patrick Shanley THANK YOU ACTORS’ EQUITY FOUNDATION The 2015 season is supported, in BB&T part, by the following foundations, THE CLEVELAND FOUNDATION corporations, institutions, and governmental agencies: THE HAROLD AND MIMI STEINBERG CHARITABLE TRUST IANTHOM FOUNDATION JEFFERSON SECURITY BANK LAURENTS/HATCHER FOUNDATION NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK THE NORA ROBERTS FOUNDATION PGPRESENTS, LLC SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION THE SHUBERT FOUNDATION THE TED SNOWDON FOUNDATION THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA Proudly affiliated with: Actors’ Equity Association, United Scenic STEPTOE & JOHNSON Artists, Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, National UNITED WAY OF THE EASTERN PANHANDLE New Play Network, and Theatre THE VENTUROUS THEATER FUND OF Communications Group (TCG). THE TIDES FOUNDATION THE WEISSBERG FOUNDATION WEST VIRGINIA COMMISSION ON THE ARTS WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF TOURISM WEST VIRGINIA HUMANITIES COUNCIL MISSION TO PRODUCE AND DEVELOP NEW AMERICAN THEATER THE VISION THE ULTIMATE THEATER EXPERIENCE CORE VALUES FEARLESS ART; DARING AND DIVERSE STORIES; A PROFOUND DYNAMIC AMONG THE AUDIENCE, THE ARTIST, AND THE WORK FEARLESS25 ART contemporaryamericantheaterAT SHEPHERDfestival UNIVERSITY ED HERENDEEN TABLE OF CONTENTS Founder & Producing Director PEGGY MCKOWEN CATF INSTITUTIONAL FUNDERS Inside Front Cover Associate Producing Director LETTER FROM THE PRODUCING DIRECTOR 4 GABRIEL ZUCKER LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD 6 Managing Director BOARD OF TRUSTEES 8 JOSHUA MIDGETT LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY 10 General Manager 2015 CATF COMPANY LIST 12 MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS 14 Contemporary American Theater Festival at SUPPORT CATF 16 Shepherd University THE REPERTORY AND PROGRAM NOTES: P.O. Box 429 WORLD BUILDERS 18 Shepherdstown, WV 25443 EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH 20 ON CLOVER ROAD 22 800-999-CATF www.catf.org WE ARE PUSSY RIOT 24 CATFatSU THE FULL CATASTROPHE 26 @thinktheater ABOUT THE 2015 COMPANY 38 ART AT THE FESTIVAL 62 LECTURES AND SPECIAL EVENTS 64, 66 IN-KIND SUPPORTERS 68 INTERN PROGRAM 70 2015 WEISSBERG FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 71 2015 SHIRLEY A. MARINOFF EDUCATION FUND 71 CATF PREFERRED PARTNERS 72, 74 CATF CONTRIBUTORS CONT’D 76 PLAYWRIGHTS 1991-2015 78 ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 79 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE 80 2 pleased BUSINESS | EMPLOYMENT | ENERGY | LITIGATION www.steptoe-johnson.com Susan S. Brewer, CEO this is an advertisement From the Founder & Producing Director ED HERENDEEN I want to personally welcome you to our 25th Anniversary Season. We are thrilled that you are here to experience our 2015 Repertory of five compelling, new American plays plucked from over 100 literary agent submissions. I hope that you will immerse yourself in this enhanced repertory experience. Immerse yourself in the power of story and become an active participant in our creative process. Twenty-five years ago, the Contemporary American Theater Festival presented its very first season. We began that season with a head full of ideas, a heart full of ambitious dreams and a belly full of fire. Those same ideals and our passion for developing and producing new American theater have guided us to this point. For 25 years we have shared this vision with you. We believe that theater, good theater…serious theater ED HERENDEEN — should construct a vision of the human condition that reveals to us a new understanding of ourselves. What can be more important than that? The stage, the live theater experience, illuminates the truth and is absolutely essential for anyone interested in ideas and the power of story. Twenty-five years ago, the Contemporary American Theater Festival created a home for new American theater outside the glare of the urban spotlight. Our geography is important to us because we have found an artistic home for making contemporary theater in this historic village on the banks of the Potomac River. We love our geography and we love making theater in West Virginia. We are a work in progress…constantly changing and growing and refining our process and clarifying our vision. We think theater — we talk theater — we make theater — we pioneer and curate ambitious new theater. On behalf of our extraordinary Board of Trustees and our 2015 playwrights — Johnna Adams, Sheila Callaghan, Steven Dietz, Barbara Hammond, and Michael Weller — I want to personally welcome you to our 25th Anniversary Season. I am counting on your continued support in 2016 when we begin the Contemporary American Theater Festival’s next 25-year journey. Enjoy! 4 Thank You SUZANNE SHIPLEY For your outstanding leadership and support for the future of the American Theater at Shepherd University. Ed Herendeen, the CATF Board of Trustees, and the CATF Staff & Company Welcome from the President of the CATF Board of Trustees RB SEEM “We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” —Kurt Vonnegut WELCOME to the Contemporary American Theater Festival’s 25th Season of Fearless Art. This season is going to be an extraordinary journey of New American Plays and we’re so happy that you have chosen to take that journey with us! For 25 years CATF RB SEEM has been producing America’s newest plays here, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, on the campus of Shepherd University. My sincere appreciation goes out to the staff, the University, the playwrights, the artists, the designers, our supporters and the Board of Trustees—these people make it happen! Be prepared to be challenged. This summer is about being part of a community of people that believe that the art doesn’t end when the curtain falls…instead, that it is just the beginning. Be prepared to have conversations you never thought you would have with friends, family, strangers and the artists. Finally, be prepared to be curious.