LEAN & HUNGRY THEATER
ANNOUNCES 2014-2015 SEASON
Audio theater company announces upcoming 14th season featuring productions of “Othello,” “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” and “Oedipus, the King.”
WASHINGTON – Lean & Hungry Theater, expanding on the success of its #th season featuring “Julius Caesar,” “The Scarlet Letter,” and “The Comedy of Errors,” continues to develop 1-hour audio theater both inside and outside of the Shakespearean realm with its upcoming season. The 2014-2015 season will feature new adaptations of William Shakespeare’s “Othello,” Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” and Sophocles’ “Oedipus, the King.”
Pursuing more classic texts outside of the Shakespearean canon, Lean & Hungry Theater presents a new translation of “Oedipus, the King” by Robert Gonazales working in tandem with resident Dramaturg Isabel Smith-Bernstein featuring an exclusively African-American cast. The Ancient Grecian tragedy by Sophocles follows the series of unfortunate events that befall Oedipus due to his own personal misgivings.
Lean & Hungry’s production of “Oedipus, the King,” directed by Kevin Finklestein, is set in a fictional African country, narrated by a Chicago minister, and features a Gospel choir in place of the traditional Greek Chorus. The one-hour audio production will be broadcast LIVE at 8 p.m. on November 16, 2014 from the Cultural Arts Center of Montgomery College; tickets are available on October 16th at leanandhungrytheater.org. Audience members at home can listen to the LIVE broadcast on WAMU 88.5.
One of William Shakespeare’s most wide-read plays, “Othello,” features tragedy stemming from love, jealousy, and betrayal. In a co-production with WSC Avant Bard, Lean & Hungry Theater tackles an older, veteran Othello suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The director, Tim Pruitt, explains his decision to take the renowned play in a new direction. “Too often Othello is deemed irrational and reprehensible, yet by reimaging him as a war veteran suffering from PTSD it creates a fairer atmosphere in which the character can function. Also setting the play as such makes it more relatable to modern audiences in today’s war-weary climate.
“Othello” is the second play of Lean & Hungry’s 2014-2015 season and adapted for the radio by Lean & Hungry’s resident Dramaturg, Isabel Smith-Bernstein. The one-hour audio production will be broadcast LIVE at 8 p.m. on the 15thor 22nd of March, 2015 from Artisphere; tickets are available on February 15th at leanandhungrytheater.org. Audience members at home can listen to the LIVE broadcast on WAMU 88.5.
“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” follows the crazy exploits of Alice in nonsensical Wonderland, where she becomes involved with the curious happenings of the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, and the Mad Hatter. Lean & Hungry’s production takes Alice through her adventures in an industrial, clockwork Victorian world and reexamines the themes of good versus evil, freedom versus society, and fantasy versus reality.
“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” is the third and final play of Lean & Hungry’s 2014-2015 season and adapted from the Lewis Carroll’s classic novel for the radio by Lean & Hungry’s resident Dramaturg, Isabel Smith-Bernstein. The one-hour audio production will be broadcast LIVE at 8 p.m. on June 14, 2015 from American University’s Amphitheater; tickets are available on May 14th at leanandhungrytheater.org. Audience members at home can listen to the LIVE broadcast on WAMU 88.5.
All of Lean & Hungry’s productions are made possible through a generous grant from the DC Share Fund of the Community Foundation of the National Capital Region. Lean & Hungry is the Washington-based professional theater company that performs radio drama adaptations of Shakespearean and other classics for Web distribution; it received the grant to transform classics into a one-hour audio production, then pair the final product with a study guide and curriculum for teacher and student use in classrooms nationwide.
About Us:
Lean & Hungry Theatre strives to make entertaining, 1-hour, audio versions of English Literature Classics, based on national school reading lists. These productions are accessible, fast-paced, high-quality performances for distribution via radio broadcast, mp3 download, and for use in classrooms with custom study guides and curricula. It strives to support education using technology and high artistic standards, creating new ways for students to learn. It is endorsed by the National Federation of The Blind and is broadcast on public radio in eight states. Learn more at LeanAndHungryTheater.org.
WAMU 88.5 is the leading radio station in the Washington, D.C., region and prides itself on promoting civil discourse and being the trusted voice of radio. WAMU provides a wide range of original programs including the Diane Rehm Show and the Kojo Nnamdi Show as well as NPR programs. A public radio station, WAMU focuses on news, information, arts and culture. The station is a proud partner with Lean & Hungry Theater. More information is available at wamu.org.
Artisphere connects artists and audiences through an eclectic mix of fresh, thought-provoking arts programming. It is your spot for insight into the creative process and to engage in artistic adventures—from contemporary visual art, live music and theatre to new media, film and dance. More information at www.artisphere.com.
Contact: Jessica Hansen
Phone: 202-230-6064
Email: Jessica@LeanAndHungryTheater.com
LeanAndHungryTheater.org