We asked all of our directors this season the question “why?” Here are the answers from the director of our upcoming show, The Little Foxes!
Why The Little Foxes?
“Lillian Hellman was America’s first great female playwright, a feminist pioneer, and a moral force. Her work deserves to be seen, celebrated, and reconsidered. And it’s just a damn good story.”
Why at The Lyric Stage?
“Lyric Stage audiences LOVE American classics. They GET them. They Lyric Stage has become the go-to place in Boston for new 21st-century versions of great 20th-century plays”
Why now?
“The Little Foxes was written in 1939. It is a cautionary tale about the danger of allowing greedy, dishonest, self-serving businessmen to take over your country. Hmmm… I wonder if it will still be relevant today?”
More about Scott Edmiston:
Scott Edmiston (Director) returns to the Lyric Stage where he recently directed the award-winning productions of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2017 Elliot Norton Award) and My Fair Lady, (2016 Elliot Norton Award). Other Lyric stage credits: LightUp the Sky,Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Water by the Spoonful,Time Stands Still,My Name is Asher Lev, Miss Witherspoon, The Scene, Lobby Hero, and Private Lives. He has directed more than 60 Boston-area productions at SpeakEasy Stage, American Repertory Theatre, Huntington Theatre, and Underground Railway Theatre, among others. Highlights include Long Day’s Journey into Night,Constellations, Shakespeare in Love,The History Boys, Casa Valentina, The Light in the Piazza, Reckless, Five by Tenn, In the Next Room or the vibrator play, A Marvelous Party, and Betrayal. Six of his productions have received Elliot Norton Awards as Outstanding Production or Musical, and he has received four Norton Awards and three IRNE Awards for his direction. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Penn State, the StageSource Theatre Hero Award, and the Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence in Theatre. He is the author of “Acting Misbegotten: The Creative Journey to Eugene O’Neill” published in the anthology Critical Insights: Eugene O’Neill (Salem Press, 2012). Scott is a Professor of the Practice and Chair of the Department of Theatre at Northeastern University.
More about The Little Foxes:
Lillian Hellman’s classic drama captures the riveting story of how a family’s vicious pursuit of financial success destroys the American Dream. In the post-Civil War South, Regina Giddens and her scheming brothers, Oscar and Ben, want to partner on a business deal to exploit the poor and increase their already substantial wealth. There is only one problem: Regina’s husband, Horace, refuses to give them the funds they need — setting in motion a vicious game of duplicitous dealings that ultimately leads to death. A timely story about corrosion of the soul and corruption of the heart.
When I set out to write a piece on The Little Foxes, I headed right to the Drama Book Shopin New York City, to browse and research all things Lillian Hellman. Shockingly, there were no biographies of her in stock or on order. She was not even included in the Drama Book Shop’s most basic book series outlining the lives of accomplished American playwrights. I perused Barnes and Noble and independent bookstores with large theatre sections, but all to no avail. The most recent Hellman biography (less than five years old and provocatively titled A Difficult Woman) was even hard to obtain on Amazon; I had to purchase it through a third party seller. Not only are Hellman biographies in short supply, so too are Hellman revivals. Her plays have only been brought back to Broadway six times total, as opposed to the 25 Broadway revivals for Arthur Miller, or the 31 Broadway revivals for Tennessee Williams. To this day, she has never won a Best Play or Best Revival of a Play Tony Award. The sixth and current Hellman revival is of her most acclaimed play, The Little Foxes, which is about the unconventional Southern matriarch Regina Giddens, who manipulates her brothers’ moneymaking scheme with grit, ambition, and business acumen.
The cast of The Little FoxesAnne Gottlieb, Amelia Broome Kinson Theodoris, Amelia Broome, Cheryl D. Singleton Amelia Broome, Anne Gottlieb, Remo Airaldi, Will McGarrahanRosa Procaccino, Amelia Broome, Remo Airaldi Will McGarrahan, Michael Ciszewski.Craig Mathers, Cheryl D. Singleton Amelia Broome, Craig Mathers, Anne Gottlieb Craig Mathers, Anne Gottlieb, Remo AiraldiAnne Gottlieb, Rosa Procaccino, Amelia Broome, Craig MathersCraig Mathers with Rosa Procaccino, Amelia BroomeAmelia Broome, Rosa Procaccino, Cheryl D. SingletonAmelia Broome, Craig MathersAmelia Broome, Rosa Procaccino
The Wolves production photos
Remo Airaldi, Will McGarrahan, Anne Gottlieb, Rosa Procaccino
All photos by Mark S. Howard
Cast of The WolvesCast of The WolvesCast of The Wolves Cast of The WolvesCast of The WolvesCast of The WolvesSimone Black
We sat down with Director A. Nora Long to learn what makes The Wolves one of the most impressive new plays in recent years!
