InterAct Theatre Company: LIDLESS

InterAct Theatre's Regional Premiere of LIDLESS by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig

In the fifteen years since Alice served in the U.S. Army as an interrogator at Guantánamo Bay, she has successfully reinvented herself and suppressed all memories of her prior life — mostly through the aid of pharmaceuticals. She now lives contentedly, if not passionately, in Minnesota with her loving husband and precocious teenage daughter. That is, until Bashir, a Pakistani Muslim, shows up at Alice’s flower shop and asks for part of her liver as compensation for the suffering he endured as one of her detainees. The request sets into motion a series of visceral and spiritual encounters among six characters whose lives will be forever connected and defined by a single act of inhumanity. This daring and beautiful new play is at once searingly poetic and incisively political as it explores the nature of trauma, the conflicting eroticism and brutality of violence, and the blurry line between revenge and redemption.

J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir) and Kittson O'Neill (as Alice) in InterAct Theatre Company’s regional premiere production of LIDLESS, a new drama written by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig and directed by Seth Rozin. Photo by Seth Rozin.

J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir) and Kittson O'Neill (as Alice). Photo by Seth Rozin.

Kittson O'Neill (as Alice) and J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir) in InterAct Theatre Company’s regional premiere production of LIDLESS, a new drama written by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig and directed by Seth Rozin. Photo by Seth Rozin.

Kittson O'Neill (as Alice) and
J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir).

Photo by Seth Rozin.

Kittson O'Neill (as Alice), Sarah Van Auken (as Rhiannon), and Ed Swidey (as Lucas) in InterAct Theatre Company’s regional premiere production of LIDLESS, a new drama written by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig and directed by Seth Rozin. Photo by Seth Rozin.

Kittson O'Neill (as Alice), Sarah Van Auken (as Rhiannon),

and Ed Swidey (as Lucas). Photo by Seth Rozin.

J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir) and Gamze Ceylan (as Riva) in InterAct Theatre Company’s regional premiere production of LIDLESS, a new drama written by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig and directed by Seth Rozin. Photo by Seth Rozin.

J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir) and Gamze Ceylan (as Riva).
Photo by Seth Rozin.

Kittson O'Neill (as Alice), Sarah Van Auken (as Rhiannon), and Ed Swidey (as Lucas). Photo by Seth Rozin.

Kittson O'Neill (as Alice) and J. Paul Nicholas (Bashir) in InterAct Theatre Company’s regional premiere production of LIDLESS, a new drama written by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig and directed by Seth Rozin. Photo by Seth Rozin.

Kittson O'Neill (as Alice) and
J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir).
Photo by Seth Rozin.

Sarah Van Auken (as Rhiannon), Kittson O'Neill (as Alice), and J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir) in InterAct Theatre Company’s regional premiere production of LIDLESS, a new drama written by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig and directed by Seth Rozin. Photo by Seth Rozin.

Sarah Van Auken (as Rhiannon), Kittson O'Neill (as Alice), and J. Paul Nicholas
(as Bashir). Photo by Seth Rozin.

J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir), Gamze Ceylan (as Zakiyah), and Kittson O'Neill (as Alice) in InterAct Theatre Company’s regional premiere production of LIDLESS, a new drama written by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig and directed by Seth Rozin. Photo by Seth Rozin.

J. Paul Nicholas (as Bashir), Gamze Ceylan (as Zakiyah), and Kittson O'Neill
(as Alice). Photo by Seth Rozin.

has received honors from the Yale Drama Series Award, the David Calicchio Emerging American Playwright Prize, the Keene Prize for Literature, a Glimmer Train New Writer’s Award, a commission from South Coast Rep, and residencies at Yaddo, Macdowell, Ragdale, and the Santa Fe Art Institute. In the coming year LIDLESS will be published by Yale University Press and be produced by the UK’s High Tide and Edinburgh Festivals, and West Virginia’s Contemporary American Theatre Festival, in addition to InterAct. Her plays have been developed at the Hedgebrook Women Playwrights Festival, Seattle Rep, PlayPenn, the Alley Theatre, Ojai Playwrights Conference, the Playwright’s Foundation and Yale Rep. Frances received an MFA in Writing from the James A. Michener Center for Writers at UT Austin, a BA in Sociology from Brown University, and a certificate in Ensemble Created Physical Theatre from the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. She was made in Taiwan, born in Philadelphia, and raised in Northern Virginia, Okinawa, Taipei and Beijing. She is currently Playwright-in-Residence at the Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley, California. More information is available at www.FrancesYaChuCowhig.com.

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).

Kittson O'Neill (Alice) makes her InterAct Theatre debut in LIDLESS. Kittson's recent productions include THE EARLY BIRD (Inis Nua), EGGS (People’s Light and Theater), THE DARKER FACE OF THE EARTH (TWAS Productions), EDWARD II (Queens Company), NIGHTS AT THE CIRCUS (New York Fringe), OCTOBER 1962, MAGGIE ROSE and AN UNHAPPY WOMAN (New Jersey Repertory), and JIGSAW NATION (Playwrights Center, South Coast Repertory, Curious Theater). She has also taken part of several recent play workshops including WILDFLOWER (PlayPenn & The Lark), A HUMAN EQUATION (PlayPenn), APPETITE (PlayPenn), and PROMISCUOUS MATERIALS (NY Stage & Film/Nerve). Kittson's numerous film and television credtis include 200,000 Dirty (with Coolio), Mimeograph (Jenny Perlin), “15 Films” (A&E), Ghostlight (Tribeca Film Festival), and Overtime (Kanbar Festival – Best Ensemble). She will also appear in the upcoming production of THE PRIDE OF PARNELL STREET (Act II Playhouse). Kittson is a graduate of The Shakespeare Lab.

