2020 SHANNON PL SE, WASHINGTON, DC, 20020 – www.theateralliance.com - [email protected] - 202.241.2539
PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Colin Hovde Producing Artistic Director [email protected] (DO NOT PUBLISH) 202.491.9205 DATE: October 14, 1013 THEATER ALLIANCE BRINGS NASSIM SOLEIMANPOUR’S
INNOVATIVE
WHITE RABBIT, RED RABBIT
TO VENUES ACROSS WASHINGTON, DC
WHITE RABBIT, RED RABBIT
WRITTEN BY NASSIM SOLEIMANPOUR
AN AURORA NOVA PRODUCTION
PERFORMANCES BEGIN OCTOBER 27
(Washington, DC) – Theater Alliance continues its 11th Season with White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, a wild,
utterly original play from Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour which distills the experience of an entire
generation while also serving as a deep exploration of isolation, censorship, communication,
manipulation, and the awesome power of spontaneity.
With no director, no set, and a different guest performer each night, White Rabbit, Red Rabbit is
performed by distinct DC actors reading a script they see for the first time as they step onstage in front of a
live audience. Using a menagerie of allegorical animals, the play is “not about Iran,” but grapples with the
social phenomena of power, obedience, and manipulation. The play is written in Soleimanpour’s disarming
voice, with each new actor serving as an impulsive, inimitable conduit for the playwright’s personality and
ideas. Through the playwright’s insight and the interactive elements of the piece, the audience is invited to
become fully immersed in his world. Imagine being 29 years old and unable to leave your country. Iranian
Nassim Soleimanpour is a conscientious objector who refused to take part in military service, mandatory for
all Iranian men. Soleimanpour turned his isolation to his advantage with an absurdist adventure that blends
comedy and drama.
Theater Alliance’s renewed mission is to develop, produce and present socially conscious, thoughtprovoking work that fully engages with our community in active dialogue. When Theater Alliance
Producing Artistic Director Colin Hovde saw a performance of White Rabbit, Red Rabbit at the Magnetic
North Theatre Festival in Calgary, Alberta (through the Canadian-Washington Theatre Partnership), he
knew he had to bring the play to Washington DC. “It was over a year ago that I saw this performance in
Canada, and it still sits with me every day,” says Colin. “This piece is powerful in it’s humor, honesty, and
provocation. It does not let any of us off the hook and asks us some really important questions.”
White Rabbit, Red Rabbit originally premiered in 2011 at Toronto’s Volcano Theatre in collaboration with Aura Nova Berlin.
URGENT NOTE: All media and press agents have to keep in mind that the playwright lives in
Iran. This play is NOT overtly political, and should not be portrayed as such. It operates on a
deeper, metaphoric level, and very expressly avoids overt political comment. Any allusions to it
being anti-government could, quite literally, endanger the playwright's life. We therefore ask
the press to be judicious in their reportage.
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2020 SHANNON PL SE, WASHINGTON, DC, 20020 – www.theateralliance.com - [email protected] - 202.241.2539
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
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White Rabbit, Red Rabbit will run for 7 initial performances from October 27 – December 15 at two
different venues across Washington, DC. Each performance will feature its own unique actor.
White Rabbit, Red Rabbit will continue its run through March of 2014 with performances in collaboration
with: Kennedy Center, HUB Theatre, No Rules Theatre Company, 1st Stage, dog & pony dc among other
companies. Details for this portion of the run will be announced in December.
DATE
27 October 2013
09 November 2013
16 November 2013
23 November 2013
02 December 2013
08 December 2013
16 December 2013
VENUE
Anacostia Playhouse
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
Anacostia Playhouse
Anacostia Playhouse
Anacostia Playhouse
ACTOR
Jennifer Mendenhall*
Michael Glenn*
Nadia Mahdi
Gwydion Suilebhan
Michael Tolaydo*
Adele Robey
Jacobi Howard
* Denotes member, Actors’ Equity Association
Anacostia Playhouse
2020 Shannon Place SE
Washington, DC, 20020
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
545 7th Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
This performance contains material not suitable for children; recommended for mature audiences.
TICKET INFORMATION
All performances of White Rabbit, Red Rabbit are name your own price. Just arrive up to an hour before
the curtain time, and you can decide how much you pay for the performance. If you would like to prereserve your seat you can do that by paying a $15 reservation fee that is non-refundable.
www.theateralliance.com or by calling 202-241-2539.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
NASSIM SOLEIMANPOUR is an independent multidisciplinary theatre maker from Tehran, Iran. Best known for his play White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, written to travel the world when he couldn’t, his work has been awarded the Dublin Fringe Festival Best New Performance, Summerworks Outstanding New Performance Text Award and The Arches Brick Award (Edinburgh Fringe) as well as picking up nominations for a Total Theatre and Brighton Fringe Pick of Edinburgh Award.
Nassim is an experienced public speaker, most recently as a panelist for the World Theatre Festival, Brisbane’s In Conversation series. Currently developing a new play, Nassim lives happily in Tehran with his wife and new puppy.
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2020 SHANNON PL SE, WASHINGTON, DC, 20020 – www.theateralliance.com - [email protected] - 202.241.2539
ABOUT THEATER ALLIANCE
Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Colin Hovde and Associate Artistic Director Nathaniel
Mendez, Theater Alliance continues to produce plays that are provocative, challenging, and incredibly
rewarding for the community it serves.
Theater Alliance was founded in 1993 and professionally incorporated in 2000 with the distinct goal of
producing work that would illuminate the experiences, philosophies and interests of DC's diverse
population. That goal was furthered in 2002, when Theater Alliance moved from its home at the Capitol
Hill Arts Workshop to become the sole theater-in-residence at the H Street Playhouse.
Theater Alliance is now entering a season of great growth and exploration. With a new base of operations
in Ward 8 at the Anacostia Playhouse, Theater Alliance maintains its connections with Capitol Hill while
developing strong relationships with new neighbors in Anacostia and across Wards 7 and 8.
SOCIAL MEDIA - Join the conversation!
FACEBOOK
Facebook.com/TheaterAllianceDC
TWITTER
@thtralliancedc -- #TAWhiteRabbit
SPECIAL EVENTS
Name Your Own Price
All performances of White Rabbit, Red Rabbit are name your own price. Show up an hour
before the curtain time and you can decide how much you pay for the performance. If you
would like to pre-reserve your seat you can do that by paying a $15 reservation fee that is
non-refundable.
Press Opening
October 27th will be the press opening for White Rabbit, Red Rabbit.
ASL interpreted performance
There will be one performance in ASL. Details will be on the Theater Alliance website.
Talk-Backs
Each performance of White Rabbit, Red Rabbit will be followed by a talk-back where the
actor and audience can share their reactions and engage in conversation about the themes
and issues raised by the play.
REMAINING SEASON 11 PRODUCTIONS
White Rabbit Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour (October 27, 2013 – March 31, 2014)
The Hothouse Reading Series (April, 2014)
The Wonderful World of Dissocia by Anthony Neilson (June 11 – June 29, 2014)
www.theateralliance.com
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