Trinity Rep Presents
"The Receptionist"
In New England Premiere

In addition to offering the holiday production of "A Christmas Carol" on its main stage, Trinity Repertory Company will present the New England premiere of Adam Bock’s black comedy "The Receptionist," in the intimate Dowling Theatre. Directed by Curt Columbus, performance dates are December 5 - January 11.

Described by Columbus as “TV’s 'The Office' meets 'The Twilight Zone,'” this new comedy celebrates the familiar details of every cubicle-dweller’s seemingly mundane daily existence. Then it pulls the rug out from under you.

Product lines, client meetings, protocol: it’s all part of business-as-usual in the Northeast Office. To pass the time, there’s pastry, personal phone calls and romantic advice to share. And when that cute guy from the Central Office drops by, he’s happy to chat ‘til the boss gets back. But then, in the blink of an eye, this familiar daydream becomes a nightmare. The Associated Press said that "The Receptionist" “…confirms the talent of Adam Bock… he knows how to write dialogue — in this case, pungent conversation with an innate theatricality that crackles with comedy.”

"The Receptionist" stars resident acting company member Janice Duclos ("Paris by Night," "A Delicate Balance," "The Clean House") in the title role and marks the return of Trinity Rep favorite Timothy Crowe from his year-long sabbatical - which included performances in SpeakEasy Stage’s "The History Boys" and "My Fair Lady" at Virginia Stage. Rounding out the four person cast are resident actress Angela Brazil ("Blithe Spirit," "The Clean House") and guest artist Timothy John Smith ("Paris by Night").

Playwright Adam Bock relates how his own experiences as a receptionist helped shape the play. “You’re actually the nexus of communication –– you know everything. You know who’s calling whom, you know when everything is happening, and everybody talks to you. It’s a very strong position.”

He continued, “I wanted to write a play about the many different kinds of language we use. It’s amazing to watch receptionists: the way they talk to a stranger who walks in the door, and then talk to someone they know, and the way they talk to someone that they don’t want there, and the way they talk to someone on the phone –– all these different levels of intimacy, of acceptance or of rejection, of stopping or letting things go through. And so I thought, ‘oh, to watch an actress do that onstage would be a bit of bravura.’”

Bock’s "The Drunken City" was produced this season at Playwrights Horizons, while "The Receptionist" received its world premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club this past fall in a sold-out extended run. His other works include "The Thugs" (OBIE Award), "Swimming in the Shallows" (3 BATCC Awards, Clauder Award), "Five Flights" (Glickman Award), "The Typographer’s Dream," "The Shaker Chair," and "Three Guys and a Brenda" (Heideman Award). His plays have been commissioned, developed and produced in NYC by Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, SoHo Rep, Primary Stages, The Vineyard, Rattlestick, Clubbed Thumb, and regionally in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Montreal, Toronto, London, and Edinburgh. He is currently writing a screenplay for Scott Rudin / Miramax.

Talkback sessions will be held after every performance of "The Receptionist."

For information and tickets, call 401-351-4242 or visit www.trinityrep.com.

-- OnStage Boston