THE SCHOOL FOR LIES

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CONSTELLATION THEATRE COMPANY 

ROUNDS OUT ITS 16TH SEASON WITH A WITTY AND RIOTOUS FARCE

DIRECTED BY ALLISON ARKELL STOCKMAN 

THE SCHOOL FOR LIES

Written by David Ives

Opening Night: May 1 at 7:30 PM

Performances: April 28 – May 28

(Washington, DC) – After the success of their fall musical, Once on This Island,  and winter play, Incognito, Constellation Theatre Company will end its 16th Season of shows with the witty and riotous farce, The School for Lies, written by David Ives and directed by Constellation’s Founding Artistic Director, Allison Arkell Stockman. The School for Lies, Constellation’s third and final production in Season 16: Kaleidoscope of Connections explores gossip and glamor in the 17th century from the upper echelons of the French bourgeoisie. The show will run from April 28 – May 28, 2023 at Source, located at 1835 14th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009.  Tickets are $20 – 55 and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at (202) 204-7741 or online at www.ConstellationTheatre.org.

ABOUT THE SHOW 

In the heart of Paris, the beautiful, young widow Célimène hosts a posh salon and entertains her guests with satiric impressions of society’s dilettantes. Her many suitors specialize in flamboyant fashion, obsequious flattery, and atrocious poetry. When Frank, a British traveler, arrives dressed in boring black and ready to call out hypocrisy with sharp humor and acidic cynicism, Célimène meets her match. This riotous farce is a high tempo roller-coaster glittering with witty wordplay and giddy love affairs that will set your heart aflutter.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

David Ives is probably best known for his evenings of one-act comedies called All in the Timing and Time Flies. All in the Timing won the Outer Critics Circle Playwriting Award, ran for two years Off-Broadway, and in the 1995-96 season was the most performed play in the country after Shakespeare productions. His full-length plays include Venus In Fur (which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play), The School For Lies (adapted from Moliere’s The Misanthrope and a major hit at New York’s Classic Stage Company last spring); The Heir Apparent (an adaptation of J-F Regnard’s comedy that was an audience and critical hit at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. this past fall); New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch de Spinoza, which won the prestigious Hull-Warriner Award; Is He Dead? (adapted from Mark Twain); White Christmas; Polish Joke; and Ancient History. He has translated Feydeau’s classic farce A Flea in Her Ear, Yazmina Reza’s drama A Spanish Play, and Pierre Corneille’s 1643 comedy The Liar (also an enormous hit at the Shakespeare Theatre Company two years ago). David Ives is the author of three young-adult novels: Monsieur Eek, Scrib, and Voss, and he has adapted 32 American musicals for New York City’s beloved Encores! series. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama and a former Guggenheim Fellow in playwriting, he lives in New York City.

THE CREATIVE TEAM 

Allison Arkell Stockman (Director) Allison won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (Helen Production) in 2016 for her work on Avenue Q. She has directed 32 Constellation productions including Incognito, The White Snake, Master and Margarita, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Wild Party, The Arabian Nights, Urinetown, Journey to the West, The Fire and The Rain, ABSOLUTELY! {perhaps}, The Love of the Nightingale, 36 Views, Gilgamesh, Taking Steps, Metamorphoses, The Ramayana, The Green Bird, Taking Steps, Women Beware Women, Three Sisters, A Flea in Her Ear, A Dream Play. Allison has directed readings and workshops for Theater J and the Kennedy Center. A Drama League Directing Fellow and a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab, Allison holds an MFA in Directing from Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and a BA in Comparative Religion from Princeton.

Sarah Reed (Scenic Designer) is excited for her design debut with Constellation Theatre Company. Past credits include Incognito and Once on This Island as a scenic artist. Recent design credits include Kansas City Actor’s Theatre: Dot; Music Theatre Heritage: Song & Dance, Camelot; Experience Theatre Project: The Great Gatsby’s: Daisy. Sarah received her BFA in Design and Technology at Western Michigan University and MFA in Design at University of Missouri – Kansas City. @skreeddesigns  www.skreeddesigns.com

Brittany Shemuga (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to be working with Constellation Theatre Company for the first time. Select local designs include Mosaic Theatre: Birds of North America, Hooded, Paper Dolls; Second City: She the People, Twist your Dicken; and NextStop Theatre: The Wedding Singer, Catch Me If You Can. Brittany is also the Resident Lighting Designer at the Ohio Light Opera in Wooster, Ohio. She received her MFA in Lighting from the University of Maryland.

Frank Labovitz (Costume Designer) is excited to return to Constellation Theatre Company, where he has previously designed Incognito, The Last Five Years, Little Shop of Horrors, The White Snake and The Skin of Our Teeth. His designs have appeared on many local stages, including Round House Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Shakespeare Theatre, Studio Theatre, Signature Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and Pointless Theatre Company. His work has been recognized with multiple Helen Hayes Award nominations, and he received the award for his designs for Little Shop of Horrors with Constellation and Dreamgirls with Signature Theatre. Thank you Nick!

