FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Michael Gepner, Dir. of Mktg.
(561) 585-3404 ext. 135
mgepner@floridastage.org
THE STORYTELLING ABILITY
OF A BOY
A World Premiere -
Darkly Funny And Deeply Moving
Manalapan, FL – Florida Stage, the nation’s premier professional theatre producing exclusively new and emerging American plays, continues its 23rd season with the world premiere production of Carter W. Lewis’ dark, funny and deeply moving new play, The Storytelling Ability of a Boy. The play tells the story of three people, two young students and their teacher, living on the fringes of their world, struggling to find a way and a place to belong. The play contains some strong and deals with adult themes. The Storytelling Ability of a Boy preview performances are Wednesday, December 9 at 8 p.m. and Thursday, December 10 at 2 and 8 p.m. The gala press opening is Friday, December 11 at 8 p.m. The show runs through Sunday, January 17. Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. with matinees on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets for The Storytelling Ability of a Boy can be purchased by calling the Florida Stage Box Office at (561) 585-3433 or (800) 514-3837 (outside of Palm Beach County). Order online at www.floridastage.org
The Storytelling Ability of a Boy is a story that speaks to some universal truths. Who among us, no matter how smart or talented, has not at some point felt like they didn’t fit in? “Each of us in our lives, whatever we do in our lives, we’re looking for our place in the world,” says director Louis Tyrrell. “It's not a location, it's a fit, both inside and out. It's a place of comfort in our heads, in our hearts, as well as among others who accept us for who we are. But, often it can be a struggle to find that fit. For young people in a school environment, being different can result in more than just being ostracized, it can be dangerous. This play explores three lives struggling to find that place of personal meaning, acceptance and comfort.”
Dora and Peck, the teenagers at the center of Lewis’ play, are wild, passionate, vulnerable and, on top of it all, unnervingly smart. Peck is the titular boy with a gift for storytelling, evident both in his written work and in the fantasies he conjures at the drop of a hat with Dora, his intellectual sparring partner. Their intelligence is especially obvious when they match wits with teacher Caitlin, no dummy herself, but who has the unenviable task of trying to teach two students who seem to resent the implication that there are things they don’t know yet.
The Storytelling Ability of a Boy is written by Carter W. Lewis who is currently serving as Playwright-in-Residence at Washington University. Prior to that he was Literary Manager & Playwright-in-Residence for The Geva Theatre Center in New York. He is the winner of several national playwriting awards including: The Julie Harris Playwriting Award, The State Theatre’s Best New American Play Prize, The Cincinnati Playhouse Rosenthal New Play Prize (’96 & 2001), The New Dramatist Playwriting Award (’01), The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation Award (’03) and he is a two time nominee for the American Theatre Critics Award. His published works include, Art Control, A Geometric Digression of the Species, Soft Click Of A Switch, An Asian Jockey In Our Midst and The One-Eyed Man Is King. Other plays by Carter W. Lewis include; Golf With Alan Shepard, Women Who Steal, Men on the Take, While We Were Bowling, Longevity Abbreviated for Those Who Don’t Have Time, American Storm, Kid Peculiar, Civil Disobedience and Ordinary Nation (Florida Stage - 2008 winner of the New Times Award for Best New Play). His new play, Evie’s Waltz received its world premiere at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and was awarded The Kevin Kline Award for Best New Play of 2008. He is currently working on a new comedy, concerning the American banking crisis titled, The Good Banker.
Florida Stage’s Producing Director, Louis Tyrrell is also directing this production of The Storytelling Ability of a Boy. Tyrrell founded Florida Stage in 1987 to nurture, develop, and produce new work in American Theatre. In almost 40 years as a theatre professional, he says he “has been blessed with the opportunity to be in on the birthing of dozens of remarkable new plays, producing a family of which any dad would be proud.” This will be the fifth play by Carter Lewis to be produced at Florida Stage.
CAST
Laura Carbonell(Caitlin) is making her Florida Stage debut. her recent New York credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream with Pulse Ensemble Theatre, The Wrath of Aphrodite, Hippolytus and the new rock musical Twist at the Kraine Theatre. Her most recent regional credit is for a production of Glorious! at the Shadowland Theatre. Her most recent film credit is for the web series The Captive, a Sundance Channel Digital Short. Laura holds a BFA in Theatre from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts & the Stella Adler Conservatory.
Bethany Anne Lind (Dora) is making her Florida Stage debut. Her regional credits include the world premiere of Quiara Alegria Hudes’ 26 Miles (Alliance Theatre); Metamorphoses (Georgia Shakespeare); This is Our Youth (Theatre in the Square); The Last Schwartz (Jewish Theatre of the South); Steel Magnolias (Georgia Ensemble Theatre); Buy My House…Please! (Aurora Theatre); Twelfth Night and A Christmas Carol (North Carolina Shakespeare Festival); Smoke on the Mountain and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Cape Fear Regional Theatre). Bethany was named Best Featured Actress in a play at the 2008 Suzi Bass Awards for her work as Kia in The Last Schwartz.
Marshall Pailet (Peck) is making his Florida Stage debut. His Broadway credits include productions of The Sound of Music, A Christmas Carol and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Off-Broadway credits include Thucidydes and Dance of the Fireflies. Regionally he has been seen in productions of How To Succeed in Business, Thursday, The Full Monty, The Fantasticks and Cyrano de Bergerac. Marshall is a recent graduate of Yale University.
DESIGNERS
Victor Becker (Scenic Designer) returns to Florida Stage where he has previously designed productions of Dirty Business, Ward 57 and Black Sheep. His regional credits include work at the Guthrie Theatrer; Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Missouri Rep., Portland Center Stage, Indiana Rep., National Theatre of the Deaf, Milwaukee Rep. and NY State Theater Institute.
John McFadden (Lighting Designer) is currently a professor of Lighting and Sound Design and Production Manager at the University of Memphis. Previously at Florida Stage, he designed the lighting for Hanging Fire, Hatchetman, and A Murder, A Mystery and a Marriage. In addition, he has designed lighting or sound for over 150 production including productions at The National Theatre in Perth, Australia, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Indianapolis Opera, Playhouse on the Square (Memphis), Theater Memphis, Memphis Opera, The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Theatre Lobby (D.C.), The Penn State Festival Theatre, and the Mud Island Amphitheatre.
Erin Amico (Costume Designer) returns to Florida Stage where her most recent designs include Some Kind of Wonderful!, Cagney!, and End Days. Other work in the area includes designs for Palm Beach Dramaworks, The Caldwell Theatre and GableStage.
Matt Kelly (Sound Designer) is celebrating his 12th season with Florida Stage. Matt has designed over 30 productions for Florida Stage. Some of his favorites include Yankee Tavern, End Days, Ice Glen, String of Pearls, Miklat, The Music Lesson, Bach At Leipzig (Carbonell Nomination), Running with Scissors, Mercy of a Storm (Carbonell Nomination), and The Drawer Boy. His designs have also been heard at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre, the Asolo Theatre, The Illusion Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Dorset Theatre Festival, Capital Repertory Company and Theatre at Lime Kiln. Matt is currently the sound engineer and resident sound designer for Florida Stage.
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