FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 10, 2011
Media Contact: Sarah Pressler
240.644.1387
press@roundhousetheatre.org
Round House Theatre presents the world premiere of
CHARMING BILLY
Adapted and directed by Blake Robison
From the novel by Bethesda author Alice McDermott
February 2 – 20, 2011 at Round House Theatre Bethesda
240.644.1100 or www.roundhousetheatre.org
Specially priced $10 & $15 tickets available at each performance for patrons age 30 & under
Tickets from $10 to $60
February 15 is “$10 Tuesday,” with $10 tickets for all ages
(BETHESDA, MD) Round House Theatre launches 2011 with the world premiere of Charming Billy, adapted for the stage and directed by Blake Robison from the award-winning novel by Bethesda author Alice McDermott.
Charming Billy runs February 2 – 20, 2011 at Round House Theatre Bethesda, 4545 East-West Highway. Tickets are $10 – $60 and may be purchased by phone at 240.644.1100, online at roundhousetheatre.org/, or at the Round House box office in Bethesda. Groups of 10 or more should call 240.644.1387.
Tickets for patrons age 30 and under are $10 at Wednesday through Friday performances and $15 on Saturday and Sunday. Contact the box office at 240.644.1100 or order online at roundhousetheatre.org/.
The Tuesday, February 15 performance continues Round House’s “$10 Tuesday” program. Seats in the Side Orchestra and Side Balcony sections at this performance are available at the specially discounted price of $10 – call 240.644.1100 or order online at www.roundhousetheatre.org/. “$10 Tuesday” is made possible through the support of the Bernard Family Foundation.
In a small Bronx bar, a funeral party has gathered to honor Billy Lynch. Through the night, his friends and family weave together the tale of a husband, lover, dreamer, and storyteller, but also that of a hopeless drunk whose immense charm was but a veil over a lifetime of secrets and all-consuming sorrow. Charming Billy is a masterful look at how a community can pin its dreams to one man, and how good intentions can be as destructive as the truth they were meant to hide. Blake Robison directs his stage adaptation of the acclaimed novel by Alice McDermott, winner of the 1998 National Book Award for Fiction.
The Philadelphia Inquirer called McDermott’s work “an astoundingly beautiful novel about the persistence of love, the perseverance of grief, and all-but-unbearable loneliness, as well as faith, loyalty and redemption.” The New York Times hailed it as “magical…Ms. McDermott writes…with wisdom and grace, refusing to sentimentalize her characters even as she forces us to recognize their decency and goodness. She has written a luminous and affecting novel.”
Blake Robison says, “I’m drawn to epic stories. Epic in theme, time, character, and scope. Charming Billy is about an entire community of people and how they cope with their lives across several decades of living and dreaming together. I love the breadth of that journey. Working with Alice McDermott on adapting her novel for the stage has been an extraordinary experience for me as a playwright and director. I’m proud that Round House can bring audiences this new play based on a prize-winning novel by a Bethesda-based author.”
Charming Billy is sponsored in part by generous support from Bonnie and Alan Hammerschlag and Pasternak & Fidis.
The Author
Alice McDermott is the author of six novels, the latest of which, After This, was a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize and a nominee for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Her fifth novel, Child of My Heart, was a Book-of-the-Month Club Main Selection, one of Book Magazine’s Ten Best Novels of 2002 and also a nominee for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Her fourth, Charming Billy, received the 1998 National Book Award for fiction, the American Book Award, and was short-listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Her third novel, At Weddings and Wakes, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her second, That Night, was nominated for the National Book Award, The Los Angeles Times Book Prize, The PEN/Faulkner Award and was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. A film version of the novel was produced by Warner Brothers in 1992. Her articles, reviews and stories have appeared in The New York Times and The Washington Post, USA Today, The Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker, Redbook, Ms, Commonweal and elsewhere. She is the recipient of a Whiting Writers Award and the 2008 Corrington Award for Literature. Currently, she is the Richard A. Macksey Professor of the Humanities at the Johns Hopkins University. She lives with her family in Bethesda, Maryland.
The Playwright/Director
Blake Robison is in his sixth season as Producing Artistic Director of Round House, where he launched the Literary Works Project to re-imagine contemporary and classical novels on stage for modern audiences. Previous directing at Round House includes The Talented Mr. Ripley, the world premiere of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the world premiere of How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents, Lord of the Flies, Treasure Island, Crime and Punishment, A Prayer for Owen Meany (Helen Hayes nomination), and Camille. Other directing includes Pride and Prejudice at Utah Shakespearean Festival, Hotel Cassiopeia at University of Maryland, The Winter’s Tale at Folger Theatre, an international tour of Macbeth, several operas, and multiple seasons at Clarence Brown Theatre, National Shakespeare Company, and Vermont Stage. Mr. Robison is a member of the Board of Trustees of Maryland Citizens for the Arts (MCA). He is a graduate of Williams College and UNC-Chapel Hill and lives in Silver Spring with his wife and sons.
