Noted local writer John Crutchfield will team up with director Steven Samuels and producer Chall Gray to present a new play, Ruth, at North Carolina Stage Company. Crutchfield has become familiar to Asheville audiences as a performer and through several recent productions of his plays at different venues in town.
Ruth is a retelling of the biblical story of Ruth, a young woman who is widowed and returns, with her mother-in-law, to her husband’s home town in an attempt to deal with her tragedy. This mesmerizing show reimagines the traditional story in the contemporary setting of a small town in Southern Appalachia and was written in verse, displaying Crutchfield’s recognized talent for dialogue. The show will also feature choreography by noted local performer and teacher Julie Becton-Gillum, and musical accompaniment for the show’s choral sections by the playwright himself.
Crutchfield’s most recent work to appear in Asheville was a one-man show, The Songs of Robert, which also saw him working with Steven Samuels and Chall Gray. After a successful run in Asheville that show then moved to New York City and was presented as part of the NY International Fringe Festival. Despite only a brief run there the show was praised by critics from
nytheatre.com and TimeOutNY as being “the gem of the fringe festival” and “truly exceptional.” The show went on to win the Festival Award for Excellence in Solo Performance and was recently published in an annual anthology of solo performance plays edited by critic Martin Denton.
Ruth will be part of the Catalyst Series, which is now in its sixth year and features performances from local, grassroots theatre companies with whom NC Stage collaborates to expand its own programming while providing resources for innovative theatre. The show is being presented by the Magnetic Theatre, which will be the producing arm of the The Magnetic Field, a new café, bar and performance house opening this fall in the River Arts District. Ruth’s director Steven Samuels, who is also the Artistic Director of The Magnetic Field, said recently, “We’re thrilled for the opportunity to present Ruth at NC Stage and grateful to them for hosting our work while we ready our own home.”
More information can be found at
www.johncrutchfield.com. Tickets can be purchased at the Pack Place Box Office,
www.ncstage.org, or by calling (828) 239-0263.
Really worth seeing. Kudos to playwrite, cast, director, set, everything & everyone.
Bold
Verve July 2010
theo, i dont understand your question.
thedj, you win! i’ll email you.
Verve Magazine!! HOLLA
Hey Ash, Is that the bait?