Middlefield actor hits the stage in "That Poor Girl and How He Killed Her."

STORRS. Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will begin their Studio Workshop Series with acclaimed playwright Jen Silverman’s That Poor Girl and How He Killed Her. Matthew J. Pugliese will direct. From Middlefield, CT, Elizabeth Smith will perform as Alyssa Long. Performances will be held in the Studio Theatre from October 26th through November 5th, 2017. For tickets and information please visit crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-2113. The Studio Workshop Series focuses on cutting-edge new work featuring the undergraduate students of UConn’s Department of Dramatic Arts.

Smith says, "I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity to work with such talented and creative people on the upcoming production. Throughout the rehearsal process, I have learned so much about acting, professionalism, and hard work. I am so proud of the growth of the cast and thankful for our director’s positivity and creative visions. The play itself is unlike anything I have ever experienced and I believe it will be thought provoking for the audience on the many social disconnects of the twenty-first century."

Where is Alyssa Long? Last seen with a mysterious diplomat’s son, the disappearance of college student Alyssa Long leads her friends to start a social media campaign demanding justice. But justice for what exactly? As the social media bandwagon rolls on, discovering the truth about what happened to Alyssa becomes less important than who has posted the most recent video condemning her murder. The play offers a darkly comedic exploration of justice and activism in the age of social media.

Jen Silverman is a New York-based playwright and writer. Her theatre work includes The Moors which premiered at Yale Repertory Theatre and off-Broadway with Playwrights Realm, which was a Susan Blackburn finalist. Her play, The Roommate, has been produced at Actor’s Theatre of Lousville, Williamstown Theatre Festival, South Coast Repertory, and Steppenwolf. She has developed work at the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and is a member of New Dramatists. Silverman is also a two-time MacDowell Fellow and was the 2016-17 Playwrights of New York Fellow at the Lark Theatre.

Director Matthew J. Pugliese says, “When I first read That Poor Girl, I knew I would love to direct it. The play grabs you from the beginning and takes you on an unsettling journey as this mystery unfolds. You know where you’re going, but you can’t look away. That is what sucked me in. Silverman’s writing is satirical, smart, and funny. We are excited to play a part in the development of this new play by one of the fastest rising writers on the American theatre scene. The play also offers the opportunity to experiment with some new, challenging multimedia production work.”

Matthew J. Pugliese most recent directorial credits include Julius Caesar, Moon Over Buffalo and Shakespeare’s R&J at the Ivoryton Playhouse. Other credits include The Grapes of Wrath and Nuevo California. More recently, Pugliese has been on the administrative and producing side of theatre spending the last four years as Connecticut Repertory Theatre’s Managing Director, and this past summer as the Executive Producer of the Nutmeg Summer Series.

CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM

The creative team includes: Matthew J. Pugliese (Director), Katherine Paik (Scenic Design), Matthew Lazarus (Lighting Design), Brighid DeAngelis (Costume Design), Mitchell Prescott (Sound Design), Lindsay Cummings (Dramaturg), Lindsay Cummings and Elizabeth Mangan (Dramaturgy), and John Carpentier (Stage Manager).

The cast includes BFA actors Betty Smith as Alyssa Long, Elizabeth Jebran as Mackenzie, Lily Ling as Briget, Danielle Lewczyk as Bianca, Jack Dillon as Connor, Hunter Monroe as Jordan, Harry Wendorff as Felix Maia, and Ryan Rudewicz as Kaylen.

PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION

Evening performances start at 7:30pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Select matinee performances start at 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Single tickets are available now. Single tickets range from $10 to $33. All student tickets are $10.

On Wednesday, November 1, patrons can purchase tickets to Dine with Design, a pre-show dinner with members of the creative team for a behind-the-scenes experience. Dinner includes entrees and dessert.

Post-show discussions with members of the cast and crew will follow the performance on Thursday, November 2 at 7:30pm and the matinee Saturday, November 4 at 2pm.

Children must be at least 4 years old to attend CRT productions. CRT recommends ages 10 and up for this production. For additional ticket information or to charge tickets by phone, call 860.486.2113. All sales are final; no refunds. Play selections and performance dates are subject to change.

Please call the box office at 860.486.2113 for tickets and additional information or visit www.crt.uconn.edu for specific show dates and times because performance schedules vary and are subject to change.