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February 17 - March 11, 2018 , Outcalt Theatre

The Invisible Hand

Written by Ayad Akhtar

Run time: 2 hours (including intermission)

American investment banker Nick Bright will risk everything to return to his family. Held hostage in Pakistan by Islamic revolutionaries, his last chance for freedom depends on his ability to play the stock market to benefit his captors. This sharp geopolitical thriller from Pulitzer Prize winner Ayad Akhtar takes us to the treacherous intersection of terrorism and capitalism, where greed and deceit prevail and no one escapes without blood on their hands.

Photos & Videos Download Hi Res Photos

Max Woertendyke as Nick Bright. Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni

Max Woertendyke as Nick Bright. Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni

Max Woertendyke as Nick Bright. Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Nik Sadhnani (Dar) and Louis Sallan (Bashir). Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Max Woertendyke (Nick Bright), J. Paul Nicholas (Imam Saleem). Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni

Louis Sallan as Bashir. Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: J. Paul Nicholas (Imam Saleem), Max Woertendyke (Nick Bright). Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni

Max Woertendyke as Nick Bright. Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni

Nik Sadhnani as Dar. Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Seated: Louis Sallan (Bashir), Standing: Max Woertendyke (Nick Bright). Photo Credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Max Woertendyke (Nick Bright), Louis Sallan (Bashir), and J. Paul Nicholas (Imam Saleem). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

Artists

Paul Bugallo

Paul Bugallo

(Understudy Nick Bright) Paul Bugallo was born in Miami but raised in Seattle where he discovered his passion for the performing arts. He attended Central Washington University where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatrical Performance. Paul has performed in many of Seattle's professional spaces, including more(Understudy Nick Bright) Paul Bugallo was born in Miami but raised in Seattle where he discovered his passion for the performing arts. He attended Central Washington University where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatrical Performance. Paul has performed in many of Seattle's professional spaces, including the Seattle Repertory and Center House Theatres, as well as improvisational theatres such as Unexpected Productions and Jet City Improv. Now residing in the proud city of Cleveland, Paul is absolutely ecstatic about finishing up his final year in the Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program. You may have seen him over the last two years in CWRU/CPH’s productions of Macbeth, Clybourne Park and She Stoops to Conquer. Paul most recently appeared as Lord Tilney in CPH's 102nd season opening show Shakespeare in Love and as First Man in The Diary of Anne Frank.

Peter Hargrave

Peter Hargrave

(Understudy Nick Bright) is a proud graduate of the Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program and considers Cleveland his second home. At CPH, he's been lucky enough to be in the world premiere of Tiny Houses, Shakespeare in Love, The Diary of Anne Frank, and The more(Understudy Nick Bright) is a proud graduate of the Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program and considers Cleveland his second home. At CPH, he's been lucky enough to be in the world premiere of Tiny Houses, Shakespeare in Love, The Diary of Anne Frank, and The Good Peaches (world premiere). TV credits: Law and Order: SVU and Madam Secretary. Off-Broadway: The First Annual Trump Family Special. OtherRegional: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Gateway Playhouse, Musical Theatre West, and Disney Cruise Line.

J. Paul Nicholas

J. Paul Nicholas

(Imam Saleem) is excited to reprise one of his favorite roles, which he first performed at Theater Exile in Philadelphia in 2016. Since then he was on a national tour with the Broadway phenomenon, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time. Some of his other recent credits more(Imam Saleem) is excited to reprise one of his favorite roles, which he first performed at Theater Exile in Philadelphia in 2016. Since then he was on a national tour with the Broadway phenomenon, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time. Some of his other recent credits include The Butcher (Gulfshore Playhouse), Ciphers (Inis Nua Theater), and The English Bride (Theater Exile). Paul has also performed regionally at The Shakespeare Theater, The Wilma, The Olney, Interact Theater, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Geva Theatre, Seattle Repertory, Woolly Mammoth, The Alliance, and Everyman Theater. He has also performed Off-Broadway at the Lincoln Center and at 59E59. He can be seen on several TV series; and for 10 seasons, he was Attorney Linden Delroy on Law & Order: SVU. Paul earned an MFA from the Academy for Classical Acting at GWU. Please visit JPaulNicholas.com.