Cresent Haynes (Sound Designer) credits include: A Strange Loop (Woolly Mammoth Theater),

Show Way (Kennedy Center), Fabulation (Mosaic Theater Company), The Laramie Project

(Duke Ellington School of the Arts), N (Keegan Theatre), Hope in the Hood (Amazing Grace

Conservatory) and more. Cresent is also a freelance Live Audio Engineer and Visual Artist. She has aspirations to design on Broadway and continue touring with various performing artists as their Audio Engineer, all while continuing to fill spaces with her original exhibits. Training: Howard University. (www.linktr.ee/cresentrochelle)

Andrew Michael Reilly (Props Designer) has worked across many backstage disciplines from Wardrobe Crew at Shakespeare Theater Company and Folger Shakespeare Library, to Stagehand at the 930 Club, to Box Office for Valley Place Arts Collaborative. Selected props credits include Creative Cauldron: Ichabod, The Christmas Angel, Into the Woods, The Snow Queen; 1st Stage: Mlima’s Tale; Peace Mountain Theater Company: Radio Golf; Anacostia Playhouse: Black Nativity; St Mary’s College of Maryland and Historic St Mary’s City: Macbeth.

Jordan A. Stanford (Intimacy & Fight Choreographer) is happy to be back with Constellation Theatre Company after her work on Once On This Island. Some of her other intimacy credits include Chesapeake Shakespeare Company: Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet; George Washington University: Madea. She is also a theatre teaching artist with the nonprofit So What Else.

THE CAST 

Dylan Arredondo (Philinte) Previously at Constellation Theatre Company: The White Snake. DC Area: Kennedy Center: The Mortification of Fovea Munson; Olney Theatre Center: Beauty & the Beast; Chesapeake Shakespeare Company: Much Ado About Nothing; Rep Stage: The Glass Menagerie; Signature Theatre: Daphne’s Dive; Round House Theatre: Quixote Nuevo; Rorschach Theatre: Reykjavik; Spooky Action Theater: Lady from the Village of Falling Flowers; National Players: The Great Gatsby, Alice in Wonderland, Othello. www.DylanArredondo.com

Natalie Cutcher (Celimene) is back at it! Constellation credits: Journey to the West, The Skin of Our Teeth, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Mysticism and Music, pandemic-impacted Eurydice. Local collaborators: Folger, 1st Stage (recent HH nomination Outstanding Ensemble, Under the Sea with Dredgie McGee), Synetic, Theater Alliance, We Happy Few, Flying V, Avant Bard, Arts on the Horizon (co-wrote and directed HH nominated TYA Production, Squeakers and Mr. Gumdrop), Faction of Fools, Rorschach. Director of Education and faculty member at NCDA. Education: STC Academy, Muhlenberg College, Accademia dell’Arte. Podcast: EOS 10

Gwen Grastorf (Arsinoë) is delighted to be back with Constellation, having performed in The 39 Steps, Equus, The Green Bird, A Flea in Her Ear, The Oresteia, Temptation, and The Arabian Nights (2008). Gwen is an ensemble member with Happenstance Theater, and creates devised physical theatre with them throughout the year. Gwen has worked locally with Faction of Fools, Taffety Punk, Rorschach Theatre, We Happy Few, The Arcanists, and Washington Revels, among others. www.gwengrastorf.com

Jamil Joseph (Clitander) is grateful to be making his debut at Constellation Theatre! Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, from young he knew he had a passion for acting. He attended East Stroudsburg University, where he majored in Theatre with a concentration in TV and Film. While there he was a part of shows such as Spike Heels and A Midsummer Nights’ Dream. Post undergrad, theatre led him to Boston, where he worked with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, doing shows such as Measure for Measure, Julius Caesar, and Romeo & Juliet. Concluding his contract in Boston, in 2019 Jamil moved to the DMV where got to perform Antigone under the direction of Danielle Drakes at Catholic University. Jamil was recently nominated for a Helen-Hayes for his participation in Solas Nua’s production of Playboy of the Western World, under the direction of Shanara Gabrielle. He wants to take the time to thank everyone in management, and is grateful to be chosen for this opportunity and wants to thank his fiancee and son for their everlasting love and support.

Drew Kopas (Frank) *hearts* Constellation. Seen here in The 39 Steps, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Ramayana, and On the Razzle. DMV:  Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Everyman Theatre, Theater J, Mosaic Theater Company, Olney Theatre Center, Shakespeare Theatre Company, 1st Stage, Keegan Theatre, Rep Stage, Faction of Fools, We Happy Few, and the Capital Fringe Festival. Regional: Cleveland – Great Lakes Theatre, Dobama Theatre; Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Virginia Shakespeare Festival. MFA- Acting, Western Illinois University. DrewKopas.com

Matthew Pauli (Dubois/Basque) has appeared with Constellation Theatre Company in Blood Wedding, Metamorphoses, and Journey to the West. Other area acting credits include: Faction of Fools: Love Like Tuesday, Our Town; Solas Nua: Playboy of the Western World; Avant Bard: Ada and the Engine; Imagination Stage: Corduroy, Balloonacy; and Washington National Opera: Barber of Seville. Matthew He has an MFA in classical acting from the STC Academy and graduated from Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Clown College.

