San Jose, CA (November 14, 2012) – San Jose Stage Company continues its 30th season by presenting Reckless by Craig Lucas. Just in time for the holidays, this surreal comedy begins with a Christmas Eve event that propels the characters on a wild journey of revelation and surprise.
The Stage offers a twist on traditional holiday fare. Reckless, from gifted playwright Craig Lucas (The Light in the Piazza, Prelude to a Kiss), is a comic fable of a modern-day Alice in a perilous winter wonderland. This surreal comedy follows the fate of Rachel, whose blissful life gets turned upside down after one fateful Christmas Eve, when her husband reveals (spoiler alert!) he has taken a contract out on her life. She flees her home and embarks on a series of misadventures that challenges her preconceptions concerning family, love and the wonders of life. Reckless is a timeless story of whirlwind lunacy, triumph and transformation – perfect for the holidays. Reckless opens November 28.
Author, director and actor Craig Lucas received a Drama Desk nomination Outstanding New Play for Reckless. Lucas has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play for Prelude to a Kiss, and he has also received a Tony Award Nomination for The Light in the Piazza (Best Book of a Musical). He has won two OBIE Awards for Best New American Play (Small Tragedy and Prelude to a Kiss). His diverse body of work has been seen on Broadway three times. His many plays include The Dying Gaul, Prayer for My Enemy, The Singing Forest, Blue Window and God’s Heart. He has written the screenplays Longtime Companion, Prelude to a Kiss, Reckless and The Secret Lives of Dentists.
“Craig Lucas has a very decided and personal kinship with lost souls adrift in the world and in Reckless, we collide with them at every turn,” explains Kenneth Kelleher, director of Reckless. “And as we meet them, eccentric and fragile, we begin, with Rachel’s help, to understand the innocence in all of us.”
Kenneth Kelleher returns to direct Reckless for The Stage, where he has helmed over twenty productions, including Buried Child, On The Waterfront, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Wit, Biedermann and the Firebugs, Bariona, The Living and Six Characters in Search of an Author.
Kelleher invites everyone to “take a drive with Rachel through the snowy Christmases of her imagination and perhaps her salvation. And to all a good night!”
Performances are on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm. Reckless runs through December 16.
Tickets range from $20 - $45 and are available at www.thestage.org or by calling the box office at 408.283.7142. Visa and MasterCard are accepted, and discounts are available for groups, students and seniors. The theatre is handicapped accessible.
The Stage is located at 490 South First Street at William Street in downtown San Jose’s South First (SoFA) area.
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The Cast of Reckless:
Halsey Varady* (Rachel Fitzsimmons) returns to San Jose Stage Company, where she played Rachel Jackson in the Regional Premiere of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Kate Monster in Avenue Q and Steph in the Regional Premiere of Reasons To Be Pretty. She has also appeared locally at Bus Barn Stage Company, The Spare Stage Company, Shady Shakespeare Theatre Company, City Lights Theater Company, Palo Alto Players, Foothill College Saratoga Drama Group. In Washington D.C., she appeared at Ford’s Theatre and Spooky Action Theater. She is an Associate Artist at The Stage.
Will Springhorn Jr.* (Tom Fitzsimmons) returns to The Stage, where he was last seen in the Regional Premiere of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Every Christmas Story Ever Told, Cabaret and the Regional Premiere of Reasons To Be Pretty. He is a Bay Area actor, teacher and designer and has appeared with TheatreWorks, The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, SF Playhouse and Theatre Rhinoceros
Michael Navarra* (Lloyd Bophtelophti) returns to The Stage, where he appeared in Buried Child. He has played leading roles with TheatreWorks, B Street Theatre, Traveling Jewish Theatre, Word for Word, The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Pacific Repertory Theatre, Sierra Repertory Theatre and Central Works.
Dena Martinez* (Doctors) returns to The Stage, where she was last seen in the California Premiere of Octavio Solis’ Gibraltar, a co-production with Thick Description. She has also appeared at American Conservatory Theater, Shotgun Players, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Magic Theatre, TheatreWorks and Campo Santo. She is currently the Casting Director at Bay Area Playwrights Foundation.
Judith Miller (Trish Hammers) returns to San Jose Stage Company, where she was last seen in Buried Child, Cabaret, Dirty Blonde and reprising the title role in Always…Patsy Cline. She has also performed numerous roles with San Jose Repertory Theatre, Woodminster Theatre, Marin Theatre Company and California Actors Theatre.
Katie O’Bryon (Pooty) is making her debut at The Stage. She was recently seen as Varya in The Cherry Orchard at The Pear Avenue Theatre and as Smitty in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Foothill Music Theatre. She is the School of Performing Arts Director and Resident Choreographer at Peninsula Youth Theatre.
Jay Steele (Roy/Tim Timko) is making his San Jose Stage Company debut. His local credits include City Lights Theater Company, South Bay Musical Theatre Lyric Theatre of San Jose. He’s also performed with the Lamplighters and West Valley Light Opera. He is chairperson of the board at South Bay Musical Theatre, where he regularly produces and performs.
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association
Kenneth Kelleher (Director) has directed over twenty performances for The Stage, including Buried Child, On The Waterfront and Rock ‘n’ Roll. He is currently the Artistic Director of Pacific Repertory Theatre and Resident Director of The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. He has also directed for San Jose Repertory Theatre, TheatreWorks, California Shakespeare Festival, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Sacramento Theatre Company and B Street Theatre.
The other members of the show’s creative team include designers Richard C. Ortenblad (set), Jean Cardinale (costumes), Michael Palumbo(lighting) and John Koss (sound).
Attn: Media and Calendar Editors: San Jose Stage Company holds the press opening on Saturday, December 1 at 8:00 PM, with previews beginning Wednesday and Thursday, November 28 and 29 at 7:30 PM and Friday, November 30 at 8:00 PM.
Production photos are available upon request. Visit www.thestage.org
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About San Jose Stage Company:
Now in its 30th season, San Jose Stage Company is recognized as The Bay Area's Premiere Off-Broadway Theatre. The Stage is known for its devotion to new and cutting-edge work and for its commitment to showcasing high-quality local talent.
Ranked 3rd largest theatre and 9th largest performance arts organization in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal (May 2012), San Jose Stage Company is a vital force in the community. The Stage has earned a reputation for artistic excellence by providing high-quality, edgy theatrical experiences that engage, educate and provoke audiences. The Stage has produced 143 productions, 44 new works and 11 world premieres.
The Stage also offers five core educational and outreach programs, including National High School Top Honors Awards, and has housed over 200 independent performance groups in its theatre. The Stage is located at 490 South First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. For more information:www.thestage.org Box Office: 408.283.7142
FOR CALENDAR EDITORS
San Jose Stage Company presents Reckless. Reckless, from gifted playwright Craig Lucas (The Light in the Piazza, Prelude to a Kiss), is a comic tale of a modern-day Alice in a perilous winter wonderland. This surreal comedy follows the fate of Rachel, whose blissful life gets turned upside down after one fateful Christmas Eve, when her husband reveals he has taken a contract out on her life. She flees her home and embarks on a series of misadventures that challenges her preconceptions concerning family, love and the wonders of life.
Reckless is a timeless story of whirlwind lunacy, triumph and transformation – perfect for the holidays!
Run Dates: November 28– December 16, 2012
Previews: November 28 – 30, 2012
Opening: December 1, 2012
Shows: Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm
Sunday at 2:00 pm
Location: The Stage, 490 South First Street, San Jose, CA
Tickets: $20 - $45 with discounts for seniors, students and groups
Box Office: 408.283.7142 or www.thestage.org
Author: Craig Lucas
Director: Kenneth Kelleher
Featuring: Halsey Varady*, Will Springhorn Jr.*, Michael Navarra*, Dena Martinez*,
Judith Miler, Katie O’Bryon and Jay Steele