Nik Sadhnani

Nik Sadhnani

(Dar) is thrilled to be making his Cleveland Play House debut. He last appeared in Syracuse Stage’s production of Disgraced playing Abe. Off-Broadway: The Trial of The American President (Lion Theatre). Regional: Disgraced (Asolo Rep), Two Minute Kenneth (Manhattan Rep), and She Eats Apples (Boston Playwrights). Film credits include more(Dar) is thrilled to be making his Cleveland Play House debut. He last appeared in Syracuse Stage’s production of Disgraced playing Abe. Off-Broadway: The Trial of The American President (Lion Theatre). Regional: Disgraced (Asolo Rep), Two Minute Kenneth (Manhattan Rep), and She Eats Apples (Boston Playwrights). Film credits include the upcoming Netflix comedy The Week Of (with Adam Sandler) and We Are Unsatisfied (with Billy Crystal). TV credits include Law & Order: SVU, Big Dogs, Alternatino, and a recurring role on Hulu’s The Path. Nik holds his BFA in Acting from Boston University. Twitter/Instagram: @niksadhnani.

Louis Sallan

Louis Sallan

(Bashir) making his Cleveland Play House debut, Louis has a BA from Western Michigan University and an MFA from NYU Graduate Acting 2013. Some of his more recent theatre credits are: The Mecca Tales (The Sheen Center); Refuge/Malja (Portland Stage); The Strangest (New York Theatre Workshop); Oklahoma! (Arrow Rock more(Bashir) making his Cleveland Play House debut, Louis has a BA from Western Michigan University and an MFA from NYU Graduate Acting 2013. Some of his more recent theatre credits are: The Mecca Tales (The Sheen Center); Refuge/Malja (Portland Stage); The Strangest (New York Theatre Workshop); Oklahoma! (Arrow Rock Lyceum); May Violets Spring (The Workshop Theatre); and Hamlet. TV/Film Credits: Blue Bloods, The Blacklist: Redemption, Madam Secretary, and Crossing The Line.

Max Woertendyke

Max Woertendyke

(Nick Bright) was most recently seen in the world premiere of Richard Nelson’s Illyria at the Public Theater. Broadway credits include Ivo van Hove’s A View From the Bridge. Other credits include The Public Theater’s Mobile Unit production of Romeo and Juliet, Nick Dear’s Frankenstein (The Denver Center for more(Nick Bright) was most recently seen in the world premiere of Richard Nelson’s Illyria at the Public Theater. Broadway credits include Ivo van Hove’s A View From the Bridge. Other credits include The Public Theater’s Mobile Unit production of Romeo and Juliet, Nick Dear’s Frankenstein (The Denver Center for Performing Arts), and The Philadelphia Story and As You Like It (CTC). School credits include Rabbit Hole, This is Our Youth, The Ruby Sunrise, Dancing at Lughnasa, and Obama-ology. Recent television and film credits include Longmire (Netflix), The Airport Run (upcoming), and Adherence. Max is a graduate of McGill University and The Juilliard School of Drama. He was the recipient of the 2015-2017 Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship as well as the Jonathan Madrigano Entrepreneurship Grant for his film project 18 Actors.

Ayad Akhtar

(Playwright) was born in New York City and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is the author of American Dervish, published in 25 languages worldwide and a 2012 Best Book of the Year at Kirkus Reviews, Toronto's Globe and Mail, Shelf-Awareness, and O (Oprah) Magazine. He is also a playwright more(Playwright) was born in New York City and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is the author of American Dervish, published in 25 languages worldwide and a 2012 Best Book of the Year at Kirkus Reviews, Toronto's Globe and Mail, Shelf-Awareness, and O (Oprah) Magazine. He is also a playwright and screenwriter. His play Disgraced played at New York's Lincoln Center Theater in 2012 and premiered at the Bush Theater in London in May 2013. Disgraced won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His play The Invisible Hand was nominated for the ATCA/Steinberg Award, and won Best New Work 2013 from the St. Louis Theater Critics Circle. As a screenwriter, he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay for The War Within. He has received commissions from Lincoln Center and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He is a graduate of Brown and Columbia Universities with degrees in Theater and Film Directing.

