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THE GRATITUDE OF WASPS
by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, directed by Tony Lea
October 26 – November 18
Based on interviews and court transcripts, this acclaimed docu-drama weaves together true stories of individuals who were sentenced to death but were subsequently found innocent. A powerful and provocative look at one of the central issues of our time.
The Deep Dish Book Selection for this production is "Special Topics in Calamity Physics," the acclaimed first novel of Asheville native Marisha Pessl. A discussion of the book, free and open to the public, will be held prior to the performance on Thursday, May 17.
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Deep Dish Theater Presents Premiere of
"The Gratitude of Wasps"
CHAPEL HILL -- Deep Dish Theater Company’s sixth season concludes with the world premiere of "The Gratitude of Wasps," a comic drama by Triangle playwright Adam Sobsey. "Wasps" will be directed by Deep Dish Artistic Director Paul Frellick and will be performed Thursday, April 26 to Saturday, May 19.
This is the second pairing of Sobsey and Frellick, who first worked together on Sobsey’s play "Hang Town Fry," co-produced by Deep Dish and A Southern Season in 2005. "The Gratitude of Wasps" takes a look at a tradition that will be familiar to many in the Triangle – the annual beach vacation with friends.
Three couples who’ve been sharing a rental house each summer for the past 19 years find that this year’s trip is anything but a vacation. One of the couples is splitting up, and the dynamics of the group, not to mention the life of the couple’s precocious teen-aged daughter, are turned upside down. A Missoni gown, an 1100-page novel-in-progress and a debilitating wasp sting all figure in this fiercely funny and acutely observed drama.
“We’re very excited to be developing this piece with Adam,” said director Frellick. “Working on a new play is a whole new kind of adventure for us—essentially we’re extending the collaborative approach we take with all our work to include the writer as well. It’s like being in a test kitchen where we get to keep fine-tuning the recipe.”
Playwright Adam Sobsey, who grew up and lives in Durham, has won the Humboldt Prize (1996) and the Harvest Festival of New Plays (2000) for his plays, the latter for "Hang Town Fry," which premiered in Austin, Texas. He received a 2005-06 Playwriting Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council, and has received grants from the Durham Arts Council and the Orange County Arts Commission. Sobsey is a contributing writer for the "Raleigh News & Observer" and the "Independent Weekly." He has an MFA in Writing from the University of Texas' Michener Center for Writers, and a BA in Theater from Brown University, where he studied playwriting with Paula Vogel.
The five-member ensemble cast of "The Gratitude of Wasps" features MaryKate Cunningham, who appeared as Lee in the Deep Dish production of "Marvin’s Room"; Mark Filiaci and Jeri Lynn Schulke, who most recently appeared at Deep Dish as Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in this season’s "Orson’s Shadow"; Charlie Steak, director of Deep Dish’s "The Rivals" and an assistant director at PlayMakers Repertory Company; and Deep Dish newcomer Julia Yarwood.
The design team for "The Gratitude of Wasps" includes Christa Devitt (sets), Scott Marlow (lights), Lisa Tireman (costumes), Ross White (sound) and Devra Thomas (props). The production’s stage manager is Jennifer Bauer.
Audience discussions will follow Sunday matinee performances on April 29 (featuring a conversation with the production's design team) and May 6, and a discussion with the playwright will follow the performance on Thursday, May 10. The Deep Dish Book Selection for this production is "Special Topics in Calamity Physics," the acclaimed first novel of Asheville native Marisha Pessl. "The New York Times" said of Pessl’s comic coming of age/mystery novel that “[h]er exhilarating synthesis of the classic and the modern, frivolity and fate -- Pnin meets The O.C. -- is a poetic act of will.” A discussion of the book, free and open to the public, will be held prior to the performance on Thursday, May 17.
Deep Dish is located in Chapel Hill's University Mall, on Estes Drive and US 15-501. Thursday through Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. There will also be a special early show at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16. For reservations and information, call (919) 968-1515. Tickets for all performances are $16, $14 for seniors, and $12 for students. Thursday, May 3 is "Cheap Dish Night," when all tickets will be $7; no advance reservations will be taken for that performance.
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