Weekend of Wasserstein: Six Short Plays

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DUE TO THE FORECAST FOR RAIN THIS PROGRAM WILL NOW TAKE PLACE INDOORS IN THE JOHN DREW THEATER.

With consideration for the safety of guests and staff, when attending any indoor John Drew Theater program guests must show proof of full vaccination. At this time, only fully vaccinated guests are permitted to attend programs in the indoor theater, with the exception of children under the age of 12. Scroll down for more info.


WEEKEND OF WASSERSTEIN
Six Short Plays with Music

Directed by Jackson Gay
Dramaturg: Erika Rundle
Musical Director: Bobby Peterson
Costumes: Fabian Aguilar
Cast: Joanna Feuer, Frank Harts, Quinn Jackson, Nate Janis, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Addison Takefman, Shelley Thomas, Georgia Warner

This program will feature six short plays with music – Bette and Me, Tender Offer, Workout, Medea, Boy Meets Girl, and The Man in a Case.

Run time: Approx. 75-90 minutes

During her prolific career, which spanned nearly four decades, playwright Wendy Wasserstein wrote eleven plays, winning a Tony Award, a Pulitzer Prize, a New York Drama Critics Circle Award, a Drama Desk Award, and an Outer Critics Circle Award. She was also a member of Guild Hall’s Academy of the Arts, where she accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. Her stunning accomplishments include such monumental works as The Heidi Chronicles, The Sisters Rosensweig and An American Daughter; along with a robust assortment of shorter, lesser known plays that all manage to capture her uniquely warm, irreverent and very human voice. We are delighted to present this mini-fest of Wendy’s plays – two separate, distinctive evenings filled with smart and shining treats from the voice of one of America’s most beloved playwrights, and a great friend and neighbor to Guild Hall.

June 5th will feature a staged reading of The Heidi Chronicles, with a talkback led by Erika Rundle


*IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING PROGRAMS INDOORS IN THE JOHN DREW THEATER

Guests attending any indoor John Drew Theater program must show proof of full vaccination. At this time, only fully vaccinated guests are permitted to attend programs in the indoor theater. Children under 12 do not require vaccination.

In order to attend programs indoors in the John Drew Theater, guests will be responsible for displaying proof of one of the following on arrival*:

  • Completed vaccination card or digital application proving both doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been received at least 14 days prior to the day of the program.
  • Current Clear Pass or New York State Excelsior Pass with proof of full vaccination. Click HERE to download the free Excelsior Pass app for seamless entry.

*In accordance with current New York State guidelines, fully vaccinated attendees may be spaced directly next to one another at 100 percent capacity instead of 6 feet apart. Masks are optional. Venues must verify vaccination status to take advantage of reduced social distancing requirements. Children under the age of 12 who are not yet vaccine eligible, and under the age of 16 who have not yet been able to be vaccinated, may accompany and be seated with a vaccinated adult.

Updated as of June 3, 2021.

  • Jackson Gay

    Jackson Gay is a freelance theater director, writer and co-Producing Artistic Director of New Neighborhood https://www.newneighborhood.net. New Neighborhood recently joined forces with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and The Commissary to produce Why Would I Dare:  The Trial of Crystal Mason. In collaboration with Dan Butler and DMNDR, New Neighborhood produced the first 24-hour reading of Filibustered and Unfiltered: America Reads the Mueller Report which inspired more than a dozen other events across the country. Featured everywhere from the Los Angeles Times (“a live-theater summer sensation!”) to Breitbart News (“the single most boring and pointless way to waste your time!”), the tidal wave of public readings reached its apex when it was name-checked in Congress during Robert Mueller’s nationally televised public testimony. Jackson’s directing work includes Lucy Thurber’s Transfers for Audible, MCC and New York Stage & Film; The Seagull (Juilliard); Kleptocracy by Kenneth Lin (Arena Stage); These Paper Bullets! by Rolin Jones with music by Billie Joe Armstrong (New Neighborhood, Atlantic, Geffen, Yale Rep - Critics Pick Time Out NY, Best Production and Adaptation LA Sage Awards, Time Out Los Angeles, Connecticut Critics Circle Award Best Production and Best Director). Jackson is working with Wendy Weckwerth on a book project and is a 2021 Guild Hall Artist-in-Residence in East Hampton, NY.

