Summer at Nohant, a Romantic-period comedy in three acts, celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Fryderyk Chopin’s birth. George Sand, the famed French writer and emancipated woman, brings together artists at her celebrated summer estate in Nohant. Chopin, one of her lovers, echoes the longings and frustrations of the inhabitants as he composes his Sonata in B minor. His music is transcendent and affects everyone in the household.
2009/2010
Searching for truth through Maeterlinck’s works
We are extremely delighted to embark on our second season at Ambassador Theater with the most prominent Belgian playwright, poet, and essayist, and Nobel Laureate: Maurice Maeterlinck, whose very symbolic works aroused so many artists around the world and demanded a new artistic vision. Despite the passage of time, Maeterlinck’s words still inspire artistic exploration and experimentation with new eyes. Maeterlinck wanted to reveal the interconnectivity of the inner and the outer world, a mirroring of the macro to microcosm. Today in the Information Era, as in Maeterlinck’s time with the Industrial Revolution, we search for spiritual connectedness with the universe, with each other, and within ourselves. We search for a common tongue to provoke each other into dialogue. With these two of Maeterlinck’s very different plays, a fairy-tale and a satire, death is a main subject, seen from distinct perspectives. Both pieces provoke us to laugh, cry, think and enter into a shared conversation. As the author and translators have inspired me to present both plays, so the actors and designers helped to craft the artistic vision for which I am extremely grateful. We invite all to an open discussion about life and death and Maeterlinck’s artistic vision presented to you with the gracious partnership of the Embassy of Belgium.Enjoy the show!
Hanna Bondarewska
Ambassador Theater invites you to…
An Evening with Maurice Maeterlinck
Belgian Playwright, Poet, Essayist and Nobel Laureate
In partnership with the Embassy of Belgium,
Ambassador Theater is proud to present staged readings of
Death of Tintagiles
and
The Miracle of Saint Anthony
Translated by David Willinger and Daniel Gerould
Directed by Hanna Bondarewska
July 23-24, 2010 at 7:30PM
$15.00 (suggested donation)
Flashpoint, Mead Theatre Lab
916 G St, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
Steps away from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stop
or a couple of blocks from Metro Center.
Including Wine Reception and Q&A with the Actors
To reserve your tickets please fill out a request form located under Tickets
Cast & Crew: An Evening with Maurice Maeterlinck
Death of Tintagiles
and
The Miracle of Saint Anthony
Translated by:
David Willinger
Daniel Gerould
Directed by:
Hanna Bondarewska
Sound and Music by:
David Crandall
Lights by:
Gus Soudah
Featuring:
Greg Crowe
Bob Chauncey
Danielle Davy
Russell Jonas
Randahl Lindgren
James McDaniel
Gale Nemec
Mark O’Brian
Frank O’Donnell
Amy Waldman
Ian Pederson
Cara Newlon
Sean Pederson
Rachael Ulmer
A Special Staged Reading of “Country House”
Self-Portrait, (Muzeum Pomorza Srodkowego, Slupsk) Pastel. Witkacy
A special staged reading
April 29, 2010 at 7:30 PM
Celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Witkacy
Country House
by Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz
(aka Witkacy)
DIRECTED BY Robert McNamara
Flashpoint, Mead Theatre Lab | 916 G St, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
Tickets $10
Steps away from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stop or a couple of blocks from Metro Center.
CAST
Diaphant Nearly – Stas Wronka
Sophie – Caitlin Staebell
Amy – Carina Czipoth
Cousin Jibbery- Penbroke – Chris Henley
Annette Warbling – Molly Coyle
Ghost Mother – Danielle Davy
Wendell Poundwood – Christopher Mrozowski
Joseph Griswold – Howard E. O’Leary
Scullery Boy – Russell Jonas
The Cook – Mary Suib
Ambassador Theater Presents “Summer at Nohant”
Summer at Nohant
By Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz
Translated by Celina Wieniewska
Directed by Hanna Bondarewska
Assistant Director Magdalena Pinkowska
Lighting Director Marianne Meadows
Set Design and Construction:
Andrzej Pinkowski, Magdalena Pinkowska, Falcon Construction, House Craft LLC, Daniel Rovin
Costumes Dan Iwaniec and Florence Arnold
Stage Manager April Whaley
Assistant Stage Manager Keta Newborn
Cast
Tyler Herman as Fryderyk Chopin
Hanna Bondarewska as Baroness Aurore Dudevant (George Sand)
Jessie Dulaney as Solange, daughter of George Sand
Russell Jonas as Maurice, son of George Sand
Timothy R. King as Count Anthony Wodzinski
Madeline Muravchik as Mlle De Rosieres, Chopin’s pupil
Lauren Elisabeth Uberman as Augustine, George Sand’s cousin and ward
Daniel Rovin as Theodore Rousseau, young painter
Christopher Herring as Clesinger, young sculptor
Michael Santos Sandoval as Ferdinand, son of a rich neighbor
David Van Ormer as John, Chopin’s servant
Ekaterina Korotkikh as Madeleine, country girl
Interns: Ekaterina Korotkikh and Alison Beyrle
Director’s Note
Welcome to George Sand’s estate at Nohant, where many prominent artists found the inspiration for their art, among which the most famous guest was Fryderyk Chopin. The three act play takes us all on a great tour into a 19th century salon where you may discover the beauty of erotic passions, turmoil, and artistic inspiration, where “among kitchen squabbles- something so full of transcendental genius is being produced!” It has been a great pleasure to rediscover this very interesting play depicting a part of the lives of these very special people, George Sand and Fryderyk Chopin with such a great group of American actors and take them on a tour of France and Poland. It has been a very interesting ride, full of passion; snow days and stormy weather which still did not stop us all from bringing some sun to Summer at Nohant. Thank you to all its dear “inhabitants” for all their passion and hard work, especially my dear assistant Magda and her family who tirelessly worked to make our salon so beautiful and vibrant. I love you all and let us all breathe in the very extraordinary air of Nohant!
