Theatre--Performance

Duncan Thistlethwaite is a well-known local actor (as well as director and set designer) who is now appearing in a repertory performance at the Baton Rouge Little Theatre. Kyle LeMaire has also appeared in local productions (most notably the UL-Lafayette production of Into The Woods).

The Baton Rouge Little Theater 2008 - 2009 2nd Stage Series will be performed in repertory in April. The fall 2008 production of Blood Knot was postponed due to Hurricane Gustav. The Vertical Hour was already scheduled for April 2009.

"Putting the shows in rep gives us a unique opportunity to present two world-class plays in a short period of time. The plays will rotate performances in our 2nd Stage space beginning April 16, 2009," says BRLT Managing Artistic Director Keith Dixon.

Blood Knot
( written by Athol Fugard, directed by Kyle LeMaire)
(Opening night Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 7:30PM)
CAST
Ronald Coats Morris
Jarrod Smith Zach

One of Fugard's most powerful and poignant works, Blood Knot has received critical praise in Africa, Europe and America. The story follows a white and a black brother, born of the same woman. They live in a hovel, the white man as the black brother's servant. The white man cooks and the black man brings home the money. They are saving to buy a farm to which they hope to retire, but the dream is threatened by the desire for a romantic relationship for one of them. The solution is a lonely hearts club, and the response and picture they get will devolve brotherly love into humiliation as they await her visit - a visit which may never come.

The Vertical Hour
(written by David Hare, directed by Keith Dixon)
(Opening night: Friday, April 17, 2009 at 7:30PM)

CAST
Neil Bond Dennis
Drew Lomonica Arms Nadia
Duncan Thistlethwaite Oliver
Joel Sunsin Philip
Tonika Davis Terry

David Hare's new play, The Vertical Hour, is a thought-provoking exploration of how the political can sometimes intersect, collide with and ultimately dismantle the personal. In the play, Nadia and Phillip visit Phillip's father in the Welsh countryside, where the trio get into heated discussions about love, death, marriage, parenthood and the Iraq war. Brimming with cogent and fascinating arguments involving the current political situation, Hare fills his play with several of these ethical and philosophical quandaries that serve not only as dramatic conflict between the three main characters, but also metaphorically as the basis for several of the arguments politicians and intellectuals are having these days concerning the role that America and the West are playing in Iraq, the Middle East and beyond.
The productions are sponsored by WRKF 89.3FM and DOW Louisiana Federal Credit Union.

Performance Schedule:
Thursday, April 16th (7:30PM) Blood Knot

Friday, April 17th (7:30PM) The Vertical Hour

Saturday, April 18th (2PM) The Vertical Hour
(7:30PM) Blood Knot

Sunday, April 19th (2PM) Blood Knot
(7:30PM) The Vertical Hour

Tuesday, April 21st (7:30PM) The Vertical Hour
(Post-show discussion)

Wednesday, April 22nd (7:30PM) Blood Knot (
Post-show discussion)

Thursday, April 23rd (7:30PM) The Vertical Hour

Friday, April 24th (7:30PM) Blood Knot

Saturday, April 25th (2PM) Blood Knot
(7:30PM) The Vertical Hour
Sunday, April 26th (2PM) The Vertical Hour
(7:30PM) Blood Knot


Call (225) 924-6296 for more information.