The annual festival, running June 11-22, provides theatre professionals the opportunity to develop new works at the historic performing arts school and camp. The festival culminates with staged readings June 20-22.
Among the festival's artistic partners are the Atlantic Theater Company, the Actors Theatre of Louisville, Denver Center Theatre Company and Off-Broadway's Primary Stages.
Catherine Curtin, John Hutton, Charles Weldon and Michael L. Watford will appear in Mama Hated Diesels: The Songs and Stories of the American Truck Driver, conceived and adapted by Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman (Tony Award nominees for It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues; Joseph Jefferson Award nominees for Fire On The Mountain). Andrew Leynse and Primary Stages present the work, which "is based on actual interviews from truck drivers and their families, and is filled with hard-drivin' traditional trucker tunes," according to festival notes. Myler will also direct.
Marc Masterson and Actors Theatre of Louisville will bring Wild Blessings — a Celebration of Wendell Berry, "a collage piece from the writings of poet and philosopher Wendell Berry," created by Marc Masterson and Adrien-Alice Hansel. Masterson will direct a cast comprising Erica Delaine Bradshaw, Malcom Dalglish, Larry John Meyers, Phil Pickens and Holly Thuma.
Rogelio Martinez' When Tang Met Laika features a cast including Mary Bacon, Romi Dias, Sam Gregory, Doug Langworthy, Randy Moore, Josh Robinson, Erik Sandvold and Richard Thieriot. Kent Thompson and the Denver Center Theatre Company present the work that is billed this way: "In the 1990s Americans and Russians started to work together building the International Space Station. With more than a half century of hostilities under their space suits, can two old foes start to trust one another again? A play about the Cold War warming up, a space shuttle program finding its purpose as it nears retirement, one very large robotic arm, weightlessness, and a gun." Terrence J. Nolen directs. The New Century's Peter Bartlett will co-star with previously announced Tony nominee David Pittu (Is He Dead?) in the new musical presented by Neil Pepe and Atlantic Theater Company: What's That Smell: The Music of Jacob Sterling. With book and lyrics by also by Pittu and music by Randy Redd, What's That Smell? is described as "an absurd musical-theatre satire featuring songs and stories from the fictitious career of composer-lyricist Jacob Sterling and presented in a cable talk show format. A rare opportunity to catch up with an artist of questionable gifts as he discusses his inspiration and performs from his stunning repertoire of misbegotten shows." Pepe and Pittu are slated to co-direct the work.
In addition to the theatre-folk in attendance, guest choreographer Peter Chu brings company members Jillian Lucy Chu, Stacey Tookey Jimenez, Cindy Salgado and Kevin Tookey for a special dance concert that will feature Perry-Mansfield dance students.
All rehearsals and performances will take place at Perry-Mansfield, 40755 Routt County Road 36 in Steamboat Springs, CO. Free open rehearsals will take place June 11-20.
Single tickets for each presentation are $15 for performances June 20-22 and will be available for purchase after June 1. A special Festival Weekend Ticket Package is available for $65 and includes all staged play readings, the dance presentation and festival reception.
For tickets and information call (800) 430-2787 or (970) 879-7125, or visit the website at www.perry-mansfield.org.
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June Lindenmayer is executive director of Perry-Mansfield's New Works Festival. Andrew Leynse is artistic director.
