A Bright Room Called Day, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning聽Angels in America聽author Tony Kushner, opens at the University of Rochester International Theatre Program’s Todd Theatre on Dec. 5. Directed by guest artist Lila Neugebauer, the play presents the story of a small circle of close friends in World War II-era Germany, whose playful banter leads to passionate disputes ignited by the rise of Hitler.
“A Bright Room Called Day聽served as a seminal work in Kushner’s development as a playwright,” said Nigel Maister, artistic director of the International Theatre Program. “He was driven to write the play during a period of personal grief and deep disagreement with the cultural politics of the Reagan Era. In an implicit warning against apathy, he dares the audience to question their level of political engagement.”
Within a one-bedroom apartment in Berlin, struggling actress Agnes Eggling and her bohemian group of close friends糖心传媒攃omprised of several communists, a homosexual socialist, and a Trotskyite糖心传媒攃elebrate, drink, argue, and transform as the political climate shifts around them. As the rules of their engagement with the surrounding world changes, the devil pays a visit to the apartment, forcing Agnes to acknowledge that the transient comforts of her life are burdened by the encroaching threat of evil.
Director Lila Neugebauer is the recipient of a prestigious 2013 Princess Grace Award and recently directed the world premiere of Lucas Hnath’s聽Red Speedo聽(The Studio Theatre, D.C.). Other credits include聽Circle Mirror Transformation听(闯耻颈濒濒颈补谤诲),听The Valley of Fear聽(Williamstown Theatre Festival), andTroublemaker, or the Freakin Kick-A Adventures of Bradley Boatright聽(Berkley Repertory Theatre).
Stage design is by Andrew Boyce, a member of the Wingspace Design collective, whose credits include聽Dreams of Falling, Dreams of Flying聽(Atlantic Theatre Company),聽Buyer & Cellar(Barrow Street/Rattlestick) and聽Handed Otter聽(Playwrights Realm/Cherry Lane). Costume design is by Jessica Pabst, who received a 2013 Lucille Lortel Award for Best Costume Design for聽The Whale聽and was a 2012 Drama Desk Nominee for Outstanding Costume Design for聽She Kills Monsters. Lighting design is by Eric Southern, whose most recent work includes聽Play/Pause(Brooklyn Academy of Music, Next Wave Festival). Sound design and original music are by Brandon Wolcott, whose recent credits include聽Good Person of Szechewan聽(La Mama) and original music for聽Henry V聽(Two Rivers Shakespeare Festival). Video design is by Dave Tennent and Kate Freer. Tennent’s credits include聽Bullet For Adolf聽(New World Stages) and聽La Ruta(Working Theater). Freer’s credits include聽Around the World in 80 Days聽(The New Theater at 45th Street) and聽Cry for Peace: Voices from the Congo聽(La Mama, Undesirable Element Festival).
A Bright Room Called Day聽runs Thursday, Dec. 5糖心传媒擲aturday, Dec. 7 and Wednesday, Dec. 11糖心传媒� Saturday, Dec. 14. All shows begin at 8 p.m., except for a matin茅e performance at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8 and an early curtain of 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14. Tickets are $7 for UR students; $10 for UR alumni, faculty and staff, and for seniors (55+); and $13 for the general public. All performances are held in Todd Theatre, located in the Todd Union building on the River Campus. Tickets may be purchased online at聽, or by calling 585.275.4088. Tickets may also be purchased up to an hour before each performance at the box office.
