Blog – Page 15 – andrewsellon.com

The Grapes of Wrath at Asolo Rep Will Be One For the Books

We opened The Grapes of Wrath at Asolo Repertory Theatre on Friday night, and it will go down as one of the most exciting nights of my career. Everything came together to tell the incredible story, and the audience response was amazing. My heartfelt thanks to director Michael Donald Edwards for entrusting the role of Jim Casy to me and for guiding us so well, and to playwright/adaptor Frank Galati, for his ongoing support of our production. Frank and his partner Peter Amster were there, and Peter said watching us was like watching the 25 years since the original Steppenwolf production simply melt away. This play has a painfully timely message about the inequity of the economy in this country, and what “holy” really means. I hope we fill every seat for every performance and raise some consciousnesses.

This is my first production of Grapes and my first experience with true rotating repertory as well. Rotating rep is both demanding and amazing. The day after we opened Grapes, we gave two performances of Chris Durang’s zany comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike after not doing it for a week. If you know the shows, the thought of jumping from the demands of Jim Casy to the demands of Vanya (twice in a day!) is pretty intense. We were high-fiving each other backstage before the curtain call after the evening performance, because we had opened Grapes the night before, had given two darn good Vanya shows, and were still standing. Today, we jump back into a matinee of Philadelphia, Here I Come!, which we also haven’t done in a week due to all the tech rehearsals required for Grapes. Today will feel practically like a vacation!

My hat is off to everyone at Asolo Rep–my directors, fellow cast members, designers, costume shop, set shop, coaches, incredible stage management team, wonderful running crew, unbelievable stage crew (watching them do a changeover from one set to another is mind-blowing!), great front of house, and the incredibly supportive leadership and administrative staff for creating and maintaining such an environment of excellence. It’s a thrill to be “harnessed to the whole shebang.”

To paraphrase my character Jim Casy, we are one thing. And that one thing is holy.

The Grapes of Wrath Opens Tonight at Asolo Rep!

“The Grapes of Wrath” opens tonight at Asolo Repertory Theatre. I am so honored to be playing Jim Casy in this remarkable ensemble (onstage and off), in this remarkable production, telling this remarkable and much-needed tale. This year may mark the 75th Anniversary of the publication of the novel, but the story needs to be heard–and heeded–every bit as much today. And my thanks to cast mate David Breitbarth for this great photo from our tech rehearsals. California, here we come!

New Trailer for Our Hit Production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Asolo Rep

Our hit production of Chris Durang’s wonderful comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike directed by the equally wonderful Peter Amster continues its record-breaking run at Asolo Rep. Some performances are already sold out for the rest of the run, so if you’re going to be in the area and are thinking of seeing the show, I would encourage you to buy your tickets as soon as possible. A friend contacted me recently on Facebook about seeing the show that night, and the performance was already sold out for that evening, with a long waiting list. We are playing until April 13th, so to avoid disappointment contact me or call the box office, and order your tickets today!

Here’s a cute new promo piece for the show, from Asolo Rep’s endlessly creative PR department. (If the video doesn’t appear, try reloading this page in your browser.) I am so thrilled to be part of this magical ensemble. Enjoy!

First Trailer is Out for “The Grapes of Wrath” at Asolo Rep

Here’s the first trailer for “Grapes of Wrath,” which starts performances on 3/12 at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, FL. I’m not shown in this teaser, but am busy growing my beard to play former preacher Jim Casy. We’ll have fire, a river, rain, a truck, great live music, and a lot of wonderful performances. Stay tuned! (If the video doesn’t show below, try reloading this page in your browser.)

Fun New Sign for “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” at Asolo Rep

I had to share this snapshot. My husband Tim came to see the show the other day, and on our way to the box office to pick up his tickets, we came across this new placard in front of the theatre. What fun! The director of our upcoming production The Grapes of Wrath actually has me growing a full beard now to play preacher Jim Casy, so at this point my Vanya and my characters in Philadelphia, Here I Come! are of necessity also bearded now. But if you know the script for Vanya, the beard works perfectly for some of the visual humor.

New Trailer for “Philadelphia, Here I Come!” at Asolo Rep

Here’s a new trailer for our lovely production of Brian Friel’s classic play Philadelphia, Here I Come! directed by Frank Galati at Asolo Rep. If you don’t blink, you’ll catch a fleeting glimpse of me as Canon O’Byrne! I also make a brief appearance in this production (though not in this video clip) as Ben Burton, the only American in the story. It’s a beautiful show; if you’re in the area, I highly recommend it to you. And while you’re at it, try to catch a performance of our hit production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, in which I play Vanya. (If the video doesn’t load below, try reloading this page in your browser.)

I will be joining Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards to speak about Philadelphia, Here I Come! prior to tonight’s 2/15 performance, as part of the theatre’s regular OUT@Asolo program. I look forward to seeing members of Sarasota’s LGBT community there!

Another Fun Interview for Our Hit “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”

Here’s a link to another interview I participated in recently for our hit production of Chris Durang’s sublime Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Asolo Rep. This one centers on the comic potential to be mined from sibling rivalry–something with which almost every family can identify.

I’m told tickets are selling fast, and that the remainder of our run is expected to sell out based on the rave reviews and the great word of mouth our show is generating. Links to the reviews are coming soon!

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Opens Tonight at Asolo Rep!

Well, it’s here already. The past two nights we’ve had great previews, and now tonight at 8pm, we’ll officially open Asolo Rep’s production of Chris Durang’s wonderful, Tony-winning Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, directed by the inspired and inspiring Peter Amster.

I am beyond thrilled to be playing Vanya with this director, cast, designers, and theatre. And judging by the audience responses to our preview performances, the audiences are going to love this production. This play has all the offbeat, wacky humor you’d expect from Chris Durang, but it also has an undercurrent of deep feeling that is taking us all on an amazing journey. And for anyone who grew up during the 1950’s in the U.S., the play will have an especially strong resonance.

I have been advised that this production is expected to sell out its entire run; if you’re in the area and planning on coming, please do buy your tickets soon! You won’t want to miss a couple of hours in the company of this zany and lovely cast of characters. You will leave feeling very good, indeed.

Congratulations, all!!

Interview About “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” Opening Friday 1/24

We’re halfway through Tech rehearsals now, and we’re on schedule to open Chris Durang’s wonderful Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike this Friday evening at Asolo Rep. Even as we add Ann Wrightson’s elegant lighting, Jennifer Caprio’s witty costumes, and Matt Parker’s playful sound design to Ray Klausen’s beautiful set (which already feels like home), we’re digging deeper into the play and its quirky and all-too-human characters. New discoveries continue for all of us as we play in our new space. We have preview performances on Wednesday and Thursday night, leading up to Friday’s opening.

Here’s an interview with me, Anne-Marie Cusson (Masha), and our director Peter Amster, from the Sarasota Herald Tribune. Enjoy! If you’re in the area–come see the show; it’s funny and zany, with a big heart underneath. We will run in rep through April 13th. You can read about the whole season and see the performance calendar here.

Teaser Video for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Asolo Rep

We’re now in Tech rehearsals for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, directed by the brilliant Peter Amster, and our official opening is this coming Friday, January 24th. Even Tech is fun for this show! Here’s a little teaser that the clever folks at Asolo Rep have just released for the show (if the image doesn’t load, try refreshing this page in your browser):