    Artist-in-Residence (Winter 2021)

     

  • Erika Rundle

    Erika Rundle is a writer, dramaturg, and translator.

    Her translation of French playwright Marie Ndiaye’s Hilda, directed by Carey Perloff and starring Patricia Clarkson, was produced by the Public Theater, the American Conservatory Theatre, The Play Company, and the Studio Theatre, and her adaptation of Richard Brautigan’s novel In Watermelon Sugar was performed at The Culture Project.

    She was the dramaturg for Guild Hall’s recent “Weekend of Wasserstein,” and has previously worked at HERE, Lincoln Center, 3-Legged Dog, The Play Company, Prospect Theatre Company, Theatre for a New Audience, Ontological-Hysteric Theatre, Waxfactory, Hourglass Group, Yale Repertory Theatre, Yale Cabaret, Rites and Reasons, and BACA Downtown.

    Erika holds an MFA and DFA from the Yale School of Drama, and taught at Mount Holyoke College for 15 years. Her articles and reviews have been published in numerous journals and anthologies.

     

  • Joanna Feuer

    Joanna Feuer (nee Howard), is a native Long Islander and spent many hours of her childhood watching her mother direct plays and concerts at various LI theaters. Joanna began her own professional career at the age of 8, traveling the world in the National Tour of Les Miserables. Since then, she appeared off-Broadway in Peter and the Starcatcher and went on to reprise her role at Milwaukee Rep and Cincinnati Playhouse. Other favorite roles have included “Abigail” in Bay Street’s The Crucible and “Miranda” in Olympia Dukakis’s adaptation of The Tempest at the Alpine Theater Project. In recent years, Joanna has appeared on television in numerous Law & Order: SVU episodes, and the films Broadcasting Christmas (Hallmark Holiday Channel), and A Very Nutty Christmas (Lifetime), both opposite Melissa Joan Hart. Joanna is passionate about music and sings jazz and classical music throughout NY state and is a member of the 3-woman band, The Buttery Barmaids. Currently, Joanna is writing about her transition to singer/farmer with her wonderful husband in rural upstate NY at BrooklynToBarn.com.

  • Frank Harts

    Frank Harts just wrapped two seasons as a series regular on the hit show Prodigal Son for Fox/Warner Brothers Television. Raised in the Midwest, Frank is of mixed heritage with Southern roots on the African-American side and Brooklyn roots on the Irish side.

    Frank went directly from training at Juilliard onto Broadway as George Murchison in the Tony Award-winning production of A Raisin in The Sun. He has also performed leading roles for The Public Theater, Signature, and Lincoln Center.

    On-camera, Frank has worked with notable film directors Spike Lee, Jason Bateman, Jim Jarmusch, Steve McQueen, and Kenneth Branagh.

    Prior to his series regular role on Prodigal Son, Frank recurred or guest-starred on Billions, The Americans, The Leftovers, Blue Bloods, Bull, 30 Rock, and Master of None in the critically-acclaimed episode, “New York, I Love You.”

  • Quinn Jackson

    Quinn Jackson is a New York based actor. Since graduating from the William Esper Two Year Meisner Training Program, Quinn has continued to take master classes in acting and movement and has performed in off-off Broadway plays in NYC as well as at Guild Hall in East Hampton. Most recently, she can be seen on NBC’s The BlackList, and will be debuting as a lead in his first feature film releasing this October. Quinn is proud to sit on the board of the NeoPolitical Cowgirls and is passionate about creating space for stories and voices that need to be heard. Quinn is currently getting her MFA in acting at NYU's grad acting program (2023).

  • Nate Janis

    Nate Janis is a born-and-bred New Yorker and long-time resident of Huntting Lane, East Hampton. As an actor and singer, Nate has performed all over the world and at venues such as Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Recent credits include: Will in tenderly (Guild Hall), Vershinin in Three Sisters (Columbia Stages), Matt in The Fantasticks (Infinity Theatre Company), Casey in The Legend of Georgia McBride (Waterfront Playhouse), Abraham in Bible Stories (Atlantic), and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (White Plains PAC). Training: Yale B.A., William Esper Studio, Columbia M.F.A. Nate is thrilled to be returning to Guild Hall!