Why is this play important?
There are few groups as universally-maligned as teenage girls. The vast majority of our pop culture representations portray them as vain, shallow, cruel, and vapid. Delappe affords us a nuanced, funny, thoughtful insight into the lives of young women, as they wrestle through the rather fraught process of growing-up, focusing on their humanity, in all its wonders and flaws, and their athleticism. Make no mistake, this is a play about a team of competitive athletes. These players are seeking immediate victories but also future security and college scholarships. Like soldiers preparing for battle, we see our heroes in moments of vulnerability and triumph, brash confidence and blistering defeat. And they keep coming back each Saturday for another shot at glory. It is a story of perseverance in the face of adversity, a celebration of the human spirit, and a showcase of the extraordinary abilities of the body. In short, it is a great fucking play.
Why is the Lyric Stage the right fit for this play?
Young women are, by far, the largest demographic in the local casting pool. After spending years seeing thousands of brilliant actors for the odd part as the girlfriend, the daughter, or the broad in the tower, finding a beautiful story that plays to our community’s strengths was an obvious fit for Lyric Stage’s long-standing commitment to local artists. Lyric audiences have always prized rich, character-driven stories that offer them a unique perspective on the world. The Wolves is an astonishing play that does all that and more. Also, where else can you get the feeling of sitting pitch-side at the City Sports Dome indoor soccer field arena?
Why is this play important to do now?
It’s always the right time to do great plays, but as the national conversation seeks to be more inclusive of the experiences of under-represented groups, a play about young women as human beings and athletes feels particularly of the moment. If the future is female, have no doubt, the future is coming.
Left quad. Right quad. Lunge. A girls’ indoor soccer team warms up. From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, the team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with all the vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors. As the author says, “I wanted to see a portrait of teenage girls as human beings – as complicated, nuanced, very idiosyncratic people, athletes and daughters and students and scholars and people who are trying actively to figure out who they are in this changing world around them.”
The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, is seeking an energetic, collaborative, and self-motivated individual for the position of Managing Director.
Summary
The Managing Director will be the Lyric Stage’s chief operating officer (COO) and will report to the Producing Artistic Director/CEO of the company for a one-year period, and to the Board of Directors thereafter. This is a key leadership role not only at the Lyric Stage but also in the cultural life of the Greater Boston Area and will be one of the public faces of the Lyric Stage. This individual will tend to the overall financial well-being of the organization, paying special attention to fundraising initiatives set by the Board of Directors. The successful candidate will share our passion for theatre, theatre arts education, and the Lyric Stage’s distinct and historic role in the cultural life of Greater Boston and must be comfortable with a small full-time staff (10 persons) and a fast-paced fun office environment. They must have an excellent sense of humor.
Requirements
The successful candidate will have a college degree and a minimum of five years of related management experience
in nonprofit arts administration, theatre, or a related field. A
successful track record in fundraising and leadership best practices is
expected.
The Lyric Stage is committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. Application by any and all qualified candidates is encouraged.
Job Description
Finances: Have a high-level financial management acumen (including budgeting and budget management). With the Producing Artistic Director, ensure that the annual budget is prepared with input from all departments and approved by the Board. Ensure that the day-to-day operations are conducted to meet revenue and expense goals. Meet periodically with the staff and the Board to report results. Make recommendations to the Producing Artistic Director and Board for adjustments to plan for and accommodate changes. With the General Manager, ensure that expenses are paid on a timely basis and all accounts are in order. Work with the Lyric Stage’s auditor to prepare the annual audit, IRS filings, and all necessary reports to the state and federal governments. Explore financial instruments to maximize interest on accounts.
Fundraising: Set fundraising goals and budget with Board. Ensure that goals are properly addressed with events and activities that allow goals to be met. With Executive Committee of the Board and the Producing Artistic Director, work towards establishing an endowment. Seek corporate, foundation, and individual sponsors (including major gifts). Maintain lists of target donors for development. Explore opportunities for grants and complete proposals. Be an active participant in fundraising, working with the Board Development Committee and meeting with potential donors in all phases of development.
Strategic: With the Producing Artistic Director and the Board, develop or revise the mission statement. The Managing Director will be a member of the Board’s Strategic Planning Committee. Actively participate with the Producing Artistic Director. Associate Artistic Director and Marketing Director in season planning for maximum attendance results while balancing artistic goals. Work with the Producing Artistic Director and Marketing Director to develop target audiences, marketing plans, and the marketing budget to ensure robust ticket sales. Explore and develop opportunities for community outreach and partnerships.
Personnel: Attract and retain
staff sufficient to meet budget and goals. Develop talent in key areas for continuity.
They should consider themselves a mentor to other administrative positions (box
office, general management, marketing, and development) in order to continue
the cross-training of the staff to ensure smooth operations. With the Producing
Artistic Director, set the tone for the
office culture.
Other: The Managing Director
should be a partner with the Producing Artistic Director/CEO of the company in its
operations. The Managing Director should have good written and verbal
communication skills, work well with staff in a transparent, collaborative
manner, and be involved with the day-to-day operations of the staff. The
Managing Director should be one of the recognizable faces and positions in the
Lyric Stage family. As such, they should
be available at key performances (or at non-traditional office hours) to be in
front of the audience and contacting key stakeholders. The Managing Director
should attend meetings and gatherings within the theatre and cultural
community. They should be a good negotiator and be the point person for the
Lyric Stage for collective bargaining with the unions that the company
currently works with (currently Actors Equity Association, Boston Musicians
Union, Stage Directors and Choreographers, United Scenic Artists). Other duties
assigned by the Board of Directors. They should have great people skills.
This is a full-time salaried position. Benefits include participation in a health plan, contribution to a 403-b plan administered by Fidelity Investments, a dental plan, pre-tax T-pass benefits, reciprocal free or discounted admission to most museums and cultural institutions throughout the Commonwealth, and a liberal paid time off policy.
Please submit a cover letter, current Resume and three references with their contact information to search@lyricstage.com. No phone calls, please.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Please apply by February 15th, 2019.
Davron S. Monroe with Asher Denburg Davron S. Monroe with Asher DenburgDavron S. Monroe, Yewande OdetoyinboDoug Gerber, Davron S. Monroe Davron S. Monroe, Yewande OdetoyinboDavron S. Monroe with Asher Deburg, Yewande OdetoyinboDavron S. Monroe, Yewande OdetoyinboDavron S. Monroe, Yewande Odetoyinbo
Paula Plum and Adrianne Krstansky in The Roommate. Photo by Mark S. Howard.
★★★★☆
Two of Boston’s best-loved actresses join forces for The Roommate, Jen Silverman’s quirky comedy about two middle-aged women who find themselves living together, trying new things, and reckoning with a demon or two. Paula Plum plays Sharon, a 54-year-old Iowa woman who has recently retired from her marriage and takes in a roommate in order to save a little money. Adrianne Krstansky plays Robyn, a gay vegan from the Bronx whose arrival awakens in Sharon something real and untapped.
Directed by Spiro Veloudos, The Roommate is an irresistible treat featuring two beloved actresses at the top of their games. The play loses a bit of steam in its last third when Sharon takes a special interest in Robyn’s past, but Plum’s evolution (or devolution, depending on how you look at it) from provincial Midwestern matron to a scheming, pot-selling hussy is profoundly entertaining. What’s more, it’s the best thing the Lyric has done in nearly two years.
THE ROOMMATE. THROUGH 11.18 AT THE LYRIC STAGE COMPANY OF BOSTON, 140 CLARENDON ST., BOSTON. LYRICSTAGE.COM
There are so many hidden jems in the set of The Roommate that give this cozy Iowan home its quirky Mid-Western charm. Check out some of the details that make the set come to life in the pictures below!
Paula Plum & Adrianne Krstansky. Photo by Mark S. Howard Paula Plum. Photo by Mark S. Howard Paula Plum & Adrianne Krstansky. Photo by Mark S. Howard Paula Plum & Adrianne Krstansky. Photo by Mark S. Howard Paula Plum & Adrianne Krstansky. Photo by Mark S. HowardPaula Plum & Adrianne Krstansky. Photo by Mark S. HowardAdrianne Krstansky & Paula Plum. Photo by Mark S. Howard
On Sunday December 9th and 23rd, Castle of our Skins, a concert and educational series that is dedicated to celebrating Black artistry through music, will present a tribute to Roland Hayes here at Lyric Stage.
The celebration will include spiritual and art songs that were championed by Hayes and world premiere work that was created with youth in Boston. A reception will also follow.
The event will take place from 1:00-1:30 on both days and tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and children under 12.
Before there was Marian Anderson, there was Roland Hayes – one of the first world-renowned African-American classical vocalists. Breath & Imagination is a play with music that chronicles the amazing journey of this pioneer from the plantation in Georgia to singing before kings and queens in Europe. At the heart of the story is Roland’s loving, complex relationship with his mother – his Angel Mo’. Employing spirituals and classical music, Breath & Imagination is an inspirational exploration of one man’s determination to be an artist despite seemingly insurmountable odds.