Valerie Therese Bart

(Costume Designer) is a NYC based costume (and sometimes scenic) designer. Selected credits include: Rigoletto (Minnesota Opera); The Great Leap (world premiere by Lauren Yee at Denver Center for the Arts/Seattle Repertory Theatre); Too Heavy for your Pocket (Roundabout); Vanity Fair (world premiere by Kate Hamill at Pearl more(Costume Designer) is a NYC based costume (and sometimes scenic) designer. Selected credits include: Rigoletto (Minnesota Opera); The Great Leap (world premiere by Lauren Yee at Denver Center for the Arts/Seattle Repertory Theatre); Too Heavy for your Pocket (Roundabout); Vanity Fair (world premiere by Kate Hamill at Pearl Theatre; dir. Eric Tucker); Butterfly (Heartbeat Opera); Listen Wilhelmina! (costumes/scenic, Wolf Trap); The Servant of Two Masters (TFANA, Seattle Repertory, Guthrie, Arts Emerson, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Yale Repertory); Twelfth Night and What You Will (Bedlam, Central Square Theatre; dir. Eric Tucker); Macbeth (The Acting Company); Bones in the Basket (Araca Project); Tina Packer’s Women of Will (costumes/scenic, natl./intl. tour; dir. Eric Tucker); She, After (costumes/scenic, Urban Arias); Song of a Convalescent Ayn Rand… (A.R.T., Joe’s Pub); Goodbye New York, Goodbye Heart (sets, HERE Arts Center; dir. Oliver Butler), POP! (scenic, Yale Repertory; dir. Mark Brokaw). M.F.A. Yale University School of Drama. valeriebart.com

Michael Boll

(Lighting Designer) is a Cleveland-based Lighting Designer. His Cleveland Play House designs include Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, Pipeline, Native Gardens, An Iliad, The Invisible Hand, The Good Peaches, The Little Foxes, Venus in Fur, Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, In the Next Room or the more(Lighting Designer) is a Cleveland-based Lighting Designer. His Cleveland Play House designs include Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, Pipeline, Native Gardens, An Iliad, The Invisible Hand, The Good Peaches, The Little Foxes, Venus in Fur, Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, In the Next Room or the vibrator play, and Stew and the Negro Problem. Productions with the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program include Macbeth, Metamorphoses, The Winter's Tale, An Orchard, and Angels in America: Millennium Approaches. Other Cleveland lighting design work includes Cleveland Public Theatre, Karamu House, Cain Park, Cleveland Museum of Art, Dobama Theatre and Beck Center for the Arts. Off-Broadway credits include The Moliere Cycle (Classic Stage Company), Songs for a New World (George Street Playhouse), Dog Sees God (SoHo Playhouse) and The Moonlight Room (Associate Lighting Designer, Beckett Theatre). His work has also been seen at the N.Y. Fringe Festival, La MaMa E.T.C., HERE Arts Center, and Yale Cabaret.

Judy Bowman

(Casting) has CPH credits that include The Three Musketeers, Antigone, Light It Up!, and The Invisible Hand. REGIONAL THEATRE: A Christmas Carol (McCarter), Madeline Sayet's Where We Belong (tour), Incendiary (Woolly Mammoth), Justice and Nina Simone: Four Women(Arizona Theatre Co), …Chad Deity(Profile Theatre Co), Wait Until Dark and more(Casting) has CPH credits that include The Three Musketeers, Antigone, Light It Up!, and The Invisible Hand. REGIONAL THEATRE: A Christmas Carol (McCarter), Madeline Sayet's Where We Belong (tour), Incendiary (Woolly Mammoth), Justice and Nina Simone: Four Women(Arizona Theatre Co), …Chad Deity(Profile Theatre Co), Wait Until Dark and Thirst(Dorset Theatre Fest). NYC: Metra(Flux Ensemble), Vatican Falls(The Tank), etc. FILM/TV: Hurricane Bianca, Separation, One Moment, Dead Sound, No Alternative, Gold Star, Copenhagen, Lost Cat Corona, Big Dogs, & Hallmark’s Redemption in Cherry Springs. Artios Award nominee Best Webseries Casting, PT Barnum Award recipient. judybowmancasting.com

John Godbout

(Stage Manager) was Cleveland Play House's resident stage manager from 2001 to 2008 and returned to CPH in the fall of 2011. "Most recently, John stage managed A New Brain at Barrington Stage Company. John has also stage managed at North Shore Music Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, The more(Stage Manager) was Cleveland Play House's resident stage manager from 2001 to 2008 and returned to CPH in the fall of 2011. "Most recently, John stage managed A New Brain at Barrington Stage Company. John has also stage managed at North Shore Music Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, The Weston Playhouse, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Northern Stage, Seaside Music Theatre, and Porthouse Theatre.

