The Bullitt, the 100-seat stage at Seattle's A Contemporary Theatre, is only in its third season, but already the space is hosting a world premiere by Joyce Carol Oates and new works-in-progress by Fool Moon's David Shiner, legendary theatre artist Joseph Chaikin and playwright Craig Lucas (Prelude to a Kiss, The Dying Gaul).
Oates' work Miss Golden Dreams is second in the season, running Aug. 2-29. Continuing the author's obsession with Marilyn Monroe (her "Blonde" recently aired on network television), Miss Golden Dreams examines the victimization of the woman who was lover and/or wife to Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller and John F. Kennedy. Kevin Tighe (last season's A Skull in Connemara) will be featured in the cast.
Craig Lucas' new play The Singing Forest runs in tandem with The Joseph Chaikin Project, with dates in mid-Oct. Lucas' latest work runs in a workshop production in the larger Allen Theatre Oct. 11-21. The Joseph Chaikin Project, the multi-media examination of a man's life after an accident robs him of his memory, is a collaboration with Amy Web and director Ander Cato (Cato and Chaikin staged Beckett's Texts for Nothing in 1999 in the Bullitt). It runs Oct. 11-Nov. 4.
Shiner's dates for his date with the Bullitt have not been decided, but the New Vaudevillian will test out bits from his next act with the Bullitt subscribers. As an ACT artist-in-residence, Shiner, whose Broadway credits include Fool Moon, Seussical, will use the Bullitt develop his first solo show.
The FringeACT New Play Festival finishes off with the annual new works fest, Feb. 28-March 2, 2002. The weekend will feature over thirty Seattle playwrights. Also in the season will be the autobiographical one woman show Let My Enemy Live Long! by Tanya Shaffer (June 14-July 8, 2001) and Becky Mode's Fully Committed starring Seattle actor R. Hamilton Wright (dates to be announced).
Bullitt subscriptions are $80 with individual tickets for $16. For reservations, call (206) 292-7676. A Contemporary Theatre is on the web at http://www.acttheatre.
— By Christine Ehren