The Cast
The cast includes Julie-Ann Elliott, Conrad Feininger, John Feltch, Kate Guesman, Molly Cahill Govern, Mitchell Hébert, Erin Jacobs, Kathryn Kelley, Brianna Letourneau, Amy McWilliams, Kathie Mack, Jane Papish, Talia Silber, Michael Tolaydo, David Whalen, and Joey Wolf.
The Production Team
The artistic team includes scenic/lighting designer Kevin Rigdon, costume designer Trish Rigdon, sound designer Matthew M. Nielson, properties designer Andrea Moore, and stage manager Jennifer Schwartz.
Performance Calendar, Ticket Info, & Audience Events
Charming Billy runs February 2 – 20, 2011 at Round House Theatre Bethesda, 4545 East-West Highway. The theatre is one block from the Bethesda station on Metro’s Red Line.
Tuesday and Wednesday performances begin at 7:30 p.m, Thursday through Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m.; matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday begin at 3 p.m.
Wednesday, February 2 7:30pm
Thursday, February 3 8pm
Friday, February 4 8pm
Saturday, February 5 3pm & 8pm
Sunday, February 6 3pm
Wednesday, February 9 7:30pm
Thursday, February 10 8pm
Friday, February 11 8pm
Saturday, February 12 3.m & 8pm
Sunday, February 13 3pm
Tuesday, February 15 7:30pm
Wednesday, February 16 7:30pm
Thursday, February 17 8pm
Friday, February 18 8pm
Saturday, February 19 3pm & 8pm
Sunday, February 20 3pm
Charming Billy is recommended for age 13 & up.
Tickets may be purchased by phone at 240.644.1100, online at www.roundhousetheatre.org/, or in person at the Round House box office in Bethesda. Tickets range in price from $10 to $60.
Specially priced tickets for patrons age 30 and under are available at each performance: $10 Wednesday through Friday and $15 Saturday and Sunday. Call 240.644.1100 or order online at www.roundhousetheatre.org/.
The Tuesday, February 15 performance continues Round House’s “$10 Tuesday” program. Side Orchestra and Side Balcony seats at this performance are available for all ages for the discounted price of $10 – call 240.644.1100 or order online at www.roundhousetheatre.org/. “$10 Tuesday” is made possible through the support of the Bernard Family Foundation.
Round House offers discounts on non-subscription tickets to patrons 65 and older. The price is $40 per ticket (including service charge) for center orchestra or center balcony seating at any performance. Call 240.644.1100 for information.
Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more ‑ call 240.644.1387.
Pay-What-You-Can: Wednesday, February 2 at 7:30 p.m. & Saturday, February 5 at 3 p.m.
Tickets for PWYC performances go on sale in person one hour prior to curtain. Cash and exact change only, limit of 2 tickets per person.
Designer Discussion: Wednesday, February 2 at 6:45 p.m.
A pre-show look at the show’s costume, set, lighting, and sound designs from the professionals who make them happen.
Directorially Speaking Discussion: Friday, February 4 at 7:15 p.m.
Director Blake Robison discusses the production in a pre-performance talk.
Audio-described performance: Saturday, February 12 at 3pm
Parents’ Matinee: Sunday, February 13 at 3 p.m.
Patrons can drop off children (ages 3-12, must be potty trained) to an RHT teaching artist while they’re seeing the show at this designated Sunday matinee. The kids will enjoy a fun-filled afternoon of theatre games and arts activities. Reservations for childcare are required in advance and must be made by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 9 by calling 240.644.1100.
Post-Show Talkbacks: Sunday, February 13 and Sunday, February 20
These Sunday matinees feature a post-show talk.
Sign-interpreted performance: Saturday, February 19 at 3pm
Reservations for sign interpreting services must be made by Wednesday, February 9.
BookTalk: Charming Billy, Sunday, February 20 from 1 to 2pm at The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center and Round House Theatre come together in a program focusing on the stage adaptation of Alice McDermott’s prize-winning novel. Meet Ms. McDermott and Round House’s Blake Robison at The Writer’s Center on Sunday, February 20 at 1pm, then attend the play at Round House at 3pm, followed by a post-show discussion with Alice and Blake at Round House. The Writer’s Center is located at 4508 Walsh Street in Bethesda. The 1pm discussion at The Writer’s Center is free. Tickets for the 3pm Charming Billy performance must be purchased through Round House. For more information on this event, visit www.writer.org/.
Blake Robison on the RHT Blog
Round House’s blog features an interview by Jacqueline Lawton with Charming Billy director and adapter Blake Robison. The blog is at www.roundhousetheatre.org/blog/.
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