Piquant Lines of the Week

With the pithy and hilarious A MARRIAGE MINUET in rehearsals at the moment the staff has been quoting the play about the office all week. I asked the actors, director, stage manager, and production assistant to offer their favorite lines of the week.

Here they are:

Deirdre (Violet): “Why do men always think they’re doing it alone?”

Tami (Girl): “Barely suppressed irritation.”

Ross (Rex): “What a charming rascal I must be.”

Doug (Douglas): “I hate meeting people out of context.”

Helena (Lily): “Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter.” Well, Shakespeare not Wiltse.

Patti (Stage Manager): “Smart as iodine on an open wound.”

Lauren (Production Asst.): “Oh, those naughty Nazis.”

Tracy (Director): “Burst, not bust.”

The (enter superlatives here) Designers of A MARRIAGE MINUET

Artisitic Director Tracy Brigden has brought together the A-Team of designers and collaborators for A MARRIAGE MINUET.  A few of the luminaries include lighting designer Howell Binkley, scenic designer Jeff Cowie, costume designer Markas Henry, and choreographer Peter Pucci.

Here is a bit about each:

Howell Binkley (Lighting Design):  If you have seen a musical on Broadway in the last few years it was probably lit by Howell.  Working alongside some of the hottest directors in New York, on the hottest productions, Howell currently has four shows on the boards or just opening on Broadway: Crybaby, the revival of Gypsy, In the Heights and Xanadu.  He is the recipient of a 2006 Tony Award for Jersey Boys.

 

For a great article on Howell, link here:  http://livedesignonline.com/mag/lighting_simply_howell_binkley/

For a list of his work link here to the ibdb (Internet Broadway Database): http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=25554

Jeff Cowie (Scenic Design):  At City Theatre he has designed The Clearing and Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge.  A Drama Desk nominated designer, Recent New York work includes, The Carpetbaggers Children at the Lincoln Center Theater, What Didn’t Happen at Playwrights Horizons, & Colder Than Here & Letter From Ethel Kennedy at MCC.  His very slick web-site, where you can see images from many of his productions, can be found at www.jeffcowie.com .

Peter Pucci (Choreographer):  Was just nominated for a Lucille Lortell Award (the off-Broadway equivalent of the Tony) for his work on Charles Mee’s play Queen’s Boulevard. For nine years Peter was a member of Pilobolus Dance Theatre, where he served as principal dancer, co-choreographer, and rehearsal director. He now choreographs work for his own company, Peter Pucci Plus as well as work for theatre, musical theatre, contemporary dance, and ballet on New York stages as well as across the country.
For video samples of Peter’s work click here:  http://www.pucciplus.com/reels.html 

Markas Henry (Costume Design): A professor of costume design at Colorado University, Markas has designed costumes and scenery for Broadway, Off-Broadway and regionally.  Some awards include; Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Theatre Company: The Barrow Group (Resident Designer); Drama Desk Award Nomination for Outstanding Production of a Play (Pentecost, The Barrow Group); Outstanding Costume Design 2003 NYC Fringe Festival; Drama-Logue Award; Backstage West Garland Award; Ovation Award Nomination; American Theatre Wing Award Nomination; Audelco Award Nomination; Kennedy Center/ ACTF Meritorious Achievement Award.

Next up! A MARRIAGE MINUET by David Wiltse

 

 

May 1–25, 2008
A Marriage Minuet
By David Wiltse

Buy tickets online, call 412.431.CITY (2489), or visit the Box Office at 1300 Bingham Street.

 

City Theatre presents the hilarious contemporary sex farce A Marriage Minuet, written by David Wiltse and directed by Tracy Brigden, from May 1 – 25, 2008 on City Theatre’s 272-seat Mainstage.

In A Marriage Minuet, Douglas (Douglas Rees) is a college professor and the writer of earnest books that don’t sell. His wife Lily (Helena Ruoti) is his best friend. Rex (Ross Bickell), a womanizer who writes best-selling potboilers, is married to Violet (Deirdre Madigan). When the couples change partners, the result is a dizzy dance complicated by a variety of young women, all played by Tami Dixon. The author of 12 novels, David Wiltse is a lover of witty and erudite language. But sometimes in A Marriage Minuet he cuts right to the chase, allowing his characters to speak their thoughts in hilarious shorthand and share their opinions directly with the audience. His clever comedy skewers love and the literary life with playful sophistication and an insider’s perspective.

The design team for A Marriage Minuet is Jeff Cowie (Scenic), Markas Henry (Costumes), Howell Binkley (Lighting), Ryan Rumery (Composer), and Peter Pucci (Choreography). Patti Kelly is the Production Stage Manager.

Tracy Brigden first directed A Marriage Minuet at Westport Country Playhouse in Connecticut, where David Wiltse is currently the Playwright-in-Residence. City Theatre’s production includes the whole Westport design team, two of the original actors (Deirdre Madigan and Douglas Rees), and a new draft of the script. David will  be in Pittsburgh from April 7–13 to workshop his newest play, Scramble!, a farce set the office of a golf magazine. Tracy will direct Scramble! at Westport this summer, running July 8–26, 2008.