PRESS CONTACTS: Anna Mills Russell, 240.644.1386 [email protected] Sarah Pressler Randall, 240.644.1387 [email protected] ROUND HOUSE THEATRE CONTINUES ITS 2018-2019 SEASON WITH PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING DRAMA HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE Performances run October 10 to November 4, 2018 “A lovely, harrowing guide to the crippling persistence of one woman's memories.” – The New York Times Bethesda, Md. (September 13, 2018) – Round House Theatre continues its 2018- 2019 Season with Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive, directed by Amber Paige McGinnis. How I Learned to Drive runs from October 10 to November 4, 2018. Press night is October 15, 2018. Please see below for complete program details and ticket information. In How I Learned to Drive, Li'l Bit, an adult survivor of sexual abuse, tells the audience about her experience growing up in Beltsville, Maryland in the 1960s. Living in a close-knit but politically incorrect household, she finds comfort in spending time with her uncle even after the line of appropriate behavior is crossed. Li'l Bit reflects upon particular moments of her past with a compassionate and insightful perspective and the help of a modern day Greek chorus to examine how our lives are shaped by those who hurt us. Content Advisory: This production contains scenes depicting acts of sexual abuse, incest, and its aftermath. The cast includes Peter O’Connor (The Aliens at Studio Theatre), Daven Ralston (The Winter’s Tale at Folger Theatre), Emily Townley (Sisterhood), and Resident Artist Craig Wallace (“Master Harold”… and the Boys). Helen Hayes winner Alyssa 1 Wilmoth Keegan (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) completes the cast as she returns to Round House to star as Li’l Bit. Director Amber Paige McGinnis (Girl in the Red Corner at The Welders, the feature film International Falls) makes her Round House directoral debut with this Putitzer Prize-winning drama that remains revelant in this transformative time of #MeToo. The artistic team includes Scenic Designer Paige Hathaway, Costume Designer Ivania Stack, Lighting Designer Colin K. Bills, and Projections Designer Zak Borovay. Tickets may be purchased by calling 240.644.1100, ordering online at RoundHouseTheatre.org, or in person at the box office. Round House Theatre is located at 4545 East-West Highway, one block from Wisconsin Avenue and the Bethesda station on Metro’s Red Line. CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM Paula Vogel (Playwright) has written How I Learned to Drive (Pulitzer Prize, New York Drama Critics Award, Obie Award, Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and many more.) Other plays include A Civil War Christmas, The Long Christmas Ride Home, The Mineola Twins, Hot ‘N’ Throbbin, The Baltimore Waltz, Desdemona, And Baby Makes Seven, and The Oldest Profession. Her plays have been produced by Second Stage, New York Theatre Workshop, the Vineyard Theatre, Roundabout, and Circle Repertory Company. Her plays have been produced regionally all over the country at the Center Stage, Intiman, Trinity Repertory, Woolly Mammoth, Huntington Theatre, Magic Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, Dallas Theatre Berkeley Repertory, and Alley Theatres to name a few. Harrogate Theatre and the Donmar Theatre have produced her work in England. Her plays have been produced in Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand as well as translated and produced in Italy, Germany, Taiwan, South Africa, Australia, Romania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Poland Slovenia, Canada, Portugal, France, Greece, Japanese, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Brazil and other countries. Amber Paige McGinnis (Director) is a Maryland-based theatre and film director. She recently started her own production company, Outskirt Media, where she self- produced her first feature film, International Falls, starring Rachael Harris, Rob Huebel, and Kevin Nealon. Her local theatre credits include The Welders: Girl in the Red Corner (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Original New Play); Constellation Theatre: Equus (Helen Hayes Nomination, Outstanding Production); Forum Theatre: 2 Dry Land (Helen Hayes Nomination, Outstanding Direction); Theatre J: The Last Night of Ballyhoo; Keegan Theatre: Top Girls; National Players Tour: The Great Gatsby; Flying V Theatre: Lobster Alice, The Oregon Trail; Pinky Swear Productions: The Last Burlesque; WSC Avant Bard: Orlando; and collaborations with the Folger Theatre, Olney Theater Center, The Source Festival, Rorschach Theatre, and an upcoming production of Dancing at Lughnasa at Everyman Theatre. Amber holds an MFA in Directing from Baylor University and was the recent recipient of the Richard Bauer Emerging Artist Award. Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan (Li’l Bit) is thrilled to be back at Round House Theatre. Previous credits include Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (Helen Hayes winner: Best Lead Actress in a play) and Susannah in Becky Shaw. Other DC credits include: Gloria and Botticelli In The Fire at Woolly Mammoth Theatre; Digging Up Dessa at Kennedy Center; The Return at Mosaic Theater; Fickle: A Fancy French Farce and Bad Dog (Helen Hayes Award nomination Outstanding Ensemble) at Olney Theatre Center; Come From Away (Helen Hayes Award nomination, Best Supporting Actress in a Musical; Helen Hayes Award winner, Outstanding Ensemble) at Ford’s Theatre; The Night Fairy at Imagination Stage; Richard III at Folger Theater; Late: A Cowboy Song and Stop Kiss at No Rules Theater Co.; Contractions at Studio Theater; The History Of Invulnerability at Theater J; The Container at Baltimore Center Stage; and more than 30 productions including 15 of Shakespeare’s canon at American Shakespeare Center. Broadway: Thomas the Tank Engine Live On Stage; Off- Broadway: Agamemnon at LaMama. Education: M.F.A. Academy for Classical Acting, Shakespeare Theater. Peter O’Connor (Uncle Peck) is making his Round House Theatre debut. Previous DC theatre credits include The Aliens (Studio Theatre, dir. Lila Neugebauer). Selected Off-Broadway credits include Little Rock (Sheen Center, dir. Marshall Jones III), A Patron of the Arts (Cherry Lane, dir. Mike Donohue), The Flick (Barrow Street, dir. Sam Gold), Jailbait (Obie award, Chery Lane, dir. Suzie Agins), other NYC: Beyond the Horizon, Richard II, and All's Well that Ends Well. Selected Regional credits include Smart People (Long Wharf, dir. Desdemona Chiang), Chinglish (Portland Center Stage & Syracuse Stage, dir. May Adrales), The Aliens (San Francisco PH, dir. Lila Neugebauer), and The May Queen. Select TV/Film credits include Billy Rogers on "Public Morals" (TNT, Spielberg/Ed Burns), Flesh & Bone (Starz) “Mercy” (NBC), “Law & Order” (NBC), “Ed,” (NBC), Frat Star (Netflix), The Last Treasure Hunt (Netflix), St. Michael on Grand Theft Auto, Liberty City. 3 Daven Ralston (Teenage Greek Chorus) is making her debut performance with Round House Theatre. Select DC area theater credits include: The Winter's Tale and As You Like It at Folger Theatre; Everything is Illuminated at Theatre J; Top Girls, and The Bockety World of Henry and Bucket at Keegan Theatre; Wonderland: Alice's Rock and Roll Adventure at Imagination Stage; Three Sisters, No Sisters at Studio Theatre; The Magi at Hub Theatre; A Bid to Save the World at Rorschach Theatre; Wild Sky at Solas Nua (company member); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Friendship Betrayed, and The Madwoman of Chaillot at WSC Avant Bard; Space Bop, and Snow Day at Arts on the Horizon; and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at PG County Shakespeare Festival. Daven can be seen next in Once at Olney Theatre Center. Emily Townley (Female Chorus) is delighted to return to Round House after appearing in Sisterhood under the direction of Daniel Fish. She is a Company Member at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company where her favorite performances include roles in HIR, The Arsonists, The Totalitarians (Helen Hayes nomination), Detroit, Bright New Boise, Maria/Stuart, The House of Gold, Spain, Fuddy Meers, Wonder of the World and Watbanaland. Other DC credits include Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet at the Shakespeare Theatre Company; The Mystery of Love and Sex at Signature Theatre; Bad Dog at Olney Theatre Center; Between Riverside and Crazy, Laugh, Skin Tight, Rock N' Roll and The Bright and Bold Design at Studio Theatre; and The Gaming Table and The Tempest at the Folger Theatre. She has also performed locally for the Washington Stage Guild, the Kennedy Center, Metro Stage, Freedom Stage, Everyman Theatre, and Rep Stage. Regionally, she was seen in All My Sons and The Game's Afoot for Gulfshore Playhouse. Emily can next be seen as Maria in Olney Theatre’s upcoming production of A Comedy of Tenors. Craig Wallace (Male Greek Chorus) is excited to return to Round House Theatre for this production. Craig's past performances at Round House include“Master Harold”…and the Boys, Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3, Stage Kiss, Permanent Collection, and The Little Prince. Local credits include performances at Ford's Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Folger Theatre and others. Regionally, Craig has been on stages all over the country including Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and Shakespeare Santa Cruz. CALENDAR INFORMATION How I Learned to Drive By Paula Vogel 4 Directed by Amber Paige McGinnis Featuring Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan, Peter O’Connor, Daven Ralston, Emily Townley, and Craig Wallace. The artistic team includes Scenic Designer Paige Hathaway, Lighting Designer Colin K. Bills, Costume Designer Ivania Stack, and Projections Designer Zak Borovay. WHERE: Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway in Bethesda (one block from Wisconsin Ave. and Metro’s Bethesda station) For directions, parking, and public transportation info, visit RoundHouseTheatre.org/visit-us/ ABOUT THE PLAY: Paula Vogel’s chronicle of one woman’s journey to break the cycle—and silence—of sexual abuse is a heartbreaking, sardonic, and uncomfortably funny exploration of the complicated relationships between victims, offenders, and enablers. Li’l Bit’s “education” at the hands of her Uncle Peck began when she was just 11 years old.