R. U. R.
R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots)
by Karel Čapek
Translated by Paul Selver and Nigel Playfair
Directed by Rachael Murray & Cory Cunningham
Sponsored by Tabula Rasa
July 11th @10p.m., July 14th @11p.m., July 17th @9:15p.m., July 20th @10:45p.m., July 26th @ 5:45p.m., July 27th @11:30p.m.
This production is presented as a part of the 2013 Capital Fringe Festival, a program of the Washington, DC non-profit Capital Fringe.
Rehearsals are streamed LIVE, allowing you to chat with the cast and staff during the process!
A B O U T T H E S H O W
Our first show is set to premiere at the 2013 Capital Fringe Festival! A play from the past, about the future. Rossum invents robots to do mankind's bidding. The robot business is booming until Helena, a robot activist, interferes. When the robots become self-aware, they rebel and take over - with mixed results.
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Written by: Karel Capek
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Directed by: Rachael Murray and Cory Cunningham
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Translated by: P. Selver and N. Playfair
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Running time: 95 minutes
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Recommended for ages 13 and up
C A S T A N D C R E W
Adam R. Adkins (Hallemeier) has been working in professional theater for nearly a decade and is excited to be debuting with NTC. Recently he performed as Fred Flintstone in the Landless Mashup Festival’s The Walking Fred. Last summer he performed in R.U.X., a comedic retelling of R.U.R., which won the Audience Award for Best Comedy at the DC Summer Fringe. He has also performed in Trespassing (Ambassador Theater), Into the Woods: In Concert (Nu Sass) and Stop Kiss (Silver Spring Stage). Make sure to visit www.adamradkins.com for more information on his upcoming projects.
Tanya Chattman (Sulla, Nana) is making her second foray into theatre from primarily working in film. Her first feature film, Greencastle, won numerous awards in film festivals across the country. Tanya was nominated as Best Supporting Actress for her role of Emma Freeman in Greencastle last year for the Washington, D.C. World Music and Independent Film Festival. She also has two films in post-production, Class Picture and Waging War, which will be entered in film festivals around the country this fall and next spring. Tanya is an avid fan of Science Fiction and hopes to one day meet “The Doctor” flying around through time and space in the Tardis. Tanya also loves cooking and is currently looking for the “right” Food Network show to unleash her skills. Tanya’s a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and is a graduate of both Loyola University in New Orleans and the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Colin Dieck (Lighting Design) In the DC area Colin has designed for companies including 1st Stage, Active Cultures, Bay Theatre, Capital Fringe, Dance Exchange, Dead Cats, Keegan Theatre, Spooky Action Theater, and Tattooed Potato. Most recently he designed WSC's Caesar and Dada. Further afield, Colin is a designer and stage manager with Beau Jest Moving Theatre of Boston and has been lighting designer and international production manager for Cho-In Theatre of South Korea.
Shaina Higgins (Helena) Pointillism Jazz Consort: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Helena); Grain of Sand Theatre: Shakespeare in the Pub: A Midsummer Night’s Dream(Helena); Raising Cane (Lucy); Zemfira Stage: The Lion in Winter (Alais Capet); Taking Flight Theatre: Equus (Jill Mason- DCMTA and MD Theatre Guide Best Actress in a Play); Vpstart Crow: The Mousetrap(Casewell), Rumors (Claire Ganz), The Merry Wives of Windsor(Pistol/Roberta), A Christmas Carol (Catherine Dickens); Upcoming: Baltimore Shakespeare Factory’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena). Training: BFA East Carolina University School of Theatre and Dance. Shaina extends her deepest thanks, as ever, to John Shearin and to Jill Matarelli Carlson.
Ryan Andrew Mitchell (Busman) is a mystery because he did not provide a bio! We can only imagine what kind of interesting person he is!
Rachael Murray (Co-Director) likes performing in 20th-century standards and contemporary works. She likes making people laugh. She likes directing plays with great writing and small casts. Her favorite playwright is
Tennessee Williams, and she would like to one day play Maggie the Cat. She would like to one day direct…lots of things. She likes seeing the kind of theatre that punches you in the stomach, makes you feel feelings, makes you laugh, and/or makes you question what you thought you knew. She likes those gray areas.
