Mother Courage, Penned for Orson Welles, Resurfaces for Debut at Jean Cocteau Rep

By Ernio Hernandez
September 13, 2005

Jean Cocteau Repertory kicked off its 35th anniversary season with the world premiere Marc Blitzstein translation of Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage, which continues at the downtown staple through Oct. 8.

Cocteau's resident director David Fuller directs the work, which began Aug. 28 and opened Sept. 4, at the company's home stage Bouwerie Lane Theater.

Blitzstein — known primarily for his adaptation of the Brecht-Weill The Threepenny Opera — penned the translated text and lyrics in 1957 for a 1958 Orson Welles production which never came to fruition. The staging includes 12 songs and incidental music by Brecht's original composer, Paul Dessau, as Blitzstein had intended to use in his translation.

Mother Courage stars Lorinda Lisitza in the title role with an ensemble that includes Sara Jeanne Asselin, Danaher Dempsey, Seth Duerr, Angus Hepburn, Lynn Marie Macy, Tim McDonough, Mickey Ryan and Taylor Wilcox.

The design team features Roman Tatarowicz (scenic), Viviane Galloway (costumes) and Giles Hogya (lighting). Jason Wynn serves as music director. Ryan Mark Weible is dramaturg and Andrea Cibelli is production stage manager.

The season continues with Joseph Goodrich's adaptation of Euripides' Medea (Oct. 21-Dec. 3), George Bernard Shaw's Candida (Dec. 16-Jan. 29, 2006), August Strindberg's Miss Julie (Feb. 10-March 25, 2005) and Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie (April 7-May 20, 2006).

Tickets to Jean Cocteau Repertory's Mother Courage at Bouwerie Lane Theatre, 330 Bowery (at Bond/East 2nd Street), are available for purchase by calling (212) 279-4200. For more information, visit the company website at www.jeancocteaurep.org.