Last Chance to catch Skylight, David Hare's tale of an old romance rekindled and then curdled by politics and social standing, which has been shining its beams into North Carolina's PlayMakers Repertory Company. The show began previews Oct. 15, opened Oct. 18 and ends Nov. 9. John Rando, who has worked at NY's Pearl Theatre, directs the show.
Starring in this British drama are American actors Frank Converse, Kate Forbes and Matthew Greer. Converse, a Broadway veteran (Philadelphia Story, A Streetcar Named Desire) also starred in TV's "Movin' On." Forbes appeared in two shows at the National Actors Theatre on Broadway: Inherit The Wind and School For Scandal. Greer's credits include Lincoln Center's A Fair Country.
Hare's drama, nominated for best play, actor and actress 1997 Tonys, tells of a rich widower and the young housekeeper with whom he had an affair - even as his wife was dying.
Designing Skylight are McKay Coble (costumes), Melissa Marquis (sound), Phillip Monat (lighting) and Robert Odorisio (set).
Terrence McNally's Tony-winning Master Class follows, Feb. 4 - March 1, 1998. The aforementioned Thompson directs this look at imperious voice teacher Maria Callas, a legend on the opera stage, a wreck in her romantic life. The 22nd season of North Carolina's PlayMaker's Repertory Company will be a varied one, with a Shakespearean frolic, a psychological drama, a socio-political romance, a satirical musical -- even a singing lesson.
March 11-April 5, 1998 brings the Off-Broadway hit, Mrs. Klein to PlayMakers. Set in 1934, Nicholas Wright's drama shows pioneer child psychologist Melanie Klein and the effect her methods had on her own daughter.
Ending the basic subscription season will be The Threepenny Opera, April 15 - May 10, 1998. With book and lyrics by Bertolt Brecht, music by Kurt Weill, Opera has been a major influence on musical theatre since its 1928 debut in Berlin. Author Brecht would have been 100 years old in 1998.
In addition to the five new plays this season, PlayMakers Rep will bring back the family holiday show, The Nutcracker: A Play by David Hammond, based on stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann. (Runs Nov. 28 - Dec. 21.)
PlayMakers Rep is housed at the Paul Green Theatre on the campus of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Milly S. Barranger serves as producing director of the Equity theatre.
For tickets (subscriptions start at $60) and information on shows at Playmakers Repertory Company call (919) 962-7529.
--By David Lefkowitz