More Info:
The Forefathers Cast & Crew
“Dark everywhere, Gloom everywhere What’s in the air, what’s in the air?”
This is the eternal question that opens, closes, and is woven through Adam Mickiewicz’s Part II of Forefathers: What’s in the air? What’s in the air? What is in the air in Mickiewicz’s poem is a series of spirits. To the audience they reveal the human wisdom that in death we cannot undo what has been done in life, nor can we forever mask who we truly are. In Poland, Mickiewicz’s name is lauded like Shakespeare’s in England or Goethe’s in Germany. But more than filling a great role as a national bard, he is also a praised national icon. In this world of endless material bliss and continuing technological advancement many people search for spiritual fulfillment. Here, Mickiewicz’s poetry not only delivers a spiritual inspiration, it also encourages us to slow down, to breathe in creative energy.
A Staged Reading of
The Forefathers, Part II
by Adam Mickiewicz
Directed by: Hanna Bondarewska
Costumes & Props: Magda Pinkowska
Lighting: Stephen Shetler
Cast:
Warlock: Bill Byrnes
An Old Man: A. Tony Quinn
Angel Boy: Nathan Meier
Angel Girl: Sydney Cherrick
Spectre: Deepal Doshi
Chorus of Nocturnal Birds:
Owl: Kathy Cox
Raven: Carl James
Vulture: Gavin Whitt
A girl (Sophie): Chelsey-Rae Abbate
Leader of the Chorus: Amy Kellett
Shepherdess: Cora Boyd
Spectre (Gustav): Alex Vernon
Chorus of Villagers:
Eda Lynda Bruce-Lewis and company
Technical Support | Interns
Amanda Grossman
Ekaterina Korotkikh
Ellie Pfeuffer
Farewell to Arden: Last Toast of Madame Helena
A Staged reading of Farewell to Arden: Last Toast of Madame Helena
Full cast adaptation of the one woman play, Émigré Queen by Kazimierz Braun. Written and directed by Hanna Bondarewska
December 16, 2009 7:00 PM at the Embassy of Poland
Ambassador Theater Presents a Special Evening Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Madame Helena Modjeska (Modrzejewska)
Polish-American Theater Icon, Utopian Pioneer, National Celebrity, A Woman Ahead of Her Time
Director’s Notes
“Dark everywhere, Gloom everywhere What’s in the air, what’s in the air?”
It is the eternal question that opens, closes, and weaves together Adam Mickiewicz’s Part II of Forefathers (Dziady): “What’s in the air? What’s in the air?” What is in the air in Mickiewicz’s poem is a series of spirits. To the audience, they reveal the human wisdom that in death, we cannot undo what has been done in life. Nor can we mask who we truly are forever. To many, the story of who we are and where we came from is also incredibly significant. I come from a long Polish folk tradition of celebration, honor, and prayer for our ancestors around this time of the year, and so did Mickiewicz. In Poland, his name is lauded like Shakespeare’s is in England or Goethe’s is in Germany. But more than filling a great role as a national bard, he is also a praised national icon. Perhaps it is because of his innate ability to breathe life into literature by creating and introducing new ideas in with age-old human musings. The excellent translation by Geoffrey Wladyslaw Vaile Potocki de Montalk certainly transports Mickiewicz’s world especially well during Halloween. I can remember becoming mesmerized by his poetry as a youth in Poland. I would be so wrapped in his beautiful world of romantic poetry, so completely mystified by the variety of subjects and different forms of literature in which he wrote, that I would read the poems aloud to myself. Only when my family clapped at the end was I brought back to reality. In this world of endless material bliss and continuing technological advancement, many people search for a spiritual fulfillment. Here, Mickiewicz’s poetry not only delivers a spiritual inspiration, it also encourages us to slow down, to breathe in creative energy. So please, enjoy the show! Experience the wondrous, mystical world of Poland and our communities on the eve of All Saint’s Day! - Hanna Bondarewska
Join us for a spooky and fantastic Halloween Eve!
The Forefathers, II Part
by Adam Mickiewicz
October 31, 2009 at 8:30 PM
A Staged Reading of the Classic Masterpiece of Romanticism:
The Forefathers, Part II ("Dziady") followed by a discussion and wine reception.
This is a "pay-what-you-can" event! Please RSVP at rsvp@aticc.org
Flashpoint, Mead Theatre Lab 916 G St, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001