MIDDLETOWN Review Quotes

“RICHLY ENGAGING AND SATISFYINGLY THEATRICAL, WITH HEART AND HUMOR. A modern-day equivalent to Thornton Wilder’s OUR TOWN.” -Andy Propst, TheaterMania “AN EXCELLENT AND AFFECTING PRODUCTION. DEEPLY INTELLIGENT AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN!” -Jesse Oxfeld, The New York Observer “BITTERSWEET AND FUNNY! REAL AND SURREAL A poignant, pleasurable evening in the theatre.” -Diana Barth, Epoch Times “UTTERLY SPELLBINDING! […]

“RICHLY ENGAGING AND SATISFYINGLY THEATRICAL, WITH HEART AND HUMOR.

A modern-day equivalent to Thornton Wilder’s OUR TOWN.”

-Andy Propst, TheaterMania

“AN EXCELLENT AND AFFECTING PRODUCTION. DEEPLY INTELLIGENT AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN!”

-Jesse Oxfeld, The New York Observer

“BITTERSWEET AND FUNNY! REAL AND SURREAL

A poignant, pleasurable evening in the theatre.”

-Diana Barth, Epoch Times

“UTTERLY SPELLBINDING! FOUR STARS!

The cast is inspired. Will Eno’s dark comic genius inspires all.”

-David Cote, Time Out New York

“SHARP STUFF!”

-Scott Brown, New York Magazine

“A BEAUTIFUL, EVEN PROFOUND STUDY IN HUMAN EXISTENCE.

A hauntingly acted production.”

-Michael Sommers, New Jersey Newsroom

“‘MIDDLETOWN’ IS A LUSCIOUSLY WRITTEN, STRANGELY POIGNANT, DIZZYINGLY MODERN SPIN ON LIFE.”

-Linda Winer, Newsday

“TOTALLY ENGROSSING! THOUGHTFUL, PENETRATING AND ENTERTAINING!

A well-cast, sensitively directed production.

-Jennifer Farrar, Associated Press

“A PITCH PERFECT PRODUCTION

Delicate, moving, piercing, tart, funny, gorgeous. Mr. Eno’s gift may be unmatched among writers of his generation. Glimmers from start to finish.”

-Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

Artists

Henry Russell Bergstein, CSA

(Casting Director) Vineyard Theatre: GOOD GRIEF, THE AMATEURS, HARRY CLARKE, THE LYONS (and Broadway), GLORIA (and Goodman), DOT, THE LANDING, CAN YOU FORGIVE HER?, KID VICTORY (and Signature DC), TOO MUCH SUN, BILLY & RAY, SOMEWHERE FUN, THE NORTH POOL, ARLINGTON, OUTSIDE PEOPLE, CHECKERS, PICKED, MIDDLETOWN, THE METAL CHILDREN, WIG OUT!. Other theater: KPOP, SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS, NATASHA, PIERRE, & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812; THE WILDNESS (Ars Nova). Sundance Theatre Lab: 5 seasons. Television: US Casting for “Black Mirror,” Comedy Central’s “The Other Two” with Allison Estrin, HBO’s “Succession” and Amazon’s “Mozart in the Jungle” with Douglas Aibel. Film: Saturday Church, It Felt Like Love, Easy Living; with Douglas Aibel – Grandma, Love After Love, How to Talk to Girls at Parties; with Allison Estrin – Spider-Man: Homecoming (NY Casting). Also: “Homecoming The Podcast” S1-2.

Tyler Micoleau

(Lighting Design) Vineyard Theatre: MIDDLETOWN, GOD’S EAR (Jenny Schwartz), and workshops of MY MARRIAGE TO ERNEST BORGNINE (Nicky Silver) and THE METAL CHILDREN (Adam Rapp). With director Ken Rus Schmoll: TELEPHONE (Foundry) and PROSERPINA (Spoleto USA). Recent and notable Off-Broadway credits: THAT FACE, THE ALIENS, WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING (Lucille Lortel Award), BLASTED (American Theatre Wing Hewes Award), HELL HOUSE (Hewes nom.), BUG (Lucille Lortel and OBIE Awards), ORSON’S SHADOW, UNDERNEATH THE LINTEL and MOJO. Regional: Goodman, American Repertory Theatre, Trinity Rep, Old Globe, Dallas Theater Center, Shakespeare Theater, Chautauqua, Long Wharf, among others. 2010 Village Voice OBIE for Sustained Excellence.

David Zinn

(Scenic Design) Vineyard Theatre: MIDDLETOWN. Broadway: SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, FUN HOME, THE LAST SHIP (sets and clothes), THE HUMANS (set design), DOLLS HOUSE PART 2 (costume design). Off-Broadway: set design for TORCH SONG (Second Stage), HIR (Playwrights Horizons), 10 out of 12 (Soho Rep); set and costumes for THE FLICK, PLACEBO, COMPLETENESS, and THE BIG MEAL (Playwrights Horizons), CHOIR BOY (MTC).

Ken Rus Schmoll

(Director) MIDDLETOWN (Vineyard Theatre), Wolfgang Rihm’s opera PROSERPINA (Spoleto Festival USA, American premiere), Ann Marie Healy’s WHAT ONCE WE FELT (Lincoln Center Theater’s LCT3), Ariana Reines’s TELEPHONE (The Foundry Theatre, OBIE for Direction), Kristin Newbom’s TELETHON (Clubbed Thumb), Kristen Kosmas’s HELLO FAILURE (PS 122), Jordan Harrison’s AMAZONS AND THEIR MEN (Clubbed Thumb), Anne Washburn’s THE INTERNATIONALIST (Vineyard Theatre), Rob Handel’s APHRODISIAC (Long Wharf Theatre) Kate E. Ryan’s MARK SMITH (13P), Rob Handel’s MILLICENT SCOWLWORTHY (SPF ’06), Anton Dudley’s HONOR AND THE RIVER (NY Stage & Film), Anne Washburn’s OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER (EST Marathon), Jenny Schwartz’s CAUSE FOR ALARM (NY Fringe), Erin Courtney’s DEMON BABY (Clubbed Thumb), Kim Kefgen and Loren Noveck’s GIRL BLOG FROM IRAQ (The Culture Project). Upcoming: Charles Wuorinen’s song cycle IT HAPPENS LIKE THIS (Tanglewood) and a collaboration between the Foundry Theatre and FUREE (Families United for Racial and Economic Equality).

Will Eno

(Playwright) MIDDLETOWN (Horton Foote Prize for Promising New American Play, 2010) is receiving its world premiere at the Vineyard Theatre, New York. It will subsequently be produced in June 2011 at Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago. Will’s play TRAGEDY: A TRAGEDY received its US premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2008, and his collection of short plays entitled OH, THE HUMANITY AND OTHER EXCLAMATIONS world premiered at The Flea Theater starring Marisa Tomei and Brian Hutchison. THOM PAIN (BASED ON NOTHING) was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Will’s play THE FLU SEASON received the 2004 Oppenheimer Award for the best debut production in New York by an American playwright. Will’s plays have also been produced by the Gate Theatre, the SOHO Theatre and BBC Radio, in London; the Rude Mechanicals Theater Company, Naked Angels and the Ensemble Studio Theatre, in New York. His plays are published by Oberon Books, TCG and Playscripts.

Pete Simpson

Vineyard Theatre: MIDDLETOWN. Half Straddle: AWAY UNIFORM. Other NYC Theater: BLUE MAN GROUP (Astor Place Theater), GATZ (NYU/Skirball Auditorium), THE SELECT (NYTW), STRAIGHT WHITE MEN (Public Theater), THE TERRIFYING (Abrons Arts Center), and other works with Young Jean Lee, Elevator Repair Service, Julia Jarcho, Richard Maxwell, others. Regional: Denver Center, WTF, Westport Country Playhouse. Film: Marriage Story, Lincoln in the Bardo, Morning Glory. TV: “Gotham”, “Law and Order” 2017 Obie winner for Sustained Excellence of Performance.

Linus Roache

(John Dodge) Royal Shakespeare Company: TITUS ANDRONICUS, JULIUS CAESAR, INDIGO, QUESTION OF GEOGRAPHY, RICHARD II, THE LAST DAYS OF DON JUAN, KING LEAR, UNCLE VANYA. Royal National Theatre: JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK. Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester: THE GLASS MENAGERIE, LOVE’S LABOR’S LOST, RICHARD II. Almeida and London West End: THE DEEP BLUE SEA. Almeida and BAM: RICHARD II, CORIOLANUS. Off-Broadway: MIDDLETOWN (Vineyard Theatre). Film: Priest, Wings of a Dove, Pandaemonium, The Forgotten, Chronicles of Riddick, Find me Guilty, Batman Begins, Before the Rains. TV: “Vincent Van Gogh” (BBC), “Seaforth” (HBO), “Shot through the Heart”, “The Gathering Storm”(FX), “RFK” (NBC), “Kidnapped”, “Law and Order” (Seasons 18-20), and “The Miraculous Year”(HBO).

