Press Release

 

Triad Stage Presents Both Sides of the Story in David Mamet’s Controversial Oleanna, October 18 – November 8, 2009

Dramatic power play becomes Greensboro regional theater’s first production performed in-the-round.

(Greensboro, NC) —Triad Stage continues its 2009-2010 “Season Together” with a story of two people divided in David Mamet’s Oleanna. Every story has two sides. When an unconventional professor tries to help a struggling female student who is failing his class, the end result is far beyond what either originally expected in this shocking case of “he said, she said.” What begins as a simple meeting behind closed doors leads to misinterpretations, accusations and a high-stakes struggle for power. This controversial play promises to defy expectations and challenge opinions. Who is right; who is wrong? Who is to say in this examination of power, privilege and political correctness? Oleanna runs October 18 through November 8, 2009. Opening Night is Friday, October 23.

Triad Stage produced Oleanna for the 2009 An Appalachian Summer Festival in Boone, NC, with two well-received performances in late July. The theater company is remounting the production as part of its 2009-2010 MainStage Season. Actors Lee Spencer and Ginny Myers Lee reprise their roles as John and Carol.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
David Mamet, well-known for his distinctive style of dialogue called “Mamet speak,” has written over two dozen plays, most notable among them is the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning Glengarry Glen Ross. He is a founding member of New York City’s Atlantic Theatre Company. In addition to his work in theater, he has published three novels and written and directed numerous films, including The Verdict, The Untouchables and The Spanish Prisoner, and is co-creator and executive producer of CBS’s The Unit. Mamet, a rare conservative in the more liberal-leaning arts industry, sparked controversy in March 2008 with an essay in The Village Voice, “Why I Am No Longer a ‘Brain-dead Liberal’.” A revival of Oleanna, starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles, begins its Broadway run on September 29. It will vie for audiences against a new Mamet work, Race, which begins its Broadway performances in November.

ABOUT THE PLAY AND PRODUCTION
Often considered the most divisive of Mamet’s plays, Oleanna is the portrait of a power struggle between John, a university professor with an unusual teaching style, and Carol, one of his female students. After a behind-closed-doors exchange in John’s office, Carol accuses John of sexual harassment, threatening to ruin his career and personal life. The title of the play is taken from a 19th century Norwegian folk song about a failed attempt at building a utopian society. Oleanna first premiered in the spring of 1992. A year later, a revised production ran Off-Broadway, rewritten in reaction to the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas hearings that had gripped the nation in 1991.

Preston Lane, Triad Stage Artistic Director/Co-founder and the production’s director, shares his thoughts on the drama, “Unlike so many plays that were once topical, I thinkOleanna has stood the test of time to emerge as a contemporary American classic.” Lane explains why he chose to include Oleanna in the 2009-2010 Season –“A Season Together,” “It divides us as audience members with its debate, but in the end it gives us a place to reach out to those who oppose us and encourages us to balance each side of our imperfect utopia.”

Triad Stage’s production of Oleanna marks the first time the company will perform in-the-round – with audience seating on all four sides of the stage. Scenic designer Randall J. McMullen’s minimalist design envisions John’s office as a boxing ring, with overhead florescent lights illuminating the square set. Sound designer David E. Smith has composed an original score for scene transitions that heightens the tension of the battle of wits raging onstage.

The arena style set of Oleanna allows Triad Stage to add a 30-seat section of audience seating at stage level, opposite its main “Area 1” seating section. The company is relocating its $10 Gallery Seats to this section, allowing audiences a low-cost seating option that is only a few feet from the action onstage. These $10 general admission seats are available for purchase through the Triad Stage Box Office.

The creative team includes: scenic designer Randall J. McMullen, costume designer Kelsey Hunt, lighting designer John Wolf and composer/sound designer David E. Smith. The dramaturg is Drew Barker, Cindi Rush is the casting director and the stage manager is Emily J. Mails.

Oleanna contains adult language and themes, and is not recommended for young audiences. Triad Stage’s production runs approximately 75 minutes and is performed without an intermission.

Biographies of the cast and creative team, and more information on the production – including a photo of McMullen’s set and an audio sample of Smith’s composition – can be found online at www.triadstage.org.

Performance and special event information
Tickets for Preview performances of Oleanna, on October 18, 20, 21 and 22, are all $16 each. From Opening Night, October 23, single ticket prices range from $10 to $42. Prices vary depending on the day of the week and seat location desired.

All performances are at Triad Stage at The Pyrle Theater, located at 232 South Elm Street in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina (between Market and Washington Streets).

Show times for Oleanna are 7:30 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings and 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings. Sunday matinees are at 2:00 pm. There are no matinee performances during previews. Pay-What-You-Can performances are Sunday, October 25, and Tuesday, October 27, at 7:30 pm. 88.5 WFDD’s Wine Tasting Friday is October 30, prior to the evening’s 8:00 pm performance, with wines provided by Zeto Wine Shop. A Sign-Interpreted performance is on Tuesday, November 3, at 7:30 pm, with services provided by the Greensboro Communication Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Technically Talking,a behind-the-scenes discussion with members of the design team is Tuesday, October 20, immediately following the 7:30 pm preview performance. The InSight Series, the free humanities program that brings a noted speaker to the Triad to discuss the world of the play and its subject matter, will be held on Sunday, October 25, immediately following the 2:00 pm matinee performance. PostScript, a lively, open discussion with the cast, will be held on Thursday, October 29, in The UpStage Cabaret immediately following the 7:30 pm performance.

About Triad Stage
Triad Stage is a professional not-for-profit regional theater company based in Greensboro’s downtown historic district. All Triad Stage productions are created in Greensboro using the best of local and national talent. Triad Stage gratefully acknowledges the support of its Season Sponsors: Mitre Agency, the North Carolina Arts Council and the United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro. The production sponsors for Oleanna are Brown Investment Properties and Bernard Robinson & Company, LLP.

Triad Stage’s 2009-2010 Season – “A Season Together” – continues with Around the World in 80 Days, a comic adventure by Mark Brown, based on the novel by Jules Verne (February 7 – 28, 2010), Ethel Waters: His Eye Is on the Sparrow, a life in music by Larry Parr (April 11 – May 2, 2010) and the world premiere of Providence Gap, an Appalachian saga by Preston Lane, with original music by Laurelyn Dossett (June 6 – July 4, 2010). Beautiful Star: An Appalachian Nativity, a seasonal celebration by Preston Lane, with original music by Laurelyn Dossett, returns for a fourth season as the holiday special (November 27 – December 23, 2009). The holiday season also sees the return of David Sedaris’ hilarious The Santaland Diaries (November 19 – December 19, 2009) in The UpStage Cabaret. 2009-2010 Season Passes and single tickets for all productions are on sale now.

All Triad Stage productions feature the bold acting and breathtaking design that have been nationally recognized by The Wall Street Journal and haveearned the theater accolades including “One of the Best Regional Theatres in America”, New York’s Drama League; “Best Live Theater”, Go Triad/News & Record and The Rhinoceros Times; and “Professional Theater of the Year”, North Carolina Theatre Conference. 

To purchase tickets or for performance information on Oleanna, call the Triad Stage Box Office at 336.272.0160 or toll-free at 866.579.TIXX (8499), or visit www.triadstage.org.