Ryan Sellers he/him (Acaste) NATIONAL TOUR: Adventure Theatre MTC: Five Little Monkeys. DC AREA: Round House Theatre: The Tempest; Folger Theater: The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Second Shepherds’ Play; Studio Theater: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson; Shakespeare Theatre Company: Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Signature Theatre: West Side Story, The Threepenny Opera, Miss Saigon, Pacific Overtures. Imagination Stage: The Ballad of Mu Lan, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Night Fairy,

Anime Momotaro; Constellation Theatre Company: White Snake, Arabian Nights; Keegan Theatre: The Undeniable Sound of Right Now, Shakespeare in Love; Creative Cauldron: The Turn of the Screw, The Christmas Angel, Madeline’s Christmas; Arts on the Horizon: Sunny and Licorice, Point A to Point B; Solas Nua: In the Middle of the Fields.

Ría Simpkins she/ella (Eliante) is a multidisciplinary movement based performer. She defines herself as a creativist. DMV Credits: Mosaic, The Till Triliogy, U/S Mamie; Synetic Theater, Cinderella, Cinderella, Joy: Maria, Maria; Adventure Theater, The Cat in the Hat, Thing.

Regional credits: Fenix Fellowship; In the Blood, Hester; Detroit Actors Theater, Speak Up Speak Out, Twerker. Touring: For Colored Girls, Lady in Red; Fences, Rose; Much Ado, Beatrice. She wishes you joy, healing and boundaries strong enough to support your dreams. And nachos, cause they’re good.

Jacob Yeh (Oronte) is thrilled to be back at Constellation Theatre Company after having performed in The White Snake, Journey to the West, M & M. Other credits include:  1st Stage: How the Light Gets In, The Farnsworth Invention (HH Nom: Outstanding Ensemble), Dredgie McGee (HH Nom: Outstanding Ensemble), Shakespeare’s R & J;  NextStop Theatre: East of Eden (HH Nom, Outstanding Supporting Actor), An Act of God, Pride & Prejudice; Studio Theatre: Vietgone, Chimerica; STC: Julius Caesar; Theater J: Yellowface; Folger Theatre: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead; and other productions at Ford’s Theatre, Washington Stage Guild, Synetic Theatre, Rorschach Theatre, Prologue Theatre, Imagination Stage, Adventure Theatre MTC and Spooky Action Theatre. EDUCATION: Theatre Lab’s Honors Conservatory; BS & BA, Rice University. www.jacobyeh.com

ABOUT CONSTELLATION’S SEASON 16: KALEIDOSCOPE OF CONNECTIONS 

Vibrant colors.  Evolving perspectives.  Radiant images.  A kaleidoscope invites individuals into an intimate world of wonder, and so does Constellation every time someone visits our theatre.  Immerse yourself in innovative storytelling, breathtaking design, and exhilarating energy. Season 16 includes a fantastical musical, a captivating mystery, and a flirtatious comedy.  Live theatre is all about connections, reflections, and community. Come enjoy the magical theatricality that Constellation cultivates.  Gaze into our Kaleidoscope of Connections and enjoy epic, larger-than-life theatre at Constellation!

CONSTELLATION THEATRE COMPANY MISSION 

Constellation Theatre Company tells big, powerful stories in an intimate space. Constellation sparks the curiosity and imagination of the people of greater Washington, DC with world-class entertainment that features visual spectacle, dynamic movement, live music, and passionate acting ensembles. Drawing from the genres of fantasy, farce, and epic adventure, Constellation transports audiences to new and exciting worlds where the action is larger than life.

COVID SAFETY 

To foster a safe and accessible theatergoing experience for all, attendees must wear a mask – N95 or KN95 preferred. Masks will be available at the theatre.

GENERAL INFORMATION 

  • Location: Source at 1835 14th Street NW, Washington, DC (on the corner of 14th and T).

  • Parking: Metered and residential parking is available in and around the neighborhood, generally with a two-hour time limit. Please check the posted signs for exact parking restrictions. Patrons may also reserve parking in advance using SpotHero, the nation’s leading parking reservation app.

  • Public Transportation: Source is 0.3 miles (3 blocks) from the U Street/Cardozo Metro Stop (Green/Yellow lines). The 52/54 northbound bus line stops directly in front of the theatre.

  • Accessibility: The black box is wheelchair accessible; accessible seats are available online or by calling the box office. Assistive listening devices and closed captioning  are available for all shows at the front of house.

Administrative/Box Office Hours: Monday – Friday from 1-5 PM.

Website: www.ConstellationTheatre.org

Email: BoxOffice@ConstellationTheatre.org

Phone: (202) 204-7741

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