Michael Park

(Cop) Broadway: SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ; CAROUSEL; LITTLE ME; Encores: APPLAUSE; BLOOMER GIRL. Off-Broadway: MIDDLETOWN (Vineyard Theatre), THE BURNT PART BOYS (Vineyard, Playwrights Horizons); VIOLET (Playwrights Horizons); HELLO AGAIN (Lincoln Center); MILK AND HONEY (AJT); THE LAST GOODBYE (Williamstown Theatre Festival). Cast Recordings: SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ; HELLO AGAIN; LITTLE ME; VIOLET. TV: “As theWorld Turns”,(2010 Emmy Winner).

James McMenamin

(Mechanic) Most recently appeared as George Gibbs in Barrow Street Theatre’s production of OUR TOWN. Off Broadway: MIDDLETOWN (Vineyard Theatre), BFE (Playwrights Horizons), ARMED AND NAKED, MAG-7 (Naked Angels). Regional: PRAYER FOR MY ENEMY (Intiman Theatre/Long Wharf Theatre); LOVE’S LABOR’S LOST, THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIG (Huntington Theatre); BFE (Long Wharf Theatre); CHEKHOV CYCLE, THREE PENNY OPERA, THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH (Williamstown Theatre Festival); COBB, THE ROSE TATTOO (Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble); JOAN (Edinburgh Fringe); ANITA BRYANT DIED FOR OUR SINS (Florida Studio Theatre). TV: “Law and Order SVU”, “Law and Order”, “Guiding Light”.

McKenna Kerrigan

(Tour Guide/Attendant/Music Host) New York: MIDDLETOWN, THE REALLY BIG ONCE, THE BEREAVED, TEN BLOCKS ON THE CAMINO REAL. Regional: BATCH (Humana Festival), UNTIL WE FIND EACH OTHER (Steppenwolf Garage), THE FAB 4 REACH THE PEARLY GATES (Walker Art Center), CELL (International Festival of Arts & Ideas), THE DREAMING OF ALOYSIUS (People’s Light & Theatre Company), ANODYNE (Pig Iron Theatre Company). Film: Lebanon, PA; Ready or Not. TV: “Hack”, “All My Children”, “My Father’s Gun”. McKenna is an Associated Artist with Target Margin Theatre and a company member of Partial Comfort Productions and New Paradise Laboratories.

Ed Jewett

(Male Tourist/Freelancer/Radio Host) Off-Broadway: MIDDLETOWN (Vineyard Theatre), THOM PAIN (BASED ON NOTHING). New York: DOT, 1965UU, MOO!, BELOW THE BELT, OF MICE AND MEN, UNCLE VANYA, ENRICO IV. Regional: FABULOSO (Merrimack Rep), YING TONG, A WALK WITH THE GOONS (The Wilma Theater), THE BEST MAN (New Jersey Rep). Film: Today’s Special, The Winning Season, Noise, World Trade Center, The Night Listener, The Notorious Bettie Page, Waltzing Anna. Upcoming: Arthur, What’s Your Number?, Cedar Rapids, Occupant. Television: “Mercy”, “New Amsterdam”, “John Adams” (HBO Films), “The Bronx is Burning”, “Law & Order” and “All My Children”.

David Garrison

(Public Speaker/Greg/Male Doctor) Broadway: WICKED (Carbonell Award), A DAY IN HOLLYWOOD/A NIGHT IN THE UKRAINE (Tony nomination), TITANIC, TORCH SONG TRILOGY, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, BELLS ARE RINGING. Off-Broadway: MIDDLETOWN (Vineyard Theatre)I DO! I DO! (Drama Desk nomination), THE TORCH BEARERS, GENIUSES, NEW JERUSALEM. Regional: Randy Newman’s FAUST (La Jolla/Goodman), TRAVESTIES (Williamstown), MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (Arena Stage/ Helen Hayes Award). Television: “The West Wing,” “Law and Order,” “The Practice,” “Everybody Loves Raymond”, “NYPD Blue”, “Murphy Brown”, “Murder She Wrote”, “LA Law”, Steve Rhoades on “Married With Children”, and, for PBS, “On the Town” (London Symphony), “Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall”.

Georgia Engel

(Librarian) Launched her theatrical career playing Minnie Fay in HELLO DOLLY with Ethel Merman. She then joined the original production of THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES. She also appeared on Broadway as Mickey in MY ONE AND ONLY and starred in the Off-Broadway musical CUT THE RIBBONS. She co-starred as Sister Mary Leo in NUNSENSE: THE 20th ANNIVERSARY ALL-STAR TOUR. She also starred as Sister Amnesia in NUNSENSE and NUNSENSE JAMBOREE. She recently appeared in Vineyard Theatre’s production of MIDDLETOWN. On television, she played Georgette Baxter in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” for which she received two Emmy nominations. She subsequently starred in four more television series. She appeared in the recurring role of Pat McDougal in the CBS comedy, “Everybody Loves Raymond”, for which she was nominated for three Emmy awards. Most recently, Georgia costarred in the Broadway and National Tour of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE.

Johanna Day

(Aunt/Female Doctor/Intercom) Broadway: AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, PROOF (Tony/Lucille Lortel Nom.) Other: MIDDLETOWN (Vineyard Theatre), QUALITY OFLIFE (Arena Stage), Ethan Coen’s ALMOST AN EVENING (Atlantic Theatre Co.) THE EVILDOERS (Yale Rep), Edward Albee’s PETER AND JERRY (Second Stage/Drama Desk Nom.), SATELLITES (NYSF), HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE (Vineyard Theatre/Original Cast), DISTRACTED (Mark Taper Forum), BLUE WINDOW (Manhattan Theatre Club), HELEN (NYSF), THE RAINMAKER (Helen Hayes Award), OLIVER PARKER! (The stageFARM). Film/TV: “Fringe”, “Law & Order” (“Trial By Jury”,“SVU” and “Criminal Intent”), “Judging Amy”, The Exonerated, Unbreakable, The Eternal Pedicure, Henry and The Trap.

Cindy Cheung

(Female Tourist/Woman on Date/Attendant 2) New York Theater: MIDDLETOWN (Vineyard Theatre),THE SEAGULL (NAATCO), GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD(Roundtable), SIDES: THE FEAR IS REAL… (Ma-Yi/Miyagi), ANTIGONE (NAATCO), MASHA NO HOME (E.S.T.), THE KARAOKE SHOW (Project 400), MAKING TRACKS (2G). Regional: WIT (Florida Studio Theater), THE FIRST PICTURE SHOW (A.C.T.), A CHRISTMAS CAROL (South Coast Rep), SWEENEY TODD and INTO THE WOODS (East West Players). Film: Children of Invention (Sundance 2009), Lady In The Water, Robot, Stories, Falling For Grace. TV: “White Collar”, “Fringe”, all three “Law and Orders”, “One Life To Live”, “Jonny Zero”, “Sex and the City”, “Seinfeld”. MFA from A.C.T.. Love to Eddie!

Heather Burns

(Mrs. Swanson) Past theatre credits include: MIDDLETOWN (Vineyard Theatre) FRAN’S BED (Playwrights Horizons) and LOBBY HERO (Playwrights Horizons and the John Houseman Theater), Woody Allen’s WRITERS BLOCK (Atlantic Theater), the West End production of THIS IS OUR YOUTH, and, most recently, Christopher Durang’s THE MARRIAGE OF BETTE AND BOO (Roundabout). Heather can currently be seen in the HBO comedy series “Bored To Death” opposite Zach Galifianakis and Jason Schwartzman. Her upcoming film credits include What’s Your Number? and the independent features Valley Of The Sun, Weakness and Ashes. Her past film credits include Breaking Upwards, Choke, Miss Congeniality (1 & 2), Bewitched, Two Weeks Notice and You’ve Got Mail.

Bill BC Du Boff

(Sound Designer) Vineyard: OUTSIDE PEOPLE, PICKED, MIDDLETOWN, THE FOURTH SISTER, WE LIVE HERE, AMERICAN FIESTA. Broadway: OTHER DESERT CITIES, GOOD PEOPLE, THE CONSTANT WIFE, THE GOOD BODY, BILL MAHER: VICTORY… Off-Broadway includes Atlantic, MTC, MCC, Playwrights Horizons, The Public, Second Stage, NYTW, WP, New Georges, Flea, Cherry Lane, Signature, Clubbed Thumb (Affiliate Artist), The New Group. Regional: Bay Street, La Jolla, Cincinnati Playhouse, Westport Playhouse, Berkeley Rep, Portland Stage, Long Wharf, The Alley, NYS&F, Humana, Williamstown, ATF. Radio: Studio 360.  Nominations: Drama Desk, Henry Hewes. Awards; Ruth Morley Design Award, 2011 Obie for Sustained Excellence. Adjunct Professor at Sarah Lawrence College. Love to Adam.