WORLD PREMIERE PLAY

Andy Warhol in Iran

By BRENT ASKARI
Directed by SKIP GREER

Commissioned through the Sydelle Blatt New Works Commissioning Program

JUNE 2–25

St. Germain Stage at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center
36 Linden Street, Pittsfield, MA

In 1976 Andy Warhol, the portrait painter of the rich and famous, travels to Tehran commissioned to take Polaroids of the Shah’s wife. While there, Warhol encounters a young Iranian radical as unpredictable as Warhol himself. In this smart new drama, Brent Askari (American Underground) returns to Barrington Stage with a fictionalized portrait of the artist’s famed visit to Iran and leaves you asking “Who was the artist and who was the revolutionary?”

Sponsored in part by Audrey and Ralph Friedner, Lauren and Peter Lese

Andy Warhol in Iran runs approximately 80 minutes with no intermission.

REVIEWS

“A whip-smart two-hander with a script by Brent Askari that packs a punch.”
—In the Spotlight

“The play is the first hit of the summer season. Jump fast for tickets to a fun and entertaining evening in fabulous downtown Pittsfield.”
—Berkshire Fine Arts

“Scintillating…fun, smart, and moving”
—Nippertown

“Intrigues from the first words of its opening monologue…lively and winning…it’s catchy, atypical theater.”
—Talkin’ Broadway

“★★★★…Both performers are first-rate…[thoughtful] and with an eye toward maximizing suspense.”
—New York Stage Review

“Brent Askari’s brief, taut thriller is also a play of ideas, a study in contrasts with life-and-death stakes.”
—Valley Advocate

“A fascinating piece presented by a very good cast.”
—Berkshire Bright Focus

“Riveting…an ideal evening of theater.”
—Berkshire On Stage

“Dialogue that twists and turns in astonishing ways.”
–Rex Recommends

“A fine piece, well worth seeing.”
—Broadway World

“Intriguing, funny”
—Albany Times Union

EVENTS

FREE LOBBY CHAT

Sunday, June 5 at 1:00PM — The Rhoda and Morris Levitt Lobby at the Wolfson Theatre Center: 122 North St., Pittsfield

Coffee, tea and great conversation! Join us for insights and lively discussions on our exciting, provocative productions this summer and fall. These chats are free, fun and informative. Although free, reservations must be booked in advance because space is limited. Andy Warhol in Iran with playwright Brent Askari. Register now!

BERKSHIRE RESIDENTS NIGHTS

Wednesday, June 15 — 7:30PM

A 25% discount will be offered for all Berkshire Residents. Call the Box Office to redeem this discount: 413-236-8888.

All purchases must be made at the box office or over the phone. Limit two per patron per performance. You must show a valid form of ID or proof of residency at Will Call the night of the performance. This offer cannot be combined with any other discount. Subject to availability.

SOCIALLY DISTANCED SEATING NIGHT

Thursday, June 9 — 7:30PM — Click here to buy

CAST & CREATIVE

CAST

NIMA RAKHSHANIFAR* (Farhad) is thrilled to be making their East Coast debut at BSC. An Iranian-American actor, singer and musician, Nima strives to tell stories that elevate the underrepresented MENASA community and the LGBTQ community. REGIONAL: A Christmas Carol (Milwaukee Rep), Junk (Milwaukee Rep), The Comedy of Errors (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Waiting for Godot (Victory Gardens), The Cat in the Hat (Northbrook Theatre), Hotter Than Egypt (understudy: ACT Seattle). READINGS: Bald Sisters (Steppenwolf), Park-e Laleh (South Coast Rep), Drive In to the End of the World (Sideshow Theatre), Whisperer’s Apprentice (Sideshow Theatre), Present Laughter (Ten Chimneys). EDUCATION: PCPA

HENRY STRAM* (Andy Warhol) BSC: Eleanor (Director). Broadway: Network, The Elephant Man, Junk, Inherit the Wind, The Crucible, Titanic. Off Broadway: The Headlands (LCT3), Judgment Day, The Hairy Ape (Park Avenue Armory); Posterity (Atlantic Theater Company); Fly by Night (Playwrights Horizons); Antony and Cleopatra (The Public, RSC); The Cradle Will Rock (Encores Off-Center); Charles Ives Take Me Home (Rattlestick). Film: Ben is Back, The Greatest Showman, Submission, Angelica, The Grey Zone, Cradle Will Rock. TV: The Gilded Age, The Blacklist, The Good Fight, Smash, Law & Order. Education: Juilliard. Awards: Obie Award for Sustained Excellence.

CREATIVES

BRENT ASKARI (Playwright) BSC: Protecting the Innocent (10×10 2021), American Underground (2019). Other plays include Hard Cell (PlayPenn Conference 2017, world premiere at Geva Theatre Center 2019), The Refugees (Winner of National New Play Network’s 2019 Smith Prize for Political Theatre, Finalist O’Neill Conