PIONEER THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS
The Lion in Winter
By James Goldman
Salt Lake City – Pioneer Theatre Company presents The Lion in Winter, a fascinating look at two of the most iconic figures in English history. The play premiered on Broadway in 1966 and was adapted into an Academy Award-winning movie. The production runs from January 4 -19, 2019.
It’s Christmas in 1183, and Henry II, King of England, is locked in a battle of wits with his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, over which of their sons will succeed him as king. A titanic struggle ensues, pitting king against queen, and prince against prince, with the future of England hanging in the balance.
The Lion in Winter was written by JAMES GOLDMAN, an American playwright, novelist and screenwriter who also won an Academy Award for the screen adaptation. His other work includes the screenplays for Robin and Marion, Nicholas and Alexandra and White Nights as well as the book for Stephen Sondheim’s stage musical Follies.
ESAU PRITCHETT plays the titanic and cunning King Henry II and CELESTE CIULLA plays Eleanor, Henry’s estranged wife whom he has had imprisoned. Pritchett has been seen on Broadway in A Free Man of Color and on television in “The Blacklist,” “Chicago PD” and HBO’s “The Night Of,” amongst many others. Ciulla performed in Clybourne Park, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth at Pioneer Theatre Company. She has narrated over 50 audio books for Recorded Books, receiving an audiophile award for best ensemble cast for the Narration of Nicole Krauss’s book Great House.
Henry and Eleanor’s three sons, all of whom have desires on the throne, are played by William Connell, Austin Reed Alleman and Damian Jermaine Thompson. WILLIAM CONNELL plays Richard the Lionheart, the eldest son. Connell was last seen at Pioneer Theatre Company in One Man, Two Guvnors. His Broadway credits include A View From the Bridge and The Coast of Utopia. He has worked on “The Blacklist” and “The Good Wife,” amongst other shows and films. AUSTIN REED ALLEMAN plays John, the youngest son. Off-Broadway he has been seen in The Skin of Our Teeth and Daniel’s Husband. DAMIAN JERMAINE THOMPSON plays Geoffrey, the middle son. Regionally he’s performed in Little Rock, at Hartford Stage, Center Stage in Baltimore and on television in “The Player” and “The Story of The Gun.”
GRAYSON DEJESUS plays Philip, King of France. MARYAM ABDI plays Alais, a French Princess (and Henry’s mistress). DeJesus was seen in the Broadway tour of War Horse. Abdi has largely worked abroad as a Fulbright Scholar, as well as a company player at Red Tape Theatre in Chicago, where she was Nanna in the Jeff-nominated piece Round Heads & Pointed Heads.
Guest Director WES GRANTOM returns to PTC after directing last season’s A Comedy of Tenors. He directed the world premieres of Beep Boop, created with physical comedian Richard Saudek and Civics and Humanities for Non-Majors by Jeff Talbott. Other recent credits include Toxic Avenger by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro at Pittsburgh CLO, Lone Star Spirits by Josh Tobiessen with Crowded Outlet and Eager to Lose by Matthew-Lee Erlbach. He is the artistic director of Crowded Outlet, in Queens, NY, and is the recipient of multiple Drama League Fellowships.
JASON SIMMS is the scenic designer, returning after designing Glass Menagerie and An Inspector Calls in 2016. Simm’s New York credits include designs for The Public Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre, and 2nd Stage Uptown.
PTC staff member PHILLIP R. LOWE is making his PTC debut as costume designer. He has won the Kennedy Center’s National Barbizon Award for his costume design of The Lion in Winter in 2002, and has designed for Utah Festival Opera and Musical, Plan-B Theatre Company and Salt Lake Acting Company.
DRISCOLL R. OTTO is lighting designer. Recently Otto designed lighting and projections for Iolanta at Chicago Opera Theatre. His design work has appeared in The Metropolitan Opera, the Utah Opera, Opera Philadelphia, amongst many others.
PTC Staff ALLAN BRANSON, and AMANDA FRENCH design sound and hair and makeup, respectively. CATE HEINER serves as dramaturg.
PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT: There will be an on-stage publicity photo shoot on Sunday December 23, 2018. Please call Vreni Romang at 801-581-7222 to RSVP.
MEDIA PHOTOS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD: High-resolution color photos of this production will be available for media use on the PTC website beginning Wednesday, December 26, 2018 after 3:00 p.m.
Go directly to http://www.pioneertheatre.org/press-room/media-photos/ to view the photos.
Photos from our off-site shoot can be found online. For hi-res versions, click here.
INTERVIEWS: Interviews with the cast and artistic staff are available. Call 801-581-7222 or email vreni.romang@ptc.utah.edu.
WHO:
Pioneer Theatre Company
WHAT:
The Lion in Winter
By James Goldman
WHEN:
January 4 – 19, 2019
TIMES:
Mondays – Thursdays, 7:00 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday matinees, 2:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre
300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
PRICES:
$30 – $45 in advance, and $5 more when purchased on the day of the show
Kids in grades K-12 are half-price on Mondays and Tuesdays
MORE INFO:
Box Office: 801-581-6961
Open 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Mon. – Fri.
www.pioneertheatre.org
CAST:
ESAU PRITCHETT*………………………………………………………… Henry II, King of England
MARYAM ABDI*………………………………………………………………. Alais, a French Princess
AUSTIN REED ALLEMAN*………………………………………………………. John, youngest son
DAMIAN JERMAINE THOMPSON*………………………………… .Geoffrey, the middle son
WILLIAM CONNELL*…………………………………………………………… Richard the Lionheart
CELESTE CIULLA*……………………………………………………………… Eleanor, Henry’s wife
GRAYSON DEJESUS*…………………………………………………………. Philip, King of France
ARTISTIC TEAM:
WES GRANTOM**…………………………………………………………………………………… Director
JASON SIMMS………………………………………………………………………………. Scenic Designer
PHILLIP R. LOWE……………………………………………………………………… Costume Designer
DRISCOLL OTTO……………………………………………………………………… Lighting Designer
ALLAN BRANSON…………………………………………………………… Resident Sound Designer
AMANDA FRENCH……………………………………………………….. Hair and Makeup Designer
CATE HEINER………………………………………………………………………………………Dramaturg
BECKY LYNN DAWSON *…………………………………………….. Production Stage Manager
MARY P. COSTELLO*……………………………………………………………………. Stage Manager
KALLIE ERICKSON……………………………………………………. 1st Assistant Stage Manager
EMILY BEATSE…………………………………………………………. 2nd Assistant Stage Manager
* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association.
** Denotes member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society