Événement

Frank Theatre's CITIZEN by Claudia Rankine, adapted by Stephen Sachs

Frank Theatre will present Claudia Rankine's award-winning CITIZEN: AN AMERICAN LYRIC, in a stage adaptation by Stephen Sachs, at Intermedia Arts, 2822 S. Lyndale, March 10-April 2, 2017.

CITIZEN is a six person ensemble piece that "floats between dream and reality, narration and performance, and challenges its audiences perceptions," as it examines the ways in which racism pervades daily life in America, from the microaggressions that render certain citizens invisible in our culture to the highly visible news accounts that document its toll.

With stories that end with "I didnt know you were black," to "You have features similar to a white person," and examples of Serena Williams to Travon Martin, from the seemingly smallest slights to blatant exclusion, CITIZEN poetically illustrates how racism is woven into our daily life. "The book explores the kinds of injustice that thrive when the illusion of justice is perfected, and the emotional costs for the artist who cries foul," says Dan Chiasson of The New Yorker.

Performances are Thurs, Fri and Sat at 8:00, Sun at 2:00. Tickets are $25, and there is a pay-what-you-can performance on Saturday, March 11. Post-show discussions will follow the Sunday afternoon performances. More information on the Frank Theatre website, www.franktheatre.org.

CITIZEN is performed by Heather Bunch, Hope Cervantes, Michael Hanna, Theo Langason, Dana Thompson and Joe Nathan Thomas. The show is directed by Frank Artistic Director Wendy Knox, with projections by Bill Cottman, lighting by Mike Wangen, Sound by Michael Croswell, Costumes by Kathy Kohl with stage management by Jared Ziegler.

Rankine's book CITIZEN, published by the local Graywolf Press, took the literary world by storm and garnered numerous awards, including a 2016 MacArthur Fellowship and a 2016 United States Artists Fellowship. The adaptation that Frank Theatre is staging was done by Stephen Sachs of Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. Read a review of that production in the LA Times.

Frank Theatre is a professional theatre company committed to producing unique work which stretches the skills of the artists who create the work while simultaneously challenging the everyday perceptions of the audience through the exploration of ideas and issues of social, political and/or cultural concern. Frank is a Twin Cities' based company, founded in 1989 by Artistic Director Wendy Knox. Now in its 28th season, the theatre has staged over 60 productions including Brechts THE GOOD PERSON OF SETZUAN, Max Frischs THE ARSONISTS, Caryl Churchills LOVE AND INFORMATION, George Brants GROUNDED, Enda Walshs THE NEW ELECTRIC BALLROOM, the sold out production of THE THREEPENNY OPERA, Martin McDonaghs MISTERMAN, Kander and Ebbs CABARET, an original adaptation of Kafkas METAMORPHOSIS, and an Ivey-award winning production of THE PILLOWMAN, Bertolt Brechts MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN, Suzan-Lori Parks VENUS, Carson Kreitzers THE LOVE SONG OF J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER, Marc Blitzsteins THE CRADLE WILL ROCK and others. More information is available at www.franktheatre.org.

For further information, contact info@franktheatre.org, or call (612) 724 3760.