Directing
The Glass Menagerie
The Glass Menagerie is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his histrionic mother, and his mentally fragile sister. In writing the play, Williams drew on an earlier short story, as well as a screenplay he had written under the title of The Gentleman Caller.
Twelve Angry Men
Set in 1957 in the jury room of a New York City courthouse, Reginald Rose’s absorbing drama unfolds on a sweltering afternoon as a jury of 12 men decide the fate of a teenager accused of murdering his father.
For 11, the verdict is quick and easy—guilty. For one, there is enough doubt to warrant further questioning.
A Christmas Carol
"A Christmas Carol" is a classic story by Charles Dickens, often adapted into plays and musicals, particularly around the Christmas season. The story centers on Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly man who is visited by ghosts who show him the error of his ways and lead him to a more compassionate life. Many theaters, including professional, community, and school groups, produce adaptations of this story.
Oedipus
A plague grips the city of Thebes. Desperate to save his people, King Oedipus sends a messenger to the oracle at Delphi and discovers that the city's salvation lies in finding and punishing the murderer of the former king, Laius, who was brutally slain by a stranger at a crossroads years ago. When Oedipus orders a manhunt, he unknowingly sets the wheels of his own destruction in motion. This lean, contemporary version brings a new, poignant power to this primal work that is the cornerstone of Western drama.
Red
John Logan’s taut, visceral two-hander, Red, features artist Mark Rothko at the height of his career. Viewed through the lens of his youthful new assistant, Ken, we witness Rothko at the pinnacle of his creativity, but struggling through the creation of a series of large paintings, commissioned as a series intended to feature in New York’s brand-new Four Seasons Restaurant. As Ken and Rothko paint, they challenge each other to ask big questions about art: what it takes to create it and what its role should be in the world. Set in the 1950s, and based on a series of real events, Red takes a compelling look at the ever-changing relationship between an artist and his creations.
A Doll's House, Part 2
IRT playwright in residence James Still directs Tracy Michelle Arnold as Nora, Nathan Hosner as Torvald, Kim Staunton as Anne Marie, and Becca Brown as Emmy. And what a ride. It’s tangled and messy, both domestically and morally, making Nora’s the perfect cautionary tale against getting married in the first place.
Still uses the word “engaging” in his program notes, and that is the perfect way to describe the entire production. No matter who is on stage, they are engaging in quick-fire succession — ideas, feelings, hostilities, forgiveness, determination, defeat. The stage is so full of engagements that the spare set feels ready to burst. The cast does an exemplary job of keeping up with it all and making it funny just when you need a break from the drama.
The Originalist
The Originalist opens as Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (1936-2016) gives a speech at a conservative law school. With his characteristic blend of intelligence and sarcasm, he discusses his reputation as an aggressive leader of the right. He defines his central legal tenet, originalism, as interpreting the Constitution “as it is written and as it was understood when its authors crafted the original document.” His speech is interrupted several times by Cat, a young black law school graduate with decidedly liberal views.
The God of Carnage
God of Carnage (originally in French Le Dieu du carnage) is a play by Yasmina Reza that was first published in 2008. It is about two sets of parents; the son of one couple has hurt the son of the other couple at a public park. The parents meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish and the meeting devolves into chaos. Originally written in French, the play was translated into English by translator Christopher Hampton, and has enjoyed acclaim in productions in both London and New York.
Dial 'M' for Murder
Tony Wendice, who married his wife Margot for her money, now plans to murder her for the same reason. Tony arranges the perfect murder: He hires a scoundrel he once knew into strangling Margot, and arranges a brilliant alibi for himself. The night of the planned attack, in a thrilling surprise twist, the plan goes awry and Margot manages to kill her attacker.
Momentarily ruffled, Tony soon sees the hitman's death as an opportunity to have his wife convicted of murder. Working with an inspector from Scotland Yard, Tony plants the idea that Margot had planned the murder. Fortunately, the inspector and a friend of Margot's eventually discover the truth. In a scene of almost unbearable suspense, they trick Tony into revealing his guilt, freeing Margot.
Other Desert Cities
Brooke Wyeth returns home to Palm Springs after a six-year absence to celebrate Christmas with her parents, her brother, and her aunt. Brooke announces that she is about to publish a memoir dredging up a pivotal and tragic event in the family’s history—a wound they don’t want reopened. In effect, she draws a line in the sand and dares them all to cross it.
The Mystery of Irma Vep
Gothic melodrama gets a high-camp celebration in this first-class comedy filled with murder and mayhem. With two actors playing 8 different characters and 30+ costume changes, this side-splitting quick-change marathon moves at breakneck speed. Charles Ludlam’s horror spoof sends these actors on a tour de force ride full of werewolves, mummies, and a scary amount of laughter.