Thom Jones

(Voice, Speech, and Text Coach) is the head of Voice and Speech for Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company's Master of Fine Arts in Acting and Directing and has coached voice, dialects, and text extensively in theatre, film, and television. Theatres where he has coached include: The Public Theater, Shakespeare more(Voice, Speech, and Text Coach) is the head of Voice and Speech for Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company's Master of Fine Arts in Acting and Directing and has coached voice, dialects, and text extensively in theatre, film, and television. Theatres where he has coached include: The Public Theater, Shakespeare in the Park, Noel Coward Theatre (London’s West End), Yale Repertory Company, Dallas Theater Center, McCarter Theatre, Cleveland Play House, The Huntington Theatre, Trinity Repertory Company, Hartford Stage, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Syracuse Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Hangar Theatre. For Film and Television, he has voice, dialect and text coached numerous actors, including: Nicole Kidman, Ben Mendelsohn, Sissy Spacek, Alan Rickman, Vanessa Redgrave, Robin Williams, Emma Watson, Andra Day, Miles Teller, Jennifer Hudson, Bill Skarsgard, Lashana Lynch, Lakeith Stanfield, Aaron Eckhart, Katey Segal, Ciaran Hinds, David Oyelowo, Amy Adams, Lily Rabe, Mel Gibson, Olivia Cooke, Tye Sheridan, Simon Peg, Mark Rylance, Sherie Rene Scott, Sienna Miller, Brendan Gleeson, Melissa Leo, Emily Van Camp, Blythe Danner, Logan Lerman, Linda Emond, Ryan Reynolds, and others, as well as for directors Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorcese, Lee Daniels, Ridley Scott, Ben Younger, and others.

Laura Kepley

Laura Kepley

(Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House) (she/her) became Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House in 2013, and has directed numerous CPH mainstage productions, including The Crucible; Sweat; The Diary of Anne Frank; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play; Into the Breeches!; Every Brilliant Thing; and the world more(Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House) (she/her) became Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House in 2013, and has directed numerous CPH mainstage productions, including The Crucible; Sweat; The Diary of Anne Frank; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play; Into the Breeches!; Every Brilliant Thing; and the world premieres of Tiny Houses, The Good Peaches, Fairfield, and A Carol for Cleveland. She joined CPH in 2010, having arrived from Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island, where she was Resident Director and Artistic Associate for four seasons and Interim Director of the Brown/Trinity Rep M.F.A. in Directing Program for one. She has also at Playhouse Square clevelandplayhouse.com 25 directed for The Alliance Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Chautauqua Theater Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Syracuse Stage, Trinity Rep, and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, among others. A native Ohioan, Laura received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and her Master of Fine Arts from Brown University/Trinity Rep. She is a Drama League Fellow, a recipient of the 2009– 2011 National Endowment for the Arts/Theatre Communications Group Career Development Program for Directors, and a member of Leadership Cleveland’s Class of 2021. Locally, she has been recognized with multiple Outstanding Director commendations from The Cleveland Critics Circle, a Cuyahoga Community College Smart Business Smart Women Award, and a Crain’s Cleveland Woman of Note designation.

Daniel Perelstein

(Sound Designer) is a freelance sound designer, composer, and musical director in Philadelphia. A newcomer to Cleveland Play House, he is pleased to return after designing The Diary of Anne Frank earlier this season. Recent designs and/or original music at Roundabout Theatre Company, Primary Stages, McCarter Theatre, Opera Philadelphia, more(Sound Designer) is a freelance sound designer, composer, and musical director in Philadelphia. A newcomer to Cleveland Play House, he is pleased to return after designing The Diary of Anne Frank earlier this season. Recent designs and/or original music at Roundabout Theatre Company, Primary Stages, McCarter Theatre, Opera Philadelphia, Geva Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Wilma Theater, Arden Theatre, People’s Light, and others. Daniel is an Associate Artist at the Wilma Theater, and he teaches Sound Design to undergraduates at Washington College in Maryland. He has received Barrymore Awards for Don Juan… at the Wilma Theater and Knives in Hens at Theatre Exile; as well as sixteen Barrymore Award nominations in three categories. Daniel received an Independence Foundation Fellowship in 2013. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College, where he earned a B.S. in Engineering, and a B.A. in Music.

Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams

(Scenic Designer) Mikiko’s work has been seen Off-Broadway: Epic Theater Ensemble, INTAR Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Working Theater, and NAATC; Regionally: Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Arena Stage, The Old Globe, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Syracuse Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, more(Scenic Designer) Mikiko’s work has been seen Off-Broadway: Epic Theater Ensemble, INTAR Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Working Theater, and NAATC; Regionally: Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Arena Stage, The Old Globe, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Syracuse Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cornerstone Theater Company, Intiman Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Yale Repertory Theatre, among others. National Tours: Dirty Dancing and South Pacific. Internationally: Aichi Triennale, Kanagawa Prefectural Hall, Nissei Theatre, Nikikai Opera, and more. As an associate scenic designer, Broadway credits include: My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, The Bridges of Madison County, Golden Boy, That Championship Season, Women on The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Next Fall, and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. And the US, UK, and Australian national tour of The King and I and South Pacific, US tour of Bridges of Madison County.

Christina Traister

(Fight Director) is thrilled to be returning to Cleveland Play House after having served as the fight director for The Invisible Hand. She is an Associate Professor of Acting & Stage Combat in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance at the University of Michigan. Professional fight more(Fight Director) is thrilled to be returning to Cleveland Play House after having served as the fight director for The Invisible Hand. She is an Associate Professor of Acting & Stage Combat in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance at the University of Michigan. Professional fight directing and teaching venues include the American Conservatory Theater, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The American Shakespeare Collective (TASC), Shakespeare Santa Cruz, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Purple Rose Theatre Company, Williamston Theatre, BoarsHead Theatre, Stormfield Theatre, North Carolina School of the Arts, Michigan State University, University of San Diego, University of California-Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Adrian College, and Hillsdale College. She has also taught stage combat classes at numerous conferences both nationally and internationally. Christina holds an MFA in Acting from the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and a BFA in Acting from the University of Michigan. She also serves as the Head Coordinator for the SAFD's National Stage Combat Workshop.

Pirronne Yousefzadeh

(Director) Pirronne Yousefzadeh is a Brooklyn based director, writer, and educator. She has directed and developed new work at The Public/Joe's Pub, New York Theatre Workshop, Atlantic Theater Company, Ars Nova, SoHo Rep, New Georges, Partial Comfort Productions, Noor Theatre, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, more(Director) Pirronne Yousefzadeh is a Brooklyn based director, writer, and educator. She has directed and developed new work at The Public/Joe's Pub, New York Theatre Workshop, Atlantic Theater Company, Ars Nova, SoHo Rep, New Georges, Partial Comfort Productions, Noor Theatre, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, La Jolla Playhouse, Huntington Theatre Company, Cleveland Play House, Geva Theatre Center, InterAct Theatre Company, and Hangar Theatre, among others. She is a Usual Suspect at NYTW, New Georges Affiliated Artist, member of Ensemble Studio Theatre, Resident Director at Colt Coeur, a recipient of SDC's Denham Fellowship and Williamstown’s Sagal Fellowship, and an alumna of the 2050 Fellowship at NYTW, Drama League Directors Project, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, and SoHo Rep Writer/Director Lab. She currently serves on the NYU faculty, and is a frequent guest director there; as well as Columbia, Juilliard, Fordham, and Yale School of Drama. Pirronne is a founding member of Maia Directors, a consulting group for artists and organizations engaging with Middle Eastern stories. MFA, Columbia University. Member, SDC. pirronne.com maiadirectors.com

Eight Scenic Designs in Two Minutes

Eight Scenic Designs in Two Minutes

Our friend Robert Mark Morgan, Scenic Designer (Into the Breeches!, Diary of Anne Frank, The Whipping Man) created a fun video showing all of the uniq...

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