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October 22 - November 13, 2016 , Outcalt Theatre

Sex With Strangers

Written by Laura Eason
Directed by Joanie Schultz

Run time: 2 hours | Intermission: 15 minutes
Advisory: Strong language and implied sexual situations

Olivia is an obscure novelist on the cusp of 40; Ethan is a famous blogger—and 28. When these two strangers collide at a remote B&B, a steamy romance erupts. Passion, intellect, and secret agendas clash in Sex With Strangers. This smart, tantalizing take on modern love flirts with the ever-blurring line between public and private in our digital age.

Photos & Videos Download Hi Res Photos

From left to right: Sean Hudock (Ethan) and Monette Magrath (Olivia). Photo credit: Roger Mastroiann

From left to right: Sean Hudock (Ethan) and Monette Magrath (Olivia). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Sean Hudock (Ethan) and Monette Magrath (Olivia). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Monette Magrath (Olivia). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Monette Magrath (Olivia) and Sean Hudock (Ethan). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Monette Magrath (Olivia) and Sean Hudock (Ethan). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Sean Hudock (Ethan) and Monette Magrath (Olivia). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Monette Magrath (Olivia) and Sean Hudock (Ethan). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Sean Hudock (Ethan) and Monette Magrath (Olivia). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Monette Magrath (Olivia) and Sean Hudock (Ethan). Photo credit: Roger Mastroiann

From left to right: Sean Hudock (Ethan) and Monette Magrath (Olivia). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Monette Magrath (Olivia) and Sean Hudock (Ethan). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Monette Magrath (Olivia) and Sean Hudock (Ethan). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Monette Magrath (Olivia) and Sean Hudock (Ethan). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Monette Magrath (Olivia) and Sean Hudock (Ethan). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

From left to right: Sean Hudock (Ethan) and Monette Magrath (Olivia). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Monette Magrath (Olivia). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Artists

Sean Hudock

Sean Hudock

(Ethan) has theatre credits that include eight seasons with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, including The Diary of Anne Frank, The Comedy of Errors, The Lion in Winter, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and Life of Galileo. Additional theatre credits include She more(Ethan) has theatre credits that include eight seasons with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, including The Diary of Anne Frank, The Comedy of Errors, The Lion in Winter, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and Life of Galileo. Additional theatre credits include She Calls Me Firefly (VH Theatrical, NY), The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial opposite Ed Asner and James Cromwell (LA Theatre Works), Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (We Happy Few, DC; Washington Post Editor’s Pick), Jesus Hates Me (Emigrant Theater, MN), and The Chairs (Teatr Zritelya Yunova, Russia). In film, he starred in Private Romeo (New York Times Critics’ Pick; Outstanding Actor Grand Jury Award, HBO Outfest), Powerless opposite Kelli Giddish, English (Gold Remi Award), and Cry_Wolf (Universal). He founded and develops new work through Wild Root Co, based in New York City. Say hi @SeanHudock.

Monette Magrath

Monette Magrath

(Olivia) was last seen at Cleveland Play House as Lady Caroline in Enchanted April. She appeared on Broadway in All the Way with Bryan Cranston, and Off-Broadway in The Attic Theatre Company’s On the Verge. Her regional credits include world premieres of Silent Sky (South Coast Rep), The Night more(Olivia) was last seen at Cleveland Play House as Lady Caroline in Enchanted April. She appeared on Broadway in All the Way with Bryan Cranston, and Off-Broadway in The Attic Theatre Company’s On the Verge. Her regional credits include world premieres of Silent Sky (South Coast Rep), The Night is a Child (Milwaukee Rep), The Ice-Breaker (Laguna Playhouse), and Under My Skin (Pasadena Playhouse). She also appeared in Disgraced (Philadelphia Theater Company), Stick Fly (McCarter Theatre Center), Book of Days (Arena Stage), The Great Gatsby (Arizona Theatre Company), The Laramie Project (Laguna Playhouse), and Desire Under the Elms (A Noise Within). At the Pasadena Playhouse, she appeared in Mauritius, Enchanted April, Private Lives, As You Like It and Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Television and film credits include Miss Dial, Jake’s Closet, The Other Sister, The Young and the Restless, and recurring roles on Redhanded and Weeds.

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.

