David Mamet Play Opens in Redwood City March 16

From Dragon Productions: Award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and director David Mamet tackles America’s most controversial topic in a provocative tale of sex, guilt, and bold accusations. Two lawyers find themselves defending a wealthy white executive charged with raping a black woman. When a female legal assistant gets involved in the case, the opinions that boil beneath explode to the surface. When David Mamet (Pulitzer Prize winning author of Glengarry Glenn Ross), turns the spotlight on what we think but can’t say, dangerous truths are revealed, and no punches are pulled.

Race by David Mamet is the first show of Dragon Productions Theatre Company’s 2018 2nd Stages series. The 2nd Stages Series is Dragon’s mentoring track. Local artists apply with a passion project and a desire to learn how to become a theatrical producer. Once selected, Dragon grants the producer seed money and leverages the Dragon staff to mentor the producer through the entire process of producing a play from the initial vision and budget to striking the set and getting the final laundry receipts booked. Fully half of Dragon’s plays are now 2nd Stages productions.

The 2018 season is The Season of Everything. Theatre teaches compassion and empathy and by combining theatre with science we aim to show in 2018 that as humans, we are all connected, that science and art are intertwined, and that our words and actions make ripples both in the present and in the future. This season also marks the final season of founding Artistic Director Meredith Hagedorn and is a nice button to the end of an astonishing career in the theatre on the Peninsula.

Of the play Race, director Kimberly Ridgeway says, “Race is provocative. Race is uncomfortable. Race is prominent. However, this play is more than about race. Each of the individual characters plays a key part in the makeup of society and in the themes throughout this production: sexism, morality, sexual misconduct, classism, prejudices, America’s justice system, and… race.”

She goes on to say that “as members of society, our backgrounds, beliefs and biases make up our perceptions. Our perceptions are our reality. However, as members of the audience, I hope you enter with an open mind and leave with a broad sense of “I don’t know.” Continue the dialogue. Talk about sexism; talk about morals; talk about sexual misconduct; talk about classism, talk about prejudice; talk about the injustice system in this country. Keep the dialogue going. This play is more than about race.”

When asked why he chose Race as his 2nd Stage project, producer Pat Caulfield says that “my goal is to produce and act in as many David Mamet plays as possible. I had met award-winning actor Dorian Lockett, (who plays the role of Henry Brown), on the set of a TV pilot in 2015. I told myself If I could put together the play Race, I would enlist Dorian's help. As fate would have it, he played the Henry Brown role in 2016 in Santa Rosa. When I asked Dorian to join us for Race at Dragon, he agreed. Through Dorian, I met our multi-talented director Kimberly Ridgeway. Additionally, I want to be involved in plays that invite discussion for the patrons at intermission, and while driving home after a performance. The fact that the last couple of years of racial tensions reminds me of the evening news in the 1960s, Race was the natural choice to pitch for the 2nd Stages Series.”

When: March 16 – April 8, 2018

Thursdays – Saturdays, 8pm, Sundays, 2pm. Doors open 30 minutes before the show.

Pay what you will preview on Thurs, March 15 at 8p

Opening night performance on Fri., March 16 at 8p

There will be NO post show discussions for Race at the express request of the playwright.

This show is rated R for adult themes and adult language. The run time is approximately an hour and 40 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.

Where: The Dragon Theatre in downtown Redwood City

2120 Broadway Street at the intersection of Broadway and Theatre Way

How Much: $35 for general admission seats; $27 for student/senior tickets.

$15 rush tickets on Thursdays and Fridays starting 2nd week. Limited availability and cash only at the door.

Pay what you will preview on Thursday, March 15th – no reservation necessary, just walk up and pay cash at the door. Doors open at 7:30p; show starts at 8p.

$175 for the VIP box (seats 4 people and includes champagne and chocolates.)

Box Office: Leave a voicemail at 650-493-2006 x 2 and your call will be returned within 2 business days. If you’d rather email, contact Nancy at tickets@dragonproductions.net. The Dragon Box Office is not staffed 7 days a week so there might be a delay in response. Buying tickets online here is the very best way to reserve a ticket in advance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Tix and More Information is available here.

Click here to see this event on the Patch Calendar.

Image via Dragon Productions