For Immediate Release: January 3, 2006
Media Contact: Mary Bashaw, People's Light & Theatre Company, 610.647.1900 x103

Undine is living an African-American Dream. She's smart, successful and the head of her own PR firm. Then her tango-ing snake of a husband steals her money and turns her life upside down. Once she's forced to rely on the family and friends she had left behind, her darkly comic riches-to-rags tale becomes a celebration of the genuine. Adult language and content. Production sponsorship provided by The Black Suburban Journal.

Fabulation runs January 11 to February 19, 2006 on the Steinbright Stage at People’s Light & Theatre Company.

About the Play

Undine Barnes is the name Sharona Watkins chose when she set about reinventing herself after college. It was a transformation that meant deleting from her life both her blue collar family and pretty much everything else related to her Brooklyn upbringing. It's also a transformation that would seem to have succeeded spectacularly. When we meet Undine at the start of Fabulation, she's the picture of a successful woman in her mid-thirties. She runs her own very hip boutique PR firm, "catering to the vanity and confusion of the African American nouveau riche." She has a suave, attractive husband. She travels in Manhattan social circles most people can only hope to read about in Vanity Fair. She does not, however, have any idea how quickly it all will come crashing down around her.

Her husband, Herve, apparently walked out on her that morning, leaving a note to that effect. Undine is dealing with it by not dealing with it, focusing instead on the event she's organizing for that evening (and even that's not going as planned). A visit from her accountant reveals that Herve cleaned out more than his closet when he left—he also absconded with all of the money in their joint accounts.

It's a pretty quick reversal of fortunes. Not only is Undine broke and about to lose her business, she also finds herself under the scrutiny of the FBI who, while investigating money laundering activities Herve was involved in, noticed that they could find no record of the woman named Undine Barnes’ having existed before ten years ago. All of those circumstances contribute to her quickly becoming invisible to the very same business and social circles that courted her favor just a week earlier. She doesn't know where to turn when she discovers the one thing that Herve did leave her with: Undine is pregnant.

This rapid succession of disasters throws Undine out of the life she's built for herself and sends her on an unwelcome trip, taking her in some circuitous ways to places—prison, rehab, the Social Services office—that just weren't on the itinerary for her life's journey as she'd planned it. Perhaps the strangest and most surprising place Undine ends up, though, is home. “The thing about Undine’s journey in this play,” says director Abigail Adams, “is that she’s forced into it. She’s forced to make a journey that connects her to her roots. It puts her in touch with her past and forces her to reevaluate her present.”

A single mother facing an unplanned pregnancy and financial devastation wrought by a duplicitous spouse, the prodigal child is awkwardly thrown back into the family household. Many of the major events of Fabulation's plot seem like stock components that could be assembled in any number of combinations: handled as tragedy in one arrangement, treated as comedy in another, or configured yet again as social criticism or soap opera melodrama. Lynn Nottage's play fits none of these molds, although it comfortably borrows and blends aspects from any it chooses. The script not only shifts quickly at times from comedy to drama, it suggests that things are both at once. Often in Fabulation, says Adams, “things are both funny and sad at the same time.” Irony is a part of it, but without the associated judgmental certainties. Nottage’s play doesn’t settle things so easily. Rather than playing the extremes of comedy and tragedy against each other, Nottage accepts and embraces what these two seeming opposites have in common. Playing the reality of the sadness of a scene doesn’t necessarily make it less funny; it does make the comedy deeper, and more real. The tone that results from blending these extremes works, says Adams, “because both are true.”

Fabulation premiered at Playwrights Horizons in the 2003 season. The PLTC production performs in the intimate Steinbright Stage, with a cast that features company members Kevin Bergen, Melanye Finister, Mary Elizabeth Scallen and Cathy Simpson. Guest artist Chantal Jean-Pierre plays Undine; guest artists Rob Barnes and Edward O’Blenis, as well as returning guest artist Clark Jackson, complete the ensemble. This company of eight actors portrays more than thirty characters. PLTC Artistic Director Abigail Adams directs Fabulation, with costume designs by Rosemarie E. McKelvey, set design by Scott Weldin, lighting by Dennis Parichy and soundscape by Michael Keck. Kate McSorley is stage manager for the production.

