Lydie Breeze, Part I: Cold Harbor
By John Guare
Directed by Lane Savadove
Music by Jay Ansill & Cynthia Hopkins
John Guare's epic trilogy starts off as a family mystery unfolds amidst the turmoil of America's Civil War.
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.
Featuring: Melanie Julian, Charlie DelMarcelle, David Girard, Ed Swidey, Terrill Braswell, Andrew J. Carroll, Nathan Foley, Victoria Goins, Mark Knight, Shamus Hunter McCarty, Marcellus McQueen, Frank Nardi Jr., Amanda Jill Robinson, Kristy Joe Slough, Grant Struble, Jahzeer Terrell, Hannah Van Sciver, Clara Weishahn, Kylie Westerbeck, Davey Strattan White, and Philip Anthony Wilson.
Direction: Lane Savadove
Music Direction & Composition: Jay Ansill
Additional Composition: Cynthia Hopkins
Scenic Design: Marketa Fantova
Costume Design: Marie Anne Chiment
Lighting Design: Mike Inwood
Stage Management: Jamel Baker
Props: Eric Baker, Dane Eissler, Katie Kiessling, & Kelsey Romeo
Dramaturgy: Anne Cattaneo
Production Management: Eric Baker
Associate Direction: Dane Eissler
Assistant Direction: Katie Kiessling
Technical Coordination: Philadelphia Scenic Works
Technical Consultant: Andrew Laine
Costuming: Jamie Grace-Duff
Associate Lighting Design: Amanda Clegg Lyon
Assistant Production Management: Kelsey Romeo
Assistant Stage Manager: Eleanor Safer
Assistant Costume Design: Kierceton Keller
Military Costume Historian: Paul Walsh
Production Photos: Dave Garrett Sarrafian
“Director Lane Savadove’s vision is also highly individual and intriguing, and the stage pictures are unfailingly beautiful.” -Philly Mag
“As challenging of piece it is for the audience, the scope and size of the play would cause a lot of theatre companies to blankly stare out a window as they quickly moved on to the next. Savadove and his team attacked it head on and have created a layered piece of artistry that takes the company to a new level.” -Philly Review
