InterAct Theatre Company: THE RANT

An African-American teenager is fatally shot on his front porch in a crime-ridden neighborhood of New York City. Hysterical and wrought with grief, the boy's mother accuses the police of murdering her son. A woman of Persian ancestry, whose job it is to investigate police misconduct, begins to find contradictions in the stories presented by both the mother and various eye-witnesses, including an African-American policeman on the scene. The "men in blue" close ranks around their beleaguered colleague. Accusations of racism and sexism poison the investigation and the audience is led down a Rashomon-like journey in which the truth appears to be less and less accessible, while the world hurries to form opinions based on uninformed assumptions.

’s plays have been produced across the country, at theatres including Steppenwolf, the 78th Street Theatre Lab, the Salon for the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, Theatre AUM, and the Fifth Night Series at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. His work has been developed at the Manhattan Theatre Club, the Atlantic Theatre, Primary Stages, and the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center. He is a member of the PEN America Center, the New American Writers Group at Primary Stages and a former Manhattan Theatre Club playwriting fellow, and was awarded the Samuel Goldwyn Award for screenwriting while he was an MFA student at UC San Diego. In addition, he served first as an investigator and later as the Director of Communications of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, which investigates allegations of misconduct lodged against NYPD officers. He has investigated death in custody cases and served as the chief spokesman of the board.

co-founded InterAct Theatre Company in 1988, and has since served as Producing Artistic Director. He has directed over 40 productions for InterAct, including Israel Horovitz's LEBENSRAUM (1999 Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Play, Outstanding Overall Production of a Play, and Outstanding Ensemble), IT'S ALL TRUE (2001 Barrymore nominations for Outstanding Director and Outstanding Overall Production), and PERMANENT COLLECTION (2004 Barrymore nomination for Outstanding Overall Production). He has twice been named "Best Director" by the Philadelphia Inquirer for the world premiere of Thomas Gibbons' 6221 in 1993 and for LEBENSRAUM. Other notable productions with InterAct include the world premieres of Thomas Gibbons' BEE-LUTHER-HATCHEE, BLACK RUSSIAN and A HOUSE WITH NO WALLS and the Philadelphia premieres of SKIN IN FLAMES, BLUE/ORANGE, NIXON'S NIXON, AUNT DAN AND LEMON, LONELY PLANET, SEASCAPE, and GOD'S COUNTRY. Seth has also directed for the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles, Blue Heron Theatre and the 45th Street Theatre in New York, as well as regionally with Act II Playhouse, Venture Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Philadelphia Young Playwrights Festival, and the University of Pennsylvania. As a playwright, Seth is the recipient of two fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, as well as The Smith Prize for his play BLACK GOLD. MEN OF STONE and MISSING LINK garnered Barrymore Award nominations for Outstanding New Play in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Seth has served on funding and/or award panels for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Philadelphia Theatre Initiative, Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Theatre Communications Group, and the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist. He has served on the Boards of the Women's Theatre Festival, Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, New Paradise Laboratories, Fresh Visions Youth Theatre, and the National New Play Network (for which he served as Chair from 2002-2006).

makes her InterAct debut in THE RANT. Regionally, Kimberly has performed with the Theatre of the Seventh Sister, The Brooklyn Playwrights Reading Series, NJ Repertory Company, Walnut Street Theatre, Azuka Theatre Collective, First World Theatre Ensemble, City Theatre, and Theatre Exile. In addition to her theatre credits, Kimberly can be seen and heard in numerous voice overs, commercials, and independent films. Most notable on camera credits include the role of Gail in It’s a Miracle (PAX TV) and the role of Dr. Houseman in The Fall Before Paradise (Eden Productions) which received awards in the Directors View Film Festival and the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival.

Elena Araoz (Lila Mahnaz) makes her InterAct debut in THE RANT. Elena’s recent New York and regional acting credits include AMELIA IN THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA at the Pearl Theatre, Helena in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for the American Globe Theatre, Diana in ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL for the New York Classical Theatre, Gretchen in FAUST with the Aurea Ensemble and Octavius in JULIUS CAESAR with Austin Shakespeare Festival. Previous Philadelphia credits include the workshops of THE RANT and THERE OR HERE with PlayPenn in 2007, as well as Trisha in ROCKET MAN with Theatre Exile and Philomel in POLAROID STORIES with Azuka. Elena can be seen in the soon to be released green screen, animation feature film Mars. She holds her BA from Holy Cross College and her MFA in Acting from the University of Texas at Austin.

returns to InterAct after having last appeared as Marc Blitzstein in IT’S ALL TRUE. David is a member at People’s Light and Theater, where he was last seen in I HAVE BEFORE ME A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT GIVEN TO ME BY A YOUNG LADY FROM RWANDA. Previous PLTCo credits include TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, A FLEA IN HER EAR, and many others. He has also appeared at the Arden Theater, Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival and the Wilma Theater, and was most recently seen in THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR at the Lantern. He is on the theater faculty at Temple University.

Aldo Billingslea (Charles Simmons) makes his InterAct debut in THE RANT. A member of Actor's Equity Association, Aldo’s favorite roles include Joseph Merrick in THE ELEPHANT MAN, and Harmon Wilks in RADIO GOLF at TheatreWorks, Citizen Barlow and Caesar Wilks in GEM OF THE OCEAN at American Conservatory Theatre, Yank in THE HAIRY APE, Frederick Douglas/Nigger Jim in SPLITTIN’ THE RAFT at Marin Theatre Company. In addition, Aldo has performed in plays by William Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, Lillian Hellman, Bertolt Brecht, Lorraine Hansberry, August Strindberg and Arthur Miller in regional theatres nationwide, including Portland Repertory, Portland Center Stage, Tacoma Actor's Guild, the Old Globe Theatre and Shakespeare Festivals of Dallas, Illinois, Marin, Oregon, Santa Cruz and Utah. Aldo teaches in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Santa Clara University.

During THE RANT, InterAct will host several post-performance talk-backs to encourage further discussion on the issues it raises. Speaker Sundays, a series featuring invited scholars, community leaders and artists, are scheduled to follow matinee performances on:

Following the 2nd and 3rd Tuesday and Wednesday performances of every play, we invite patrons to grab a brownie and a cup of joe, then join us for Coffee Converstaions, informal discussions with company artists. During THE RANT, Coffee Converstaions are schduled for Tuesday, February 3; Wednesday, February 4; Tuesday, February 10 and Wednesday, February 11.

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JANUARY

Preview

$15.00

FEBRUARY

SEE 3 OUTSTANDING NEW PLAYS FOR ONLY $35.00*
(Preview Performances Only)
Or Attend Anytime For $55.00*

For only $35.00* per person, attend your choice of any preview performance
for each of the remaining 3 production in InterAct's 2008/2009 Season.

*No other discounts apply. Price does not include service fee. After initial performance date selection, exchanges into higher priced performances will incur a per ticket upgrade fee. This offer is not applicable to previous purchases, is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time.

Students with proper I.D. may purchase Student Rush Tickets for $10.00
five minutes before curtain (based on availability).

Special Senior and Student (with a valid I.D.), as well as Group Rates are also available.