“ON THE NATURE OF DUST”
A WORLD PREMIERE COMEDY BY LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT STEPHANIE TIMM
New Century Theatre Company (NCTC), under the leadership of Co-Artistic Directors Hans Altwies and Paul Morgan Stetler, with Executive Director Michael Patten, launches its second season with company playwright Stephanie Timm’s world premiere play On the Nature of Dust, directed by Kathleen Collins. In association with ACT Theatre's Central Heating Lab, performances will take place May 5th through 30th in the Falls Theatre space. The first press performance is Friday, May 7th at 8 pm. Tickets are available from www.acttheatre.org or 206.292.7676.
From the dark, whimsical mind that brought Seattle Frankenocchio (Empty Space Theatre) and Crumbs are Also Bread (Washington Ensemble Theatre) comes this quirky and poignant new play about the complexities of mother/daughter relationships, the mysteries of faith, the intricacies of nature and the healing benefits of fudge ripple ice cream. Shirley Bliss, an ill-equipped but well-meaning mom, and her old soul teen aged daughter Clara, are going through some major changes. Their best buddy relationship has devolved into a food-throwing, name-calling struggle of epic proportions. But that’s not the only devolving that’s going on. How far will Shirley go to hold on to the daughter she knew? Why is there an ape eating a prayer plant in their living room? And what’s up with Clara’s pastor and biology teacher duking it out in the middle of the liquor store? One thing is certain: some people have some serious growing up to do.
"On the Nature of Dust is an incredible play,” Altwies states. “It’s our first comedy and it will blow audiences away with its unique voice and originality.” Patten agrees, saying: “Stephanie Timm is a co-founder of NCTC, and our resident playwright. We feel hers is an up-and-coming voice in the American theatre and, like Steppenwolf's relationship to Tracy Letts and ACT's with Steven Dietz, we're excited about a long-term commitment with this incredibly talented writer."
Playwright Stephanie Timm is a vital contributor to Seattle’s artistic community. Crumbs Are Also Bread was commissioned and premiered by Washington Ensemble Theatre, and will be published in Rain City Projects’ upcoming Manifesto Series. She wrote the script for Frankenocchio: The Adventures of a Divine Boy Toy, created by Brian Kooser, which premiered at Monkey Wrench Theatre and was later produced by Empty Space. Live Girls! premiered W(h)acked: An Immorality Play, and Boots Up Theatre Company staged A Cure for Pain. Short plays Li’l Heroes, Rocky Road, and Picked originated at 14/48, and went on to be finalists for the prestigious Heideman Award at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, and performed at other venues such as Looking Glass Theatre in New York. On the Nature of Dust was developed at Portland Center Stage’s JAW Playwrights Festival in 2009, and the Icicle Creek/ACT Theatre Festival in 2008.
The production will feature founding company members Amy Thone (The Adding Machine, NCTC; Speech and Debate, Seattle Rep), Betsy Schwartz (Orange Flower Water, NCTC; All the King's Men, Intiman) and Michael Patten (Noises Off, Seattle Rep; Heartbreak House and All the King's Men, Intiman). Local actors Brenda Joyner (Twelfth Night, Seattle Shakespeare Company) and Ben Harris (Rock n' Roll, ACT) join the cast as guest artists with the company.
Director Kathleen Collins, an Associate Professor at Cornish College of the Arts, has served as Artistic Director for The Honolulu Theatre for Youth and the Actor’s Company of Pennsylvania. Recent credits include Our Only May Amelia and The Gingerbread Boy at Seattle Children’s Theatre. The creative team includes all local artists: Lighting designer Robert Aguilar and sound designer Rob Witmer (The Adding Machine and Orange Flower Water), award-winning set designer Etta Lilienthal, prop designer Christy Penney and costume designer Melanie Burgess. The Stage Manager is Cris Reynolds. Peter Dylan O’Connor and Michael Patten are the co-production managers, and Ray Gonzalez is the Master Carpenter for the production.
New Century Theatre Company exploded onto the Seattle theatre last year with an inaugural season that garnered much public attention and critical acclaim for searing productions of Elmer Rice's expressionistic masterpiece The Adding Machine and Craig Wright's Orange Flower Water, a piercing contemporary drama about infidelity. In response to their many accolades, Stetler observes, "Our success for year one far exceeded our expectations. It was a big risk for us to do these first two plays and it paid off both artistically and financially. We're thrilled that the provocative kind of theater we like to make happens to be the kind of theater Seattle audiences have been craving."
It is expected that On The Nature of Dust’s roughly $65,000 budget will be fully funded by a combination of the $25,000 profit from Orange Flower Water, as well as individual donations from friends, family and the Seattle theater community. All administrative duties for this emerging repertory company are currently done on a voluntary basis, however it is NCTC’s hope that savvy planning and clever budgeting will allow for a small permanent administrative staff in the near future.
NCTC is thrilled to once again be working at ACT Theatre and alongside Central Heating Lab, whose collaborative spirit and support has made a significant impact on the Seattle theatre community.
About New Century Theatre Company
NCTC was founded in 2008 by 12 well-respected Seattle theater artists - Hans Altwies, Paul Morgan Stetler, Amy Thone, Michael Patten, Stephanie Timm, Ray Gonzalez, Jennifer Lee Taylor, MJ Sieber, Darragh Kennan, Betsy Schwartz, Peter Dylan O’Connor, and Jamie Herlich - who share a deep desire to help reinvigorate Seattle’s national reputation as a vibrant force of cutting-edge, ambitious, relevant theater. Together they vow to provide Seattle a fearless ensemble of local artists whose vast experience and developed sense of chemistry provide a cohesive, dynamic, consistent theater-going experience they believe audiences long for.
NCTC is devoted to producing timely, vital stories that will help re-connect Seattle audiences to the transcendent power of live performance. NCTC believes that “story is king” and is committed to plays that are fearless, heightened, sincere, dangerous, crass, erotic, ugly, and full of hope. NCTC shows are produced with a visceral simplicity that will stir your imagination to new heights and will NOT do your thinking for you. Their focus is on pertinent works of the 20th Century; under-produced contemporary masterpieces; and annual world premieres from some of our country’s most talented up and coming writers.
In 2009, NCTC was awarded "Theatre Company of the Year" by both The Gregory Awards (Theatre Puget Sound) and Seattle Magazine, and acknowledged in The Seattle Times Footlight Awards for both outstanding production and ensemble acting. In addition, NCTC received a special project grant from 4Culture for their production of Orange Flower Water.
For more information about the New Century Theatre Company visit: www.newcenturytheatrecompany.org
New Century Theatre Company is an Associated Program of of Shunpike, a local non-profit organization devoted to supporting small to mid-sized arts groups in the Seattle area. Shunpike was founded in 2001 to support a vibrant and diverse local arts community where arts groups of all sizes could thrive. They help all kinds of small and mid-sized arts groups better manage the business aspects of their art through efficient use of local resources and smart management.