Ed Swidey (Lucas) makes his InterAct debut in LIDLESS. A local actor, Ed recently performed as Angus in MACBETH at the Wilma Theatre, also stepping in as a last-minute understudy and playing a full week as MacBeth himself. Other recent credits include: Gunther in AT THIS EVENING’S PERFORMANCE at the Hedgerow Theatre, Hamm in ENDGAME with EgoPo Classic Theatre, The Guard in HUM as part of PlayPenn at the Adrienne Theatre, Roger in SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER and Rio Rita in THE HOSTAGE with the Resident Ensemble Players at the University of Delaware, and Jazzbo Heywood in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY with Delaware Theatre Company. He is also a passionate teacher of young actors in the Summer On Stage program at Delaware Theatre Company and with the Wilma Theater's outreach programs. Ed is an MFA graduate of the University of Delaware.

J. Paul Nicholas (Bashir) makes his InterAct Theatre debut in LIDLESS. Paul was recently seen at the Wilma in LANGUAGE ROOMS and SCORCHED. He has also performed at The Adrienne in JOHNNY HAS GONE FOR A SOLDIER. His NYC credits include an Off-Broadway production of Ibsen's ROSMERSHOLM at 59E59 Theaters. Regionally, he has performed at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Geva Theatre (Rochester, NY); Seattle Repertory Theater; Woolly Mammoth Theatre (D.C.); Alliance Theatre (Atlanta); Everyman Theatre (Baltimore); Olney Theatre (Maryland); and 6 shows at Shakespeare Theatre (D.C.). He can also currently be seen as Attorney Linden Delroy on TV's "Law & Order: SVU." Paul earned an MFA from the Academy for Classical Acting at The George Washington University.

Gamze Ceylan (Riva) makes her InterAct Theatre debut in LIDLESS. Gamze is a recent graduate of the William Esper Studio’s 2 year acting program under the tutelage of William Esper. She has been in numerous theater productions in London and New York, the most recent being NEITHER HEAVEN NOR EARTH by John Hansen-Brevetti and Gabriella Pinto, playing a Palestinian Mother, depicting life under occupation, both in Palestine and Israel. Other NY credits include THIRD SEAT by Sergei Burbank, THE DIRECTOR by Barbara Cassidy (Flea Theater), TWELFTH NIGHT (Aquila Theatre) and LINUS AND ALORA by Andrew Irons (Flea Theater). Gamze's r ecent films include Hanan, David/Daud, Wishing, Better Man, and Say It With Flowers. For more information, visit her website at www.GamzeCeylan.com.

Sarah Van Auken (Rhiannon) makes her InterAct Theatre and regional theatre debut in LIDLESS. Sarah is currently a senior acting major at The University of the Arts where she has spent the last four years training with magnificent, talented, and inspiring teachers. At university she was last seen in THE SEAGULL (director: Rosey Hay), as Nina, and prior to that she played The Doctor in 9 PARTS OF DESIRE (director: Rick Stoppleworth).

InterAct celebrates Opening Night of LIDLESS with a free reception immediately following the 7:00 p.m. performance. Sponsored by Saul Ewing LLP and hosted by Noble American Cookery, located directly across the street from InterAct's home at The Adrienne at 2025 Sansom Street. Join InterAct's loyal supporters as they mix and mingle with InterAct's cast, crew, board, and artisitc & administrative staff for an evening of good friends and great food. Featuring a few of Noble's best hors d'oeuvre and a cash bar.

During LIDLESS, 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 production, we invite patrons to grab a delicious cup of joe provided by Nook Bakery & Coffee Bar, then join us for Coffee Conversations, informal discussions with company artists. During SILVERHILL, Coffee Conversations are scheduled for:

SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THURS	FRI	SAT
					JANUARY 21 Preview 8:00 pm $18.00	22 Previews 4:00 pm $18.00 & 8:00 pm $20.00
23 Preview 2:00 pm $20.00	24	25 Preview 7:00 pm $20.00	26 OPENING NIGHT 7:00 pm $32.00 Sponsored by: &	27 8:00 pm $27.00	28 8:00 pm $32.00	29 8:00 pm $32.00
30 Speaker Sunday 2:00 pm $32.00	31	FEBRUARY 1 Coffee Conversation 7:00 pm $27.00 Sponsored by:	2 Coffee Conversation 7:00 pm $27.00 Sponsored by:	3 8:00 pm $27.00	4 8:00 pm $32.00	5 8:00 pm $32.00
6 Speaker Sunday 2:00 pm $32.00	7	8 Coffee Conversation 7:00 pm $27.00 Sponsored by:	9 Coffee Conversation 7:00 pm $27.00 Sponsored by:	10 8:00 pm $27.00	11 8:00 pm $32.00	12 8:00 pm $32.00
13 Speaker Sunday 2:00 pm $32.00