Past Shows
Killers and Other Family
“Excellent, Gripping, and Ambitious…” – Village Voice
RATTLESTICK PLAYWRIGHTS THEATER
PRESENTS
KILLERS AND OTHER FAMILY
by LUCY THURBER
Just when Elizabeth thinks she has finally escaped her previous life, that life comes crashing back in when her brother and his best friend show up, on the run, demanding she hide them. Their arrival forces Elizabeth to confront her past truly, pushing her into a waking nightmare in which fears and memories become all too real. Rattlestick Playwrights Theater revisits this play first produced in 2001.
Contains nudity, smoking and mature subject matter. Not recommended for children under the age of 14.
Please be aware that there is no late seating. The performance will run approximately 75 minutes, with no intermission.
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KILLERS AND OTHER FAMILY |
PRESS:
The reviews are in! Read what the critics had to say:
From EDGE:
“Excitement on the razor’s edge of madness…”
“A riveting edge-of-the-seat drama and an excellent lead-off for Rattlestick’s new season.”
From VARIETY:
“A gorgeous piece of writing…”
“Caitriona McLaughlin helms a well-cast ensemble through a muscular production for Rattlestick.”
From BACKSTAGE:
“Bold, physically wrenching performances [by] Samantha Soule and Aya Cash...Soule shifts tactics with the technical perfection of an Olympic hurdler. Cash is brave in her vulnerability. Together, they’re among the more believable stage couples I’ve seen in some time.”
From TALKENTERTAINMENT.COM:
“The acting is of the highest caliber…”
“Shane McRae especially is someone to fear…In a break through performance…he’s absolutely menacing.”
From THEATERMANIA.COM:
“Consistently riveting…Captivatingly sexy and feral.”
“McLaughlin‘s fine work with her ensemble – which includes solid and…affecting turns from [Dashiell] Eaves and Cash – is to be commended.”
From THE NEW YORK POST:
“A sharp, ambitious intelligence [is] at play here, and…the young cast handles it with aplomb…As the actors take their bows, flushed and disheveled, you’re left feeling emotionally battered yet intensely alive.”
From MUSIC OMH:
“Beautifully acted, tense and emotionally complex…”
“Its palpable sense of sensuality and danger…build[s] up…like a balloon of emotion, suspense, sexuality and dread.”
From LIGHTING AND SOUND AMERICA:
“Savage family free-for-all…Taut and tough-as-nails…Remarkable.”
Plus, log in for free to check out the New York Times Readers’ Reviews!
FEATURING:
(from left to right:)
Aya Cash (From Up Here, The Pain and the Itch)
Dashiell Eaves (Becky Shaw, The Lieutenant of Inishmore)
Shane McRae (Take Me Out, Richard III, Public Theater)
Samantha Soule (The Philanthropist, The Voysey Inheritance)
MEET THE TEAM:
Lucy Thurber (Playwright) is the author of seven plays: Where We’re Born, Ashville, Scarcity, Killers and Other Family, Stay, Bottom of the World, and Monstrosity. The Atlantic Theater Company opened its 2007/08 season with Scarcity. Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has produced three of her plays, Where We’re Born, Killers and Other Family and Stay. Bottom of the World was commissioned and workshopped by Women’s Expressive Theater, Inc. at the Eugene O’Neill, the first Tribeca Theater Festival and The Public Theater. Monstrosity was workshopped at Encore Theatre Company (San Francisco) and produced at 13P. She was the recipient of the 2000-01 Manhattan Theatre Club playwriting fellowship, and has been a guest artist at Alaska’s Perseverance Theatre twice, where she helped to adapt both Moby Dick and Desire Under the Elms. She has had reading and workshops at Manhattan Theatre Club, The New Group, Primary Stages, MCC Theater, Encore Theatre Company, PlayPenn, Williamstown Theatre Festival, New River Dramatists and Soho Rep. She was one of three playwrights in residence at The Orchard Project, summer 2007. Her ten-minute play, Dinner, is published in Not So Sweet, a collection of plays from Soho Rep’s 10-Minute Play Festival. Scarcity was published in the December 2007 issue of American Theatre. Her produced plays are published by Dramatists Play Service. She is a member of New Dramatists, MCC Playwrights’ Coalition, 13P, and Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers Group at Primary Stages. She is currently writing a new play under commission from Playwrights Horizons. She is the recipient of the 1st Gary Bonasorte Memorial Prize for Playwrighting 2008.
Caitriona McLaughlin (Director). Theatre Director and Clore Fellow, Caitriona currently lives in London and is Associate Director and General Manager of the Playground Studio, (a creation space for the development of original theatre). Having a keen interest in the development of new writing she is currently on secondment to the Royal Court Theatre, London and has recently returned from the LAByrinth Summer Intensive, Bard. Recent directing work includes Angels and Accidents, The Recruiting Officer (Derry Playhouse), Shadowbox (Southwark Playhouse, London), Roman Nights (The New End Theatre, London) and Babooshka (Edinburgh Festival). Caitriona has also directed work in Ireland, Germany, The Czech Republic, and South Africa. She currently has two new theatre projects and a short film in development and due for productions in 2010. This is Caitriona’s first time working at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and she is very excited to have the opportunity to be here and work with a great team on this wonderful play.
Assistant Director: John DiResta
Sets by John McDermott, Lighting by Ben Ehrenreich, Sound by Isaac Butler
Costumes by Emily Rebholz, Props by Eugenia Furneaux-Arends,
Fight Choreography by David Anzuelo
Production Stage Manager: Terri Kohler
Assistant Stage Manager: Melissa Gregus
Rattlestick is proud to begin our 15th Anniversary Season with Killers and Other Family. Our diverse, critically acclaimed 14th Season featured premieres from Craig Wright, Stephen Belber, Sheila Callaghan. Most recently, we produced Jessica Dickey’s acclaimed play, The Amish Project and Daniel Talbott’s hit show, Slipping.
Our 2009/2010 Season will continue with three bold world premieres by Mando Alvarado, Craig Wright and Annie Baker. Be sure to join us again as we continue into another exciting season with America’s most engaging young playwrights! Find out MORE about our season Here!
Plays by Dan Klores, Heidi Schreck, Florencia Lozano, Adam Rapp & Suzanne Vega
Upcoming events and benefits, plus pictures from past events
