Lydie Breeze Trilogy
by John Guare
directed by Lane Savadove
music by Jay Ansill and Cynthia Hopkins
Part I: Cold Harbor
January 31-February 11
Under the orders of Ulysses S. Grant, wave after wave of men charge to their death, 700 dead in 30 minutes. Names are put on the young soldiers’ backs to identify the dead, while Nurse Breeze collects their valuables to deliver back home to their loved ones. On the bloody battlefields, Lydie meets Amos, Dan, and Joshua, and together they seek a truce to stop the madness of General Grant. On their journey, they uncover whaling ship mutinies, talking pigs and buzzard gods, the Underground Railroad, and Lydie’s long buried family secrets. Out of the chaos of war, they forge a vision for a new life and a new America. Guare’s trilogy begins with this explosive adventure play. Jump aboard, the journey begins…
See this 3-part epic as a marathon! Marathon dates available from April 25-May 6, 2018. See options here.
Photos by Dave Sarrafian.
Part II: Aipotu
March 7-March 18
Lydie, Joshua, Dan, and Amos settle on Nantucket to create a Utopian commune to heal the scars of war. Aipotu will become a beacon for a new America. Faced with the realities of communal living – What will we do for money? Who’s turn to tend to the baby? Where is the cow? – each member grapples with their commitment to Aipotu and each other. Can an unexpected treasure from a dubious source save them, or do the fractures within the group run too deep? As America searches for its new post-war identity, this makeshift family must make room for their inner demons to find a new path.
Part III: Madaket Road (formerly Home)
April 11-April 22
The dawning of the 20th century. Nantucket island is slowly sinking into the sea. The legacy of Aipotu lingers on. Surrounded by the ghosts of their past, the next generation grapples with the crumbling foundation of their family. When a strange visitor in black arrives on their shores, the past and present blur, and the sky, sea, and land melt into one. On the beach at night alone, a father gifts his daughter her mother’s journal. Histories are revealed, family is discovered, ghosts dissolve into memories, and the light of utopia flickers again. In this haunting conclusion to the Lydie Breeze Trilogy, John Guare takes his daring theatrical form to uncharted territories.
All performances take place at the Christ Church Neighborhood House - 20 N. American St., Philadelphia
John Guare’s highly acclaimed five-decade career includes House of Blue Leaves, Six Degrees of Separation, Landscape of the Body, and the movie Atlantic City. Guare has been a Tony, Olivier, and Obie Award-winner, Pulitzer finalist, and Oscar nominee. In the process, Guare has left his mark on the modern theater by bringing an American sensibility, theatricality, and humor to the stage.
Photo by Paul Kolnik
Jay Ansill is an accomplished celtic and folk composer and musician, and is a regular collaborator with Mabou Mines in New York City. His award-winning compositions and original scores have been performed throughout the country by symphonies, folk bands, string quartets, and theaters.
Cynthia Hopkins is an internationally acclaimed composer and performance artist. Her honors include the Doris Duke Artist Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, and Alpert Award in Theater. Hopkins work has been seen at St. Anne’s Warehouse, BAM, The Walker Arts Center, and The Kitchen, and has been honored with a Bessie and Obie Award.
Design Team:
Cast:
Director.............................................Lane Savadove
Composer and Music Director.....................Jay Ansill
Additional Compositions...................Cynthia Hopkins
Set Designer....................................Marketa Fantova
Costume Designer.....................Marie Anne Chiment
Lighting Designer...................................Mike Inwood
Props Masters...............Dane Eissler, Katie Kiessling
Stage Manager.......................................Jamel Baker
Technical Coordinator......Philadelphia Scenic Works
Costumer........................................Jamie Grace-Duff
Assoc. Director.......................................Dane Eissler
Assoc. Lighting Designer...........Amanda Clegg Lyon
Asst. Director......................................Katie Kiessling
Asst. Costume Designer...................Kierceton Keller
Lydie...................................................Melanie Julian*
Joshua.......................................Charlie DelMarcelle*
Amos........................................................Ed Swidey*
Dan.......................................................David Girard*
- and -
Terrill Braswell
Andrew J. Carroll
Kristie Ecke
Dane Eissler
Nathan Foley
Victoria Goins
Hannah Gold
Mark Knight
Shamus Hunter McCarty
Marcellus McQueen
Frank Nardi, Jr.
*Actors appearing with permission of
Actors' Equity Association
Jonas Parker
Amanda Jill Robinson
Kristy Joe Slough
Grant Struble
Jahzeer Terrell
Hannah Van Sciver
Clara Weishahn
Kylie Westerbeck
David Strattan White
Philip Wilson
Major support for the Lydie Breeze Trilogy has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts
& Heritage.