Jennifer Caster

(Stage Manager) was previously assistant stage manager for Little Shop of Horrors and Yentl at Cleveland Play House. Recent stage management and assistant stage management credits include And Then There Were None, The Secret Garden, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Les Misérables, Deathtrap, Sweeney Todd, Guys and Dolls (Great more(Stage Manager) was previously assistant stage manager for Little Shop of Horrors and Yentl at Cleveland Play House. Recent stage management and assistant stage management credits include And Then There Were None, The Secret Garden, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Les Misérables, Deathtrap, Sweeney Todd, Guys and Dolls (Great Lakes Theater); Forever Plaid, And Then There Were None, Twelfth Night, The Secret Garden, Dial “M” For Murder, Deathtrap, Les Misérables, Steel Magnolias (Idaho Shakespeare Festival); Conni’s Avant Garde Restaurant: The Mothership (various venues, Conni’s Avant Garde Restaurant). She has also collaborated extensively with Stonington Opera House (ME), Cleveland Public Theatre (OH) and Fisher Center for the Performing Arts (NY), as well as worked with LaMaMa, Etc (NY), Ripe Time (NY), HERE Arts Center (NY), Motherlodge (KY), Club Oberon (MA), and Opera Idaho (ID). Jennifer is the production manager with Conni’s Avant Garde Restaurant (NYC-based Theatre Company).

Thomas Dixon

(Sound Designer) is a Chicago-based sound designer and composer. In Chicago, he is an artistic associate of Steep Theatre Company where he has designed the American premieres of Simon Stephens’ Wastwater and Pornography among many others. Other recent Chicago credits include This Is Modern Art (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), The more(Sound Designer) is a Chicago-based sound designer and composer. In Chicago, he is an artistic associate of Steep Theatre Company where he has designed the American premieres of Simon Stephens’ Wastwater and Pornography among many others. Other recent Chicago credits include This Is Modern Art (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), The Whale and Cocked (Victory Gardens Theater), Spinning (Irish Theatre of Chicago) and Exit Strategy (Jackalope Theatre Company). Other design and composition includes work at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, American Blues Theater, Silk Road Rising, Collaboraction Theatre Co., American Theatre Company, and TUTA Chicago. Thomas is a member of the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association.

Laura Eason

(Playwright) is the author of 20 plays, original work and adaptation, a musical-book writer and screenwriter. Selected productions include Sex With Strangers (Second Stage, NYC; Signature Theatre, DC; Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago; Sydney Theatre, AU; published by Overlook Press); The Undeniable Sound of Right Now (Rattlestick Theatre and Women’s Project more(Playwright) is the author of 20 plays, original work and adaptation, a musical-book writer and screenwriter. Selected productions include Sex With Strangers (Second Stage, NYC; Signature Theatre, DC; Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago; Sydney Theatre, AU; published by Overlook Press); The Undeniable Sound of Right Now (Rattlestick Theatre and Women’s Project Theatre, NYC; Rising Phoenix Rep, NYC); The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Hartford Stage, CT; New Victory, NYC; People’s Light, PA; Actor’s Theatre, KY; KC Rep; St. Louis Rep; Denver Center, published by DPS), and Around the World in 80 Days (New Vic and Royal Exchange, UK; Lookingglass Theatre; Baltimore Centerstage; published by Broadway Play Publishing). She wrote the book for the musicals Days Like Today, music and lyrics by Alan Schmuckler (Writers Theatre, Chicago) and Summerland, music by Jenny Giering, lyrics by Sean Barry (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre commission). Additional plays include The Vast In-Between (Denver Center commission, also developed by the Vineyard, NYC), Remarkable Invisible (Ambassador Theatre Group commission), Every Reason to Hope and Believe (Repertory of St. Louis commission), 40 Days (NEA grant, developed by New York Theatre Workshop and Lookingglass Theatre Company), Plainfield Ace (developed by Two River Theatre, NJ and Atlantic Theatre Company, NYC) and an adaptation of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates (Arden Theatre commission), among others. As a screenwriter, Laura wrote on seasons two and three of the Emmy-winning Netflix show House of Cards. She is an Ensemble Member and former Artistic Director of Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre (2011 Regional Tony Award). In New York, she is a member of Rising Phoenix Rep, New Georges and a Women’s Project Playwright’s Lab alumna. More information available at lauraeason.com or @LeasonNYC on twitter. lauraeason.com

Whitney Locher

(Costume Designer) is a NYC-based Costume Designer. Her work was last featured at Cleveland Play House in Venus in Fur. Recent Off-Broadway designs include Dead Dog Park (59E59 Theatres), Into the Woods (Roundabout Theatre Company) and The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Theatre for a New Audience). Recent regional designs more(Costume Designer) is a NYC-based Costume Designer. Her work was last featured at Cleveland Play House in Venus in Fur. Recent Off-Broadway designs include Dead Dog Park (59E59 Theatres), Into the Woods (Roundabout Theatre Company) and The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Theatre for a New Audience). Recent regional designs include The Underpants and Velocity of Autumn (White Heron Theatre Company), Measure for Measure (Long Wharf Theatre), Into the Woods (The Old Globe and McCarter Theatres) and The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Folger Theatre). Whitney recently remounted Into the Woods at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, UK and is currently designing the US National Tour of Into the Woods, set to open in November. Whitney served as Associate Costume Designer for the 66th Annual Tony Awards and is the Resident Costume Designer for Fiasco Theater and Partial Comfort Productions.

