THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING by Joan Didion
Regional premiere as part of The Cincy One Act Festival at College Hill Town Hall
The Cincy One Act Festival, in residence at College Hill Town Hall/Contemporary Dance Theater Studio announces the regional premiere of THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING by Joan Didion, running weekends: Fri, Sat. at 8pm and Sun. at 7pm Dec. 5–28 (no performance on Friday, Dec.12). Tickets are $20. Note: 2 for 1 pricing for opening weekend only. To obtain tickets: www.Cincyticket.com or call 1.888.428.7311. For info: www.CincyOneAct.com.
Based on her best-selling memoir of the same name, THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING tells the story of the year in Ms. Didion’s life following the sudden death of her husband of 40 years, writer John Gregory Dunne, and the subsequent hospitalization of her only daughter Quintana Roo. The play premiered on Broadway in 2007 starring Vanessa Redgrave.
The Cincinnati production stars Cate White, and is directed by Lyle Benjamin, with lighting design by Chris Carter and projection design by Doug Borntrager.
Born and raised in Sacramento, California, Joan Didion is a best‐selling author known for her novels and essays.
Active since the early sixties, she has received tremendous recognition throughout her career, including the National Book Award for Non‐Fiction and the National Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. She also received the Evelyn F. Burkey Award from the Writers Guild of America, the National Medal of Arts and Humanities from President Barack Obama and honorary doctorates from Harvard and Yale Universities.
Some of her most notable works include: Play It As It Lays, The Book of Common Prayer, The White Album, and The Year of Magical Thinking.
Her Screenplays, co‐written with her husband John Gregory Dunne, include: The Panic in Needle Park, A Star is Born, True Confessions, and Up Close and Personal.
The film, The Book of Common Prayer, based on Didion’s book, is currently in pre-‐production and stars Allison Janney and Christina Hendricks and is directed by Campbell Scott. Didion’s writing is representative of the School of New Journalism, in which the writer seeks to communicate facts through narrative story‐telling and literary techniques. This style can help evoke truth and reality through the writer’s eyes.
When the memoir THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING was published in 2006 it was an instant best-seller. Ms. Didion wrote it in 88 days. When approached, she was reluctant to adapt it for the stage. The adapted stage play has garnered significant critical acclaim and enjoyed numerous productions throughout the U.S.A “A haunting portrait of a four decade long marriage” -NY Times. “A play that is as intensely intimate as it is universal” -Daily News. “Poignant and wry…..beautifully written play, the emotions are so deep we can’t help but be deeply affected” –Newsweek.
Cate White performs this one‐woman show. A NYC native, Ms. White studied at HB Studio with Michael Beckett. She is a founding member of the sketch comedy group Legal Action. Locally she has been seen as Bunny in The House of Blue Leaves at Middletown Lyric Theater and as Patty in Walter Cronkite Is Dead with Women in Theatre.
This production is helmed by veteran director Lyle Benjamin. In Cincinnati Mr. Benjamin has worked with Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, The Know Theatre, Queen City Off Broadway, and others. He has directed close to 30 plays in Cincinnati since 2001.
Rounding out the technical staff is frequent Know Theatre and Cincinnati Shakespeare Company technician Doug Borntragger and NKU and UC/CCM standout Chris Carter.
The Cincy One Act Festival marks a return of theatrical productions to College Hill Town Hall/Contemporary Dance Theater Studio. Theatrical productions have not occurred there since Tri-County Players left the venue several years ago.
Contemporary Dance Theater Artistic Director Jefferson James thinks the addition of a theatrical production company is a great fit for the studio and looks forward to a full slate of productions throughout 2015.
Founded in 1972, the Contemporary Dance Theatre has been the heart and soul of modern dance in the greater Cincinnati area for forty-one years. From their roots as a repertory company in the 70’s and 80’s they have grown to become a premiere presenter of diverse internationally acclaimed contemporary dance, using the intimate Jarson Kaplan Theater at the Aronoff Center for the Performing Arts for their performances. For the past 17 years College Hill Town Hall (built in 1885) has served as their office and studio space. They are grateful for the funding and support they receive from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Performance Network, Otto M. Budig Family Foundation, Artswave and the Ohio Arts Council.
The Cincy One Act Festival’s mission is simple: to provide great plays by great playwrights in 90 minutes or less. They will produce two more regional premieres (rights pending) in the winter and spring of 2015 at College Hill Town Hall.
www.CincyOneAct.com
513.223.6246
cincy1act@gmail.com
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