About the Physical Production

Describing her writing process, Nottage has said, "Some people process stuff and it comes out in these really sort of compact cubes in which all the corners are perfectly lined up. That’s not true for me." Neither is it true for the set of Fabulation at PLTC. Thinking about staging this play, which moves fluidly through a dozen diverse locations, director Abigail Adams had clear ideas about how the scenes needed to flow, but not necessarily about the stage on which they would take place. "I knew the design needed to be spare, that color should be intense and bright to start then gradually become more neutral. But that’s all." Set Designer Scott Weldin came away from early design meetings with collections of both dramatic needs and practical requirements, none of which demanded a specific answer. Faced with a very wide range of possibilities, Weldin stepped back a little further and approached the challenge thematically. He e-mailed Adams a poem by Emily Dickinson, which begins "Tell All the Truth but tell it slant…" That became the image from which the set grew. Weldin's design consists most prominently of a pair of skewed frames, one within the other, providing the Steinbright Stage with a cockeyed proscenium arch; upstage within that arch is the second, smaller frame, also at odd angles; the smaller frame surrounds a sheet of semi-transparent plastic and both frames are covered in rich blue fabric. As the action changes location from scene to scene, a few select iconographic elements help establish a sense of place. On the floor of the stage itself, a blue trapezoid mirrors the slanted proscenium frame. Says Adams, "Telling the truth through a slanted frame became our way of thinking about the play."

Lighting Designer Dennis Parichy shares Adams' vision of the progression of color throughout the play. His thought was that the show starts out with vivid colors reflecting the surface of the world Undine has built up around herself, something "enamel smooth, and reflective" from which all texture has been removed. It's not a natural surface but rather something hard, impenetrable and unyielding. From this smooth environment, Undine moves into those with more texture, a progression "from enamel to gritty" in Parichy's eyes. At the same time there's a movement towards more subtle color—or no color at all—in the lighting. With the lighting playing a large part in establishing the different places Undine visits, Parichy had the thought of giving each specific location some signature element in light.

It's one thing to costume a cast of thirty; it's quite another altogether to design costumes for thirty characters being played by just eight actors. In designing Fabulation, Rosemarie E. McKelvey was looking at split-second costume changes even as she was considering character and color. As an overall scheme, McKelvey's costumes contribute to the "diminishing color" palette throughout the show's progression. Undine's "riches-to-rags" story encompasses a broad scope of clothing styles, from the high fashion outfits she wears before things fall apart to the drab uniforms worn by her parents and brother, all of whom work as security guards. "Avoiding stereotypes" was one of McKelvey's concerns in establishing characters through their costumes.

In addition to creating the soundscapes of Fabulation's sound design, composer Michael Keck is providing the production with original music. Keck is referencing influences that cover the whole range of Undine's journey, from hip-hop and jazz to African traditions, also incorporating voice and elements of that all-important tango that marked a turning point in Undine's life.

About the Playwright

Lynn Nottage was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Brown University and Yale School of Drama, she spent four years working for Amnesty International as the National Press Officer before becoming a full-time playwright. Her play Intimate Apparel premiered at Center Stage and South Coast Repertory Theatre. Her other plays include A Walk Through Time, Crumbs from the Table of Joy, Mud, River, Stone, Por' Knockers, Poof! and Las Meninas. Her plays have been produced Off-Broadway and regionally by The Acting Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alliance Theatre, Buffalo Studio Arena, Crossroads Theatre, Freedom Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf, Yale Repertory Theatre, Vineyard Theatre and many others. Ms. Nottage has been awarded Playwriting Fellowships from Manhattan Theatre Club, New Dramatists and the New York Foundation for the Arts, where she is a member of their Artists Advisory Board. In the 99-00 season, Ms. Nottage received an NEA/TCG grant for a yearlong theatre residency at Freedom Theatre in Philadelphia. An anthology of her plays was published by TCG in 2003. She is a member of New Dramatists and is currently a visiting lecturer in playwriting at the Yale School of Drama.

About the Cast

Rob Barnes (Yoruba Priest/Father) recently completed filming The Good Shepherd, directed by Robert De Niro. He was seen as Detective Baker on Fox TV’s America’s Most Wanted earlier this year, toured with the musical Crowns and appeared as Doaker in the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s production of The Piano Lesson. On Broadway, Rob was in the original casts of Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar and Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope. Additional film credits include The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight, Up the Down Staircase, Fort Apache The Bronx and Special Weapons & Tactics. Mr. Barnes’ television work includes Law & Order, The Guiding Light, Clarissa, All My Children and the Tony Awards

Kevin Bergen (Richard/Addict 1/Gregory) most recently appeared in Shakespeare In Hollywood and I Am My Own Wife at the Wilma Theatre. He has been a member of the Resident Ensemble of Artists since 2002. Last season at People’s Light Kevin performed in The Miser and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The Philadelphia Inquirer named him Best Featured Actor In A Play, for his performance as Ned Seton in Holiday at Bristol Riverside Theatre last November. Other roles at PLTC include Orlando in As You Like It, Henry Antrobus in The Skin of Our Teeth, Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice, and Bertram/ Vidal in Midons: or The Object of Desire.

Melanye Finister (Allison/ Mother/Inmate 2), who was seen as Berenice in The Member of the Wedding, is currently the Director of Audience Development at People’s Light. She has been a company member since 1991 and has appeared in over a dozen plays at PLTC, including 30FEST, String of Pearls, Afternoon of the Elves, Gospel at Colonus, More Grimm Tales and Beauty and the Beast. Melanye has also worked for the Arden, InterAct Theatre Company, Venture Theater, The Wilma and The Walnut Street Theatre.

Chantal Jean-Pierre (Undine) is making her PLTC debut. She obtained an MFA from Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts, where she also occupies a professorship. A few of her credits include the title role in Antony and Cleopatra at Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival, The Other Side of Newark and Voice of Good Hope at Luna Stage, Vukani at Ensemble Studio Theater, Hamlet at American Globe Theater, The Blue Bird at NJ Shakespeare Festival, Mandela at Crossroads Theater and more.

Clark Jackson (Herve/Guy) made his PLTC debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and then returned for 30FEST. He recently performed Yellowman at the Pittsburgh Public Theater and was nominated for a Best Actor IRNE Award for his performance in Permanent Collection at New Rep Theatre in Boston. His NYC stage credits include Cobb at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (produced by Kevin Spacey), Le Ménage at La MaMa E.T.C., Jamaica Avenue for Soho Repertory Theatre, Uncle Tom’s Cabin at the Mint Theatre and Cuba and the Night at Theatre for the New City. On film and television, Clark has been seen in The Arrangement, Rapmatics, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Wonderland and The Guiding Light.

Edward O’Blenis (Flow/Agent Duva/Lance) has appeared in The Member of the Wedding —directed by Joanne Woodward—and The Old Settler at Westport Country Playhouse, The Birds at Yale Repertory Theater, Peter Pan at Intiman, The Tempest and Two Gentleman of Verona at Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, Lobby Hero at New Century Theater, Pink and Say and A Wrinkle in Time at Seattle Children’s Theater and Twelfth Night at Hampton Shakespeare Festival. While at Yale School of Drama he appeared in Pericles, Othello, The Grapes of Wrath and Measure for Measure. New York credits include Big Trouble in Little Hazard, Spring Awakenings, Say You Love Satan, Einstein’s Dreams, Hamlet and Home Affairs. On TV, Edward was seen in Law & Order: SVU and Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Mary Elizabeth Scallen (Stephie/Inmate 1/Rosa) has been a member of the resident company since 1991 and is currently an Artistic Associate at PLTC. Recent appearances here include Jason and the Golden Fleece, 30FEST, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sleeping Beauty: A Comic Panto in the British Style, String of Pearls and Julius Caesar. Other PLTC roles include Morgaine in Arthur’s Stone, Merlin’s Fire, May in Once in a Lifetime, Amiga Gringa and Beauty in In The Blood and Portia in The Merchant of Venice. Mary Beth has also worked with North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Weston Playhouse (VT), Gretna Theatre (PA) and Mill Mountain Theatre (VA).

Cathy Simpson (Grandma/Addict 2) has been a company member at People’s Light since 1994. Cathy was recently seen here in 30FEST, Jungalbook and A Higher Place in Heaven. Other PLTC performances include Pretty Fire, In the Blood and He Held Me Grand—reprising her role in that production at Indiana Rep. Cathy has also performed with The Philadelphia Theatre Company, Interact Theatre, Freedom Theatre, Philadelphia Young Playwrights and Philly Shakes. Cathy's regional credits include the Studio Theatre, Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, Woolly Mammoth, Olney Theatre Center, Source Theatre, The St. Louis Black Repertory Company and St. Louis Rep.

About the Production Team

Abigail Adams (Director) is Artistic Director of the People's Light & Theatre Company. During her 29-year association with the Theatre, she has directed more than 50 plays. Recent productions include The Member of the Wedding, The O’Conner Girls, Sleeping Beauty, The Miser, String of Pearls, Arthur’s Stone, Merlin’s Fire, In the Blood, The Little Red Riding Hood Show and The Little Foxes. Abbey served for ten years on the faculty at Swarthmore College and has also taught at New York University, Bryn Mawr College, Carnegie Mellon University and the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario. She has served as a panelist and site reporter for the NEA, is currently on the board of the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation and holds an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Ursinus College.

Michael Keck (Composer and Sound Designer) previously designed Jungalbook and Looking Over the President’s Shoulder for PLTC. His music and soundscapes have been featured at The Kennedy Center, Mark Taper Forum, Arena Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, The Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis, Alliance Theater, Portland Center Stage, Santa Fe Stages and many others. He composed original music and soundscapes for Derek Walcott’s The Odyssey and OyamO’s I Am A Man at Arena Stage, as well as Cornerstone Theater’s A Community Carol. He is the composer of A Village Fable by James Still (performed here in 1999), which won the Distinguished Play Award from the American Association for Theatre & Education. His international credits include original music/soundscape for The National Theater of Croatia’s productions of A Streetcar Named Desire and Death Of A Salesman, as well as the music/sound design and music direction for The Barbican Theatre Center and the Bristol Old Vic’s productions of Miss Ever’s Boys.

Rosemarie E. McKelvey (Costume Designer) is a member of the Resident Ensemble of Artists. Rosemarie’s most recent designs were for Jack & the Beanstalk, Jungalbook, A Higher Place in Heaven and Around the World in 80 Days. When not designing, she is employed by PLTC in the Costume Shop. Previous costume designs here include The Forgiving Harvest, Arthur’s Stone, Merlin’s Fire, In the Blood and A Delicate Balance. Other theatre companies she has worked with include the Minneapolis Children’s Theatre, The Arden Theatre Company, The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, New Paradise Laboratories, Pig Iron Theatre, 1812 Productions, Theatre Exile and the Azuka Theatre Collective.

Kate McSorley (Stage Manager) previously served as stage manager for Jason and the Golden Fleece, 30FEST, Jungalbook and A Higher Place in Heaven. Past productions at People’s Light include String of Pearls, Arthur’s Stone, Merlin’s Fire, Midons—or The Object of Desire and In the Blood, among others. Kate has worked with many theatre companies in and around Philadelphia, including Brat Productions, The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival and Amaryllis Theatre Company.

Dennis Parichy (Lighting Designer) has designed Jason and the Golden Fleece, The Member of the Wedding, A Higher Place in Heaven, Sleeping Beauty: A Comic Panto in the British Style, The Miser, String of Pearls, Arthur’s Stone, Merlin’s Fire, The Little Red Riding Hood Show, The Little Prince and In the Blood. Other credits here include He Held Me Grand, Book of Days, The Memory of Water and More Grimm Tales for PLTC. He has worked throughout the United States in stock, regional theatre, Off-Broadway, Broadway and internationally since 1959. He was Resident Lighting Designer for Circle Repertory Company and designed the premieres of many of Lanford Wilson’s plays. He designed the American premieres of Athol Fugard’s recent plays and his Broadway credits include Talley’s Folly, Burn This, Redwood Curtain, The Water Engine and Penn & Teller.

Scott Weldin (Set Designer) returns to PLTC, having previously designed sets for The O’Connor Girls, A Higher Place in Heaven, Born Yesterday and The Little Red Riding Hood Show. He has designed over 200 productions for theaters around the country, including Arizona Theatre Company, the Alley Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, Denver Center Theatre Company, Alliance Theatre, the Goodman Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Empty Space Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Tacoma Actor's Guild, Missouri Repertory Theatre, and George Street Playhouse. His design for Geoff Hoyle's one-man show, Feast of Fools, was seen Off-Broadway at the Westside Arts Theatre in New York.

Our Sponsor: The BLACK SUBURBAN JOURNAL People’s Light expresses our deepest gratitude to THE BLACK SUBURBAN JOURNAL for their support of this production of Fabulation. Published monthly, the paper is an excellent resource for all residents of the Western Main Line and beyond.

Ticket Information DATES: FABULATION-OR THE RE-EDUCATION OF UNDINE runs from January 11 to February 19, 2006 on the Steinbright Stage at People’s Light in Malvern. Tickets are $27.00 to $46.00. Please contact the Box Office at 610-644-3500 for more information. You can also order tickets anytime at www.peopleslight.org.

People's Light is a professional, non-profit theatre operating under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. The Theatre is located on Route 401 between Routes 30 and 202, 40 minutes from Center City Philadelphia.

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