Performances August 11–17

CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. — Chautauqua Theater Company under the leadership of Artistic Director Andrew Borba and Managing Director Sarah Clare Corporandy, is proud to bring award-winning playwright George Brant’s uplifting comedy Into the Breeches! to CTC. Directed by Laura Kepley, Artistic Director of the Cleveland Play House, Into the Breeches! plays from August 11th-17th on the Bratton Stage at the Chautauqua Institution. Tickets are $35-40.

A Fringe First and Smith Prize Award Winner, George Brant premiered Into the Breeches! at Trinity Repertory Company and it was declared “a breath of fresh air that will leave one smiling” by BroadwayWorld and “one of the sweetest nights of theater” by Providence Journal. CTC is thrilled to connect with its history as the summer home of the Cleveland Play House by working with two of CPH’s lead artists.

As the men are off fighting in World War II, Into the Breeches! follows the women of the Buffalo Oberon Playhouse who attempt to keep the lights of the theater on by producing Shakespeare with an all female cast. This hilarious and moving backstage comedy explores how theater can bring a community together in hard times and perhaps even expand our idea of what community is.

Into the Breeches! guest artists include thirteen-year Chautauqua favorite, Carol Halstead (Broadway-The Best Man, Off-Broadway-The Duchess of Malfi, Red Bull) as well as Peggy Roeder (New York-Ciderhouse Rules, Atlantic Theatre Company), Brian Sills (National Tour-The Lion King), Nisi Sturgis (Broadway-The 39 Steps), Jeff Talbot (Broadway-Sly Fox, Fortune’s Fool). Conservatory Members include Jenny Latimer (UNC), Janet Fiki (UCSD), and Jennifer Holcombe (UC Irvine).

Scenic design by Robert Mark Morgan, costume design by Angela Calin, lighting design by Masha Tsimring and sound design by Rob Kaplowitz.

George Brant (Playwright)

George Brant is a Cleveland based Playwright and the recipient of multiple awards including Lucille Lortel; Edgerton Foundation New Play Award; the Smith Prize; the Keene Prize for Literature; Fringe First Award; Off-West End Theatre Award for Best Production. His play Grounded is currently being adapted into a feature film starring Anne Hathaway. His playwriting credits include, NYC: Marie and Rosetta (Atlantic Theater Company); Grounded (The Public, Page 73). Regional: Into the Breeches! (Trinity Repertory Company, more); Marie and Rosetta (Cleveland Play House, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, more); Grounded (Alley Theatre, Studio Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory, The Gate Theatre, Traverse Theatre, NNPN Rolling World Premiere, more); Elephant’s Graveyard (Bas Bleu Theatre, Balagan Theatre, Trustus Theatre, more); Dark Room (Bridge Repertory Theatre); Salvage (None Too Fragile, Theatre 4); Any Other Name (Williams Street Rep, Winnipesaukee Playhouse, Premiere Stages); The Mourners’ Bench (Trinity Repertory Company). Opera: Grounded (The Met, in development). Education: Northwestern University and the Michener Center for Writers at UT-Austin.

Laura Kepley (Director)

Laura recently completed her fifth season as Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House (CPH) where she has directed numerous critically acclaimed mainstage productions including four world premieres. Next season at CPH, she will direct Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Sweat, and the world premiere of Chelsea Marcantel’s Tiny Houses. Regional directing credits include Alliance Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, The Kennedy Center, The Public Theater, Syracuse Stage, Trinity Rep among others. Education: Northwestern University (BA) Brown University/Trinity Rep (MFA)

TICKETS to Into the Breeches! are $35–40 and seating is reserved. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ctcompany.org or by calling 716-357-6250. A single event ticket is required, which also serves as a Chautauqua Institution gate pass 4 hours before and 4 hours following the start time of the performance.

PERFORMANCES

Saturday, August 11th 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 12th 2:15 & 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, August 14th 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, August 15th 2:15 p.m.

Thursday, August 16th 4:00 p.m.

Friday, August 17th 4:00 p.m.

BROWN BAG:

Free with Gate Pass, bring a bag lunch to Bratton Theater.

Tuesday, August 14th, at 12:15 p.m. “WWII Stories”

Featuring the Chautauquan Archivist and other local historians.

LOCATION and PARKING INFORMATION  Into the Breeches! plays at the Bratton Theater located at the Chautauqua Institution.  To get to the Bratton Theater from the Chautauqua Institution Main Gate go down the red brick walkway (Miller).  Once at Bestor Plaza take a left on Pratt. Then go a few blocks and Bratton Theater will be on the left. For additional directions visit www.ctcompany.org.  For parking information visit www.chqtickets.com.

2018 Going Forward:

Aug. 11–17: Into the Breeches! by George Brant, directed by Laura Kepley

Aug. 15: As You Like It by William Shakespeare, directed by Andrew Borba; in Jamestown’s Allen Park

Aug. 19–21: The Amish Project by Jessica Dickey, directed by Sarah Elizabeth Wansley

About Chautauqua Theater Company

Entering its 36th season, Chautauqua Theater Company is the resident professional theater and Conservatory of Chautauqua Institution. Internationally known actors, directors, designers and writers join 20 emerging artists drawn from the nation’s top training programs to form a unique company that produces a vibrant summer of work in the historic Bratton Theater. Dedicated to the next generation of theater artists, the develop.m.ent of new work, first-rate productions of modern and contemporary classics, and fresh insight into Shakespeare’s canon, CTC produces the best of a year-round regional theater within an eight-week summer season.

About Chautauqua Institution

The pre-eminent expression of lifelong learning in the United States, Chautauqua Institution comes alive each summer with a unique mix of fine and performing arts, lectures, interfaith worship and programs, and recreational activities. Over the course of nine weeks, more than 100,000 people visit Chautauqua and participate in programs, classes and community events for all ages — all within the beautiful setting of a historic lakeside village. As a community, we celebrate, encourage and study the arts and treat them as integral to all of learning, and we convene the critical conversations of the day to advance understanding through civil dialogue.

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