     

  • Maria-Christina Oliveras

    Maria-Christina Oliveras is an actor and singer. Dedicated to new works, her career is distinguished by a number of world premieres, including most recently, Kiss My Aztec, a new musical by John Leguizamo, Tony Taccone, Ben Velez and David Kamp.  On Broadway, Maria-Christina originated the role of Gina in Amelie, and also appeared in Machinal and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.   Off-Broadway credits include Romeo and Juliet (The Public), Zorba (City Center/Encores) and the world premieres of Here Lies Love by David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim (The Public; cast album) Pretty Filthy by Bess Wohl and Michael Friedman (The Civilians; cast album), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (The Public), Taylor Mac’s 24 Hour History of Music (St. Ann’s Warehouse), among others.  Selected regional world premieres include Soft Power by Jeanine Tesori and David Henry Hwang (Center Theater Group), and El Huracan by Charise Castro Smith (Yale Rep). Other: Berkeley Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Clubbed Thumb, Williamstown, Long Wharf, Huntington, Baltimore Centerstage, Denver Center, Sundance, O’Neill Center, ACT, Vassar/Powerhouse, the Lark, New Dramatists, The Civilians, Westport Country Playhouse.  Film/Television credits include St. Vincent, Manhattan Night, “The Blacklist,” “Madame Secretary,” and “NCIS: NOLA.”  She received her B.A. from Yale University, and her M.F.A. in Acting from the National Theatre Conservatory. Upcoming projects include her solo-cabaret debut this August at Feinstein’s/54 Below.  www.mariachristinaoliveras.com

  • Addison Takefman

    Addison Takefman made her professional acting debut in the Broadway National Tour of Les Miserables. She went on to appear on television in the HBO Max series Search Party as well as a series of commercials for IHOP. Favorite stage roles include the title role in Annie with A Class Act Studios and Sarabi in The Lion King Kids.

  • Shelley Thomas-Harts

    Shelley Thomas-Harts has worked extensively around the globe as a performing artist, originating several roles along the way. She made her Broadway debut in Brooklyn, The Musical and toured with Rent nationally and internationally. Shelley appeared Off-Broadway in the original casts of Triassic Parq and Zanna, Don’t! (Cast Recordings available online). From Off-Broadway to prestigious Regional Theatres, Shelley has performed on the stages of Lincoln Center, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, Long Wharf and Market Theatre (South Africa), to name a few. As longtime background vocalist for the multitalented Ms. Vanessa Williams and as a Concert Vocalist, Shelley has performed at numerous concert and symphony venues around the world. She most recently guest starred on CBS’s FBI, NBC’s New Amsterdam and recurred on NBC’s Shades of Blue. She is a proud graduate of Syracuse University (BFA Musical Theatre) and even prouder Mom to her toddler son.

  • Georgia Warner

    Georgia Warner is a creative entertainer, appearing most recently as Megan Mills on CBS’s Blue Bloods.  Other TV:  Law & Order: SVU, The Deuce, Younger, Madam Secretary.  Broadway:  All My Sons.  Off-Broadway:  Napoli, Brooklyn.  Georgia has also acted in a slew of indie films, commercials, video games, comedy sketches, and in more than a dozen distinguished regional theatre productions, including originating the role of Lane in the world premiere of Lyle Kessler’s House on Fire, and starring alongside Alec Baldwin as Jill in Equus, right here at Guild Hall.  In tandem with her own performing, Georgia works as a film & theatre director, arts & culture journalist, and actors' advocate, offering private audition coaching, self-tape services, and group acting workshops through her NYC teaching hub, Georgia Warner Studios.  www.GeorgiaWarner.com 

Sponsors

Theater Programming supported in part by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Barbara Slifka, The Schaffner Family Foundation, Straus Family Foundation, Brown Harris Stevens, Michael Balmuth, Blythe Danner, Lang Insurance, and funding from The Ellen and James S. Marcus Endowment for Musical Programming and The Melville Straus Family Endowment 
John Drew Backyard Theater
Special thanks to Marty and Michele Cohen, Ben Krupinski Builder, Hollander Design, and Groundworks Landscaping 
Play in the Garden Print Media Partner: James Lane Post

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