InterAct Hosts Reading of Lee Blessing's 20/20 Commissioned Play

On Sunday, November 30, InterAct conducted a reading of Lee Blessing’s WHEN WE GO UPON THE SEA, which was one of five plays InterAct commissioned in February 2008, as part of its new 20/20 New Play Commission program. Set in the future at a four-star hotel in The Hague, WHEN WE GO UPON THE SEA reveals an introspective yet defiant George W. Bush on the eve of his international war crimes trial. The reading of the play was held in New York and was attended by Cari Feiler Bender, former InterAct Board Chair, in whose name the commission was sponsored, along with many of her friends and family who contributed to the commission.

- Seth Rozin
Producing Artistic Director

Left to Right: Playwright Lee Blessing, Commission Sponsor Cari Feiler Bender
& InterAct Producing Artistic Director Seth Rozin

[Photos provided by and used with permission of Cari Feiler Bender]

To learn how you too can sponsor a 20/20 New Play Commission or for information on the other four 2008 playwright recipients and their plays, visit: www.interacttheatre.org/20-20-commission-program.html.

InterAct Secures First Play of 2009/2010 Season

Although we’ve barely begun the current season, the staff here at InterAct is already working hard behind the scenes on the line-up for the 2009/2010 Season… and the hard work is paying off! We’re extremely pleased to announce that we’ve secured the rights to co-world premiere (along with Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago) the unique new satire, THE ELABORATE ENTRANCE OF CHAD DEITY, which will serve as our season-opener next fall. Written by Kristoffer Diaz, CHAD DIETY is a dynamic, theatrical, funny and provocative new play that examines Americans’ fears of terrorism, Islamic extremism and globalization through the larger-than-life world of professional wrestling. CHAD DEITY will be InterAct’s first production to be performed outside of The Adrienne since we moved into our artistic home in 1997. The play will be performed at the Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival theatre at 2111 Sansom Street (right down the street from The Adrienne).

- Seth Rozin
Producing Artistic Director

InterAct Congratulates THE WAR PARTY's Meghan Heimbecker On Recent Engagement (Live. Onstage. In Front of an Amazed Audience.)

Left to Right: Chad Burkins and Meghan Heimbecker

Interesting and unexpected things happen on a regular basis when you work in theatre. And more often than not, they turn out to be better than anything even the most talented professional could create on stage.

Such was the case during the curtain call of the Saturday, November 15, performance of THE WAR PARTY, when featured actress Meghan Heimbecker received an extremely heartfelt (not to mention very memorable) proposal from her boyfriend, Chad Burkins. In front of several members of Meghan's family, and a theatre full of strangers, Chad popped up from the audience during Meghan's final bow only to pop out one of the most romantic proposals to have ever graced a theatrical stage. Meghan said, "yes," and an entirely new, and much more pleasant, meaning for the term "shock and awe" was born...

Everyone at InterAct congratulates Meghan and Chad
and wishes them the best of luck in their future together!

Left to Right: Chad Burkins, Susan Wilder, Meghan Heimbecker & Tim Moyer

[Photos provided by and used with the permission of the newly engaged couple.]

To learn more about Meghan Heimbecker and her career as an actress, director and teaching artist, visit her website: www.meghanheimbecker.com.

InterAct To Help Develop New Play by Aditi Kapil

We're excited to announce that InterAct has been chosen to participate as part of a consortium consisting of three national theatres and one theatre institute in Bulgaria that has been selected by the National Endowment for the Arts as a pilot project for its New Play Development Program, hosted by Arena Stage. Along with InterAct, Mixed Blood Theater (Minneapolis), Lark Development Center (New York City) and the Fourth World Theatre Institute (Bulgaria) will collaboratively support the development of Aditi Kapil’s newest play, AGNES UNDER THE BIG TOP, over the next year. This dynamic and imaginative new play examines the collision of cultures, immigration and the American dream through the intersecting stories of five fascinating characters. InterAct will host a reading and workshop of the play in April 2009.

Aditi Kapil is an actress, writer, and director, of Bulgarian and Indian descent. She was raised in Sweden, and resides in Minneapolis, MN. She is a graduate of Macalester College with a BA in English and Dramatic Arts, has performed extensively in the Twin Cities and around the country, her writing has been nationally produced to critical acclaim, and her latest play, LOVE PERSON. has been nominated for the Blackburn Prize and the Pulitzer Prize.

- Seth Rozin
Producing Artistic Director

For more information about the work of Aditi Kapil visit her website: www.aditikapil.com.

InterAct Inaugurates New Blog & New Season

Welcome to this first InterAct blog entry which we hope will evolve into a lively and active interaction between our artists and our audiences.

Our first production of the 2008-2009 season is upon us, so I wanted to begin by letting you know why I chose to include THE WAR PARTY by Vincent Delaney in our season. I read the play at several stages in its development over the past couple of years, each time finding it funny and provocative and thoroughly enjoyable. When I read it again last spring it felt not only more advanced but way more relevant.

This election year has frayed just about every nerve of every American, it seems. There has been a tremendous amount of antipathy being expressed about everything from patriotism to partisanship, and it is that sense of frustration with the way things are that THE WAR PARTY tackles.

As a theatre that is viewed by most as “leftist” (even though we try very hard to produce plays that challenge, rather than affirm our audience’s values and beliefs) THE WAR PARTY also offers a fresh and refreshing take on the American political landscape. Here, Vincent Delaney has created a play around a central character we rarely, if ever see on stage: A decidedly successful conservative woman senator who is neither satirized nor made into a caricature. Laura Smith is far more complex and compelling than the monolithic right wing stereotype she has, frankly, played the role of. In fact, she has actually hidden from the world many things about herself that would engender our sympathy and support…in the interest of pursuing a political career in America’s bitterly divided cultural landscape.

I can’t tell you too much without giving away the many surprises in the play, but suffice it to say that it takes unexpected turns right up until the end.

I look forward to hearing from you, before or after you’ve seen THE WAR PARTY.

- Seth Rozin
Producing Artistic Director

For more information about THE WAR PARTY, including excerpts from the script and an interview with the playwright, visit www.interacttheatre.org/2008-2009-feature-1.html.