Boston Theatre Works has announced
it will present the Boston premiere of "Another American:
Asking and Telling," written by and starring Marc
Wolf, as the kick-off to a season of provocative political
plays. Performances are set for October 7 - October 23 at the Boston
Center for the Arts.
Directed
by Tony Award-winning Joe Mantello, the one-man show
gives voice to those silenced by the military’s controversial
"don't ask, don't tell" policy. Marc Wolf interviewed more
than 200 gay and straight soldiers, veterans, advocates and critics
to create twenty real-life characters who show every side of this divisive
issue.
The result, both humorous and powerful, is a uniquely
American tour of sexual politics, sanctioned discrimination and its
very human cost. Wolf has received numerous awards for a portrayal that
The New York Times described as, "nothing short of extraordinary…
a tour de force!"
Wolf was awarded an Obie and was nominated for the
Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards
for his Off-Broadway performance of "Another American: Asking and
Telling" at The New Group at the Theatre at St. Clements.
He also presented the play at The Studio Theatre, Washington
D.C., the McCarter Theatre in New Jersey and at The
Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. He has performed the work
in conjunction with panel discussions with representatives from Service
Members' Legal Defense Network, LAMBDA Legal Defense and Education Fund,
and Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual Veterans of Greater New York.
Mantello has won wide acclaim and numerous awards for
his direction of this past season's "Wicked" and
"Assassins" on Broadway as well as the multiple award-winning
"Take Me Out."
"Another American: Asking and Telling" launches a season at
BTW dedicated to politically charged plays by America's greatest playwrights
(as well as one prominent Brit). In January, BTW will present
Jonathan Epstein as Prospero in Shakespeare's final play, "The
Tempest." Jason Slavick's dynamic new production will
unite Shakespeare's classic themes of love, loss, vengeance and forgiveness
with contemporary American themes of justice, humanism and the use and
abuse of power.
In February, BTW's Artistic Director Jason Southerland
will direct the New England premiere of the new version of Tony
Kushner's compelling new opus, "Homebody/Kabul,"
featuring Elliot Norton Award-winner Nancy Carroll.
This sharp portrait of a world at odds with itself was described by
The New York Times as, "passionate, juicy theater…
a reminder of how essential Mr. Kushner's voice is in our dark times."
The mainstage season concludes in May with the Boston Theatre Works/SpeakEasy
Stage Company co-production of "Take Me Out,"
the 2003 Tony Award-winner for Best New Play. Richard Greenberg's
insightful work about the first professional baseball player to come
out of the closet will be directed by SpeakEasy Artistic Director Paul
Daigneault. "Take Me Out" is an ironic comedy about
sexual politics that also serves as a love letter to America's favorite
pastime. The production is presented in association with Broadway
in Boston and will mark BTW's debut in the new Nancy and Edward
Roberts Studio Theater at the BCA.
The Boston Center for the Arts is located at 539 Tremont Street. For
tickets and information, all 617-933-8600 or visit www.BostonTheatreScene.com.