Elissa Myers Casting, Paul Fouquet, CSA

(Casting) credits include Poisoner’s Handbook, Becoming Helen Keller, and Mystery of Matter, PBS. Other PBS projects include The Abolitionists, Dolley Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John and Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin (Emmy Award), Liberty (Peabody Award), God in America, People vs. Leo Frank, Louisa May Alcott, Great Performances (Artios Award in more(Casting) credits include Poisoner’s Handbook, Becoming Helen Keller, and Mystery of Matter, PBS. Other PBS projects include The Abolitionists, Dolley Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John and Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin (Emmy Award), Liberty (Peabody Award), God in America, People vs. Leo Frank, Louisa May Alcott, Great Performances (Artios Award in Outstanding Achievement in Casting), and Murder Of A President for American Experience. Feature films include Hank and Asha (Audience Award at Slamdance 2013) and The Union. Theatre credits include seven Broadway shows, including Tony nominated Having Our Say, as well as 26 Off-Broadway shows. Regional theatre casting in the past two years includes Denver Center, Geva Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre, Arena Stage, Alley Theatre, George Street Playhouse, and Arizona Theatre Company. The office has so far received 16 nominations and has won three Artios Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Casting.

Joanie Schultz

(Director) is a Chicago-based freelance director. In the 2016/17 season, along with Sex With Strangers, she is directing King Liz at Windy City Playhouse and the world premiere of Queen by Madhuri Shekar for Victory Gardens Theater. Last season, she directed Hand to God (Studio Theatre in DC) and more(Director) is a Chicago-based freelance director. In the 2016/17 season, along with Sex With Strangers, she is directing King Liz at Windy City Playhouse and the world premiere of Queen by Madhuri Shekar for Victory Gardens Theater. Last season, she directed Hand to God (Studio Theatre in DC) and Spinning (Irish Theatre of Chicago); along with the world premieres of Lot’s Wife by Eric Rosen (Kansas City Repertory), Bruise Easy by Dan LeFranc (American Theatre Company), The Cheats by Hamish Linklater (Steep Theatre), and Cocked by Sarah Gubbins (Victory Gardens Theater). Also recently, she directed Martyr (Steep Theatre); Yankee Tavern (American Blues Theatre); The Hundred Flowers Project (Silk Road Rising); Rest and The Whale (Victory Gardens); Venus in Fur (Goodman Theatre); Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey (Remy Bumppo Theatre); and fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life (Steppenwolf Theatre). She has also directed operas including Bluebeard’s Castle, Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Acis and Galatea and Carmen. Joanie holds an MFA in directing from Northwestern University; was a Drama League Fellow; The Goodman Theatre’s Michael Maggio Directing Fellow; the SDCF Denham Fellow; a Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab participant; and was 2013 Co-Artistic Curator for Theater on the Lake. She is an ensemble member at Steep Theatre, associate artist with Victory Gardens Theater, and is on the theater faculty of Columbia College and University of Chicago. From 2014-16, Joanie served as Associate Artistic Producer at Victory Gardens Theater, as part of the Leadership U One-on-One Fellowship funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and administered by TCG.

Chelsea M. Warren

(Scenic Designer) is a visual theatre maker with a focus on scenery, puppetry and devised theatre. Recent scenic projects include Cocked, Rest, The Whale (Victory Gardens Theatre); fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life, First Look Rep 2014 and 2011, A Separate Peace (Steppenwolf Theatre); Pilgrim’s Progress (A Red more(Scenic Designer) is a visual theatre maker with a focus on scenery, puppetry and devised theatre. Recent scenic projects include Cocked, Rest, The Whale (Victory Gardens Theatre); fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life, First Look Rep 2014 and 2011, A Separate Peace (Steppenwolf Theatre); Pilgrim’s Progress (A Red Orchid Theatre); Martyr, Pornography, The Cheats (Steep Theatre); Stranded on Earth (Geva Theatre); Always Patsy Cline (Milwaukee Rep); Il Viaggio a Reims (Roosevelt University Opera); as well as after all the terrible things I do and The Kid Thing (both Jeff Award nominations for MidSize Scenic Design; About Face Theatre). Puppet design includes Hand to God (Studio Theatre); The Little Mermaid and the Dragon for Shrek the Musical (Chicago Shakespeare); design and direction for Puppet Peter and the Wolf (Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra). Awards include 2012 recipient of the Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award. She is an Artistic Associate with Steep Theatre in Chicago. Ms. Warren received her MFA from Northwestern University. chelseaMwarren.com

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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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