Mike Rudden (Harry Domin) DC: Debut. Northern Virginia: Castaways Repertory Theatre: The Importance of Being Earnest (Algernon), Prince William Little Theatre: Frankenstein (Henry), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Billy), Vpstart Crow: The Lion in Winter (Geoffrey), Rumors (Ken), Six Degrees of Separation (Rick). Education: BA, Northern Michigan University, 2009 (Theatre minor); M.Ed., George Mason University, 2013. Awards/Recognition: Outstanding Achievement in Performance (Forest Roberts Theatre, 2008), Best Actor (Vista Theater, 2008-2009 season), Best Leading Actor (Castaways, 2012-2013 season). Day job: High school math teacher for FCPS in Alexandria, VA.
Trey Tetreault (Stage Manager) is a senior theatre and cinema major at Virginia Tech focusing in performance and directing. This is Trey's first production serving as the production stage manager and his second show at the Capitol Fringe Festival. He is more than grateful to NTC for the opportunity and is honored to be a part of the company's opening show. Trey can honestly say that he's learned a great deal from Rachael, Cory, Julia, and the entire cast and has thoroughly enjoyed working on this show. He looks forward to sharing what he's learned this summer in his final year at Tech and to seeing NTC take off as a major theatre company. He thanks his sister, Andrea, and her roommates for housing, supporting, and caring for him and his parents for their unwavering love and support. Enjoy the show!
Elliot Bales (Alquist) makes his Capital Fringe Festival debut with R.U.R. He returned to acting following a 26 year career in the US Army, appearing as Beethoven in 33 Variations (LTA), Morgan in The Drawer Boy (Port City Playhouse), Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (LTA), the Actor in Woman in Black (LTA) and Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet(ACCT). He has also performed in TV and film, and can be seen this fall as Jack Ruby in the docudrama Capturing Oswald.
Cory Cunningham (Co-Director) would first like everyone to know that Rachael did almost all of the work directing this show, so give her the props. An actor, he enjoys performing anything from Shakespeare to Sondheim. He's certified in single sword and quarterstaff combat. While he often frolics in light-hearted comedies, he also loves to delve into thought-provoking drama. Cory also has a tech geek side, and this theatre company allows him to satisfy both his theatre and tech passions. Cory has worked with theatres all across the country as well as here in the DC area, but this is his first professional venture into directing. He is a member of Actors' Equity Association.
Eugene Fertelmeyster (Primus) is excited to be making his Capital Fringe Debut with The Naked Theatre Company after both a move from another city (NYC) and a 2 year hiatus from acting. He is coming straight off of the critical success of THE BEST OF CRAIGSLIST with Flying V and has worked locally with IMAGINATION STAGE. A former company member of Playing With Reality in NYC, Eugene is trained in Long Form Improvisation and touts his Musical Theatre degree from Marymount Manhattan College on a daily basis. Besides acting, he is a singer/songwriter, a playwright, and a really average cook. For more information, just google him.
Will MacLeod (Fabry) is happy to be performing with Naked Theatre Company. He has spent the last few years performing with several companies in the DC area and his recent credits include Prince John in "Lion in Winter" (Zemfira Stage), Jack in "Importance of Being Earnest" (Castaways), and Jack in "Laughing Stock" (Alliance Theatre). Will graduated from Gettysburg College with a BA in English and would like to request that you please please please don't start singing that song to him. You know the one I'm talking about, don't lie.
Adiyb Muhammad (Marius, Radius) has participated in several productions over the last few years acting, prior to acting he was a singer. In 2008 he was selected to open for” Bryan McKnight” at the Inauguration Celebration of the National Bar Association in D.C. He was bitten by the acting bug after having a role as “The Baliff” in the gospel play “A Change is Gonna Come”. His latest triumph was in the play “The Heroes Tale” where he gave a riveting performance of “Suede” the villain. As an actor Adiyb looks forward to challenging himself to reach deep inside for the best possible performance of a character and someday be recognized as one of the best by his peers.
Bob Rosenberg (Dr. Gall) appeared recently as Father Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet (SterlingPlaymakers),as Dickie in The Fox on the Fairway (Taking Flight Theatre), and as Dr. Einstein in Arsenic and Old Lace (Vpstart Crow). Favorite roles include Malvolioin Twelfth Night, David in The Foreigner, and Dr. Chumley in Harvey. He's happy to join this great group in Naked Theatre's opening opus!
Julia Sears (Assistant Director) is a mystery because she did not provide a bio! We can only imagine what kind of interesting person she is!
Kathryn Zoerb (Robot Helena) is very excited to be performing with NTC in her first show at the Capital Fringe Festival. She graduated with her degree in theatre and music from the University of Pittsburgh. Most recently she performed with the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory in Romeo and Juliet (Juliet) and Macbeth (First Witch), and hopes you will continue to support NTC and Fringe! You can read Kathryn’s online resume at http://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynzoerb