Bel Canto At Wheelock Family Theatre

Theater Offensive & Wheelock Family Theatre
Team for Groundbreaking World Premiere of
Daniel Alexander Jones’ “Bel Canto”

In a ground-breaking collaboration, The Theater Offensive, New England's leading stage for multicultural gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender theater, will join forces with the region's leading professional venue for diverse young audiences, Wheelock Family Theatre, for the world premiere of Daniel Alexander Jones' “Bel Canto.”

In workshop at the 2002 Sundance Institute Summer Play Lab in Utah, two of America's most compelling contemporary theater artists, Jones and Robbie McCauley (director) bring this magical American journey of sexual and artistic discovery to the stage. Performances are set for June 5 through June 22, 2002 at the Wheelock Family Theatre in Boston.

Daniel Alexander Jones is an interdisciplinary artist who writes, performs and directs for theatre. Featured as a "rising star" in American Theatre magazine, Jones wrote "Bel Canto"during a year long artist residency at The Theater Offensive and developed it through the company's "Plays At Work" program.

His other plays and performance pieces have been presented to critical acclaim. They include: “Blood, Shock, Boogie;” Earthbirths;” “Ambient Love Rites;” and “Whale.” His directing and performance work has been seen in several U.S. cities, notably New York, Boston, Austin, Seattle and Minneapolis, as well as in London and Dublin.

A native of Massachusetts, Daniel has received grants and fellowships from the Jerome Foundation, The Playwrights' Center, The Creative Capital Foundation and was NEA/TCG Playwright-in-Residence at Boston's Theater Offensive for the year 2000. Daniel holds an M.A. in Theatre from Brown University and a B.A. from Vassar College in Africana Studies.

Robbie McCauley has directed works in New York City including “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome,” developed by Kamal Sinclair Steele at the New Federal Theater; a Signature Theater production of Adrienne Kennedy's “Suzanne in Stages” and a reading of “Bel Canto” by Daniel Alexander Jones, both at the Joseph Papp Public Theater; and “A Tempest” by Aimee Cesair at UBU Repertory Theater.

Nationally she has directed “Shakin’ The Mess Outta Misery” and the premiere production of “Talking Bones” by Shay Youngblood at Penumbra Theater in St. Paul, MN; "Fires In The Mirror” by Anna Deavere Smith at City College of New York; and Ntozake Shange's “Spell #7” at Trinity College in Hartford.

Also a playwright and performance artist, Ms. McCauley received a Bessie and an OBIE award for her “Sally’s Rape.” She is currently an Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at Emerson College in Boston.

The Theater Offensive has driven its ambitious programming to the cutting edge of queer culture and politics for over ten years. Grounded in the commitment to build an activist-based artistic forum, the programming has become a vital arena for the unique voice of queer cultures and has led to lasting coalitions between the varied communities.

In 1999, The Theater Offensive received special recognition from The Boston Women's Fund, AIDS Action, the Elliot Norton Boston Theater Awards, the Greater Boston Business Council, The Boston Foundation and The Boston Globe.

The Wheelock Family Theatre, now in its 22nd season, is an award-winning, non-profit, equity theatre located in Boston, providing challenging and innovative theatre for both adults and young people.

To make theatre a vital force in people's lives, WFT makes quality theatre accessible to all segments of the greater Boston community. Their commitment to multi-cultural and multi-generational casting, to the communities of blind and deaf patrons, and to cost affordability, makes full and recognized access a reality rather than a catch phrase.

Performances of “Bel Canto” are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. plus Sundays at 7:00 p.m. at Wheelock Family Theater, 180 The Riverway, in Boston. Accessible via the MBTA’s Green Line (D Train - Fenway Station), the Wheelock Family Theatre is wheelchair-accessible.

For tickets and more information, call 617-734-4760.

For more information regarding the producing organizations please visit their websites at www.thetheateroffensive.org and http://www.wheelock.edu/wft

-- OnStage Boston

5/21/03

			Theater Offensive & Wheelock Family Theatre Team for Groundbreaking World Premiere of Daniel Alexander Jones’ “Bel Canto” In a ground-breaking collaboration, The Theater Offensive, New England's leading stage for multicultural gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender theater, will join forces with the region's leading professional venue for diverse young audiences, Wheelock Family Theatre, for the world premiere of Daniel Alexander Jones' “Bel Canto.” In workshop at the 2002 Sundance Institute Summer Play Lab in Utah, two of America's most compelling contemporary theater artists, Jones and Robbie McCauley (director) bring this magical American journey of sexual and artistic discovery to the stage. Performances are set for June 5 through June 22, 2002 at the Wheelock Family Theatre in Boston. Daniel Alexander Jones is an interdisciplinary artist who writes, performs and directs for theatre. Featured as a "rising star" in American Theatre magazine, Jones wrote "Bel Canto"during a year long artist residency at The Theater Offensive and developed it through the company's "Plays At Work" program. His other plays and performance pieces have been presented to critical acclaim. They include: “Blood, Shock, Boogie;” Earthbirths;” “Ambient Love Rites;” and “Whale.” His directing and performance work has been seen in several U.S. cities, notably New York, Boston, Austin, Seattle and Minneapolis, as well as in London and Dublin. A native of Massachusetts, Daniel has received grants and fellowships from the Jerome Foundation, The Playwrights' Center, The Creative Capital Foundation and was NEA/TCG Playwright-in-Residence at Boston's Theater Offensive for the year 2000. Daniel holds an M.A. in Theatre from Brown University and a B.A. from Vassar College in Africana Studies. Robbie McCauley has directed works in New York City including “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome,” developed by Kamal Sinclair Steele at the New Federal Theater; a Signature Theater production of Adrienne Kennedy's “Suzanne in Stages” and a reading of “Bel Canto” by Daniel Alexander Jones, both at the Joseph Papp Public Theater; and “A Tempest” by Aimee Cesair at UBU Repertory Theater. Nationally she has directed “Shakin’ The Mess Outta Misery” and the premiere production of “Talking Bones” by Shay Youngblood at Penumbra Theater in St. Paul, MN; "Fires In The Mirror” by Anna Deavere Smith at City College of New York; and Ntozake Shange's “Spell #7” at Trinity College in Hartford. Also a playwright and performance artist, Ms. McCauley received a Bessie and an OBIE award for her “Sally’s Rape.” She is currently an Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at Emerson College in Boston. The Theater Offensive has driven its ambitious programming to the cutting edge of queer culture and politics for over ten years. Grounded in the commitment to build an activist-based artistic forum, the programming has become a vital arena for the unique voice of queer cultures and has led to lasting coalitions between the varied communities. In 1999, The Theater Offensive received special recognition from The Boston Women's Fund, AIDS Action, the Elliot Norton Boston Theater Awards, the Greater Boston Business Council, The Boston Foundation and The Boston Globe. The Wheelock Family Theatre, now in its 22nd season, is an award-winning, non-profit, equity theatre located in Boston, providing challenging and innovative theatre for both adults and young people. To make theatre a vital force in people's lives, WFT makes quality theatre accessible to all segments of the greater Boston community. Their commitment to multi-cultural and multi-generational casting, to the communities of blind and deaf patrons, and to cost affordability, makes full and recognized access a reality rather than a catch phrase. Performances of “Bel Canto” are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. plus Sundays at 7:00 p.m. at Wheelock Family Theater, 180 The Riverway, in Boston. Accessible via the MBTA’s Green Line (D Train - Fenway Station), the Wheelock Family Theatre is wheelchair-accessible. For tickets and more information, call 617-734-4760. For more information regarding the producing organizations please visit their websites at www.thetheateroffensive.org and http://www.wheelock.edu/wft -- OnStage Boston 5/21/03

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