They Shattered the Chrysalis! 30th Anniversary Season
A NOTE FROM GEOFF & JULIA
Change can be joyful or heartbreaking. Change is inevitable. Change is necessary. Our world is in the midst of extraordinary change: a year of Covid-19; a time of greater awareness of systemic racism and of confronting violence against Black, Indigenous, people of color; a more aggressive push for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights; and more. The world we once inhabited is shattering. Thus, our upcoming season theme: “They Shattered the Chrysalis!”
Each of the plays in our 2021-22, 30th Anniversary Season is a passionate examination of seismic shifts in reality and how special individuals summon extraordinary courage to meet these changes head-on.
First up, An Iliad by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare based on Homer’s The Iliad. An Iliad is the timeless story of rage and conflict brought to vivid life by one performer. We were thrilled to present our filmed production in Spring 2021 and are now ready to welcome you in person for a not-to-be-missed live performance. An Iliad will be followed by another chapter of August Wilson’s 10-play American Century Cycle with the blues opera Seven Guitars. Evoking true grit and humor in the face of daunting obstacles, this Pulitzer Prize-nominated play mirrors contemporary America while focusing on the rich heritage of Black Americans in the 1940s.
Of course, December would not be the same without our critically acclaimed production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – and never was the world more in need of this greatest story of forgiveness, healing, and transformation. This year, we bring new original music to score our magical holiday show.
The Spring opens with Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy All’s Well That Ends Well. This rarely produced classic celebrates a young woman’s audacity as she shatters a man-made chrysalis of class and convention to pursue her heart’s desire. Next, Nilo Cruz’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Anna in the Tropics intertwines ritual, tradition, and raw sensuality as the working community of a Cuban-American cigar factory in 1920s Tampa, Florida, stands on the precipice of economic and social change. Finally, set in a watery world of gods, goddesses, and hapless humans (the play literally takes place in a pool of water!) Mary Zimmerman’s most famous and whimsical work Metamorphoses illustrates the countless miracles brought about by love.
Change is here! Join us as we celebrate protagonists who each “Shattered the Chrysalis!”
Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott
Producing Artistic Directors
P.S. As we prepare to re-open the theatre, we will closely follow all ongoing public health guidance. If we should be required to make additional adjustments to our season for public health reasons, we will communicate that to our audience immediately and clearly, as we have done throughout this time. If you have questions about our safety protocols, please visit anoisewithin.org/covidsafety.
All audience members must show proof of full vaccination. Masks are required. All audience members 18 and older must show photo ID. Social distancing available per request only. If you prefer this option, please reach out to boxoffice@anoisewithin.org to put in your request PRIOR to the show. As of January 4, children ages 5 to 12 must show proof of full vaccination instead of a negative Covid test result. If you need an accommodation to any of our policies, please be in touch with us in advance so we can work with you to meet your needs. Learn more about our Covid safety policy.
Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare’s AN ILIAD • September 12–October 3, 2021
Based on Homer’s The Iliad, translated by Robert Fagles
Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott
Our Spring 2021 film returns as a live production onstage! The lone witness of an ancient and ravaged Trojan battlefield weaves a tale of tragedy and triumph, with an enduring love for every victim of war. The Poet, an eternal being tasked with a passionate examination of deadly conflict, grapples with grief and dualities of victory and loss, power and fragility, heroism and hubris in an unforgettable modern take on Homer’s classic. Learn more about An Iliad.
August Wilson’s SEVEN GUITARS • October 17–November 14, 2021
Directed by Gregg T. Daniel
In 1948 Pittsburgh, old friends gather to mourn the death of a young guitarist and his dream of stardom. This heartrending blues opera combines touching elegy, humor, and emotional grit as the characters strike their own notes in a discordant world that threatens their hopes and lives at every turn. Bursting with musical lyricism and courage, Wilson’s Pulitzer-nominated play continues his theatrical saga that richly captures the spirit and heritage of Black Americans in the 20th Century. Learn more about Seven Guitars.
Charles Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL • December 3–23, 2021
Adapted by Geoff Elliott
Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott & Geoff Elliott
ANW’s delightfully festive, musically merry holiday tradition returns with all new music! Families love the inspirational story of Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and Scrooge—the perfect burst of boundless good cheer for the season and beyond! Learn more about A Christmas Carol.
Special Add-on Price for Members
William Shakespeare’s ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL • February 6–March 6, 2022
Directed by Nike Doukas
What’s a woman to do with a runaway groom? Hatch a scheme, of course. Roping in a fantastic cast of fools, romantics, and cynics, the clever Helen pursues Bertram in a clash of wits and deception. Capturing both a fairytale essence and human complexity, Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy goes on a journey of forgiveness, hope, and love where you least expect it. Learn more about All’s Well That Ends Well.
Nilo Cruz’s ANNA IN THE TROPICS • March 20–April 17, 2022
Directed by Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx
Shimmering with passion and poetry, this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama weaves the tale of a Cuban-American cigar factory in 1929 Florida where cigars are still rolled by hand and “lectors” are employed to transport and inspire the workers as they toil on the factory floor. As a handsome and debonair new lector reads the words of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, the lives of the workers begin to parallel the novel. Old traditions and new ways collide while longing, love, and betrayal spark a volatile flame that signals the end of an era. Learn more about Anna in the Tropics.
Mary Zimmerman’s METAMORPHOSES • May 8–June 5, 2022
Based on the Myths of Ovid
Written and originally directed by Mary Zimmerman
Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott
Primal storytelling and modern sensibility collide in a sensual re-envisioning of Greek myths, as gods and mortals alike endure love, loss, and transformation—all while immersed in a pool of water on stage. Swirling with passion, Tony Award® winner Mary Zimmerman (author of ANW’s award-winning Argonautika) creates this masterpiece that mesmerizes with tales of Midas, Orpheus, Aphrodite, and more in a whimsical and heartbreaking meditation on the joys and perils of being human. Learn more about Metamorphoses.
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Header photo: Deborah Strang by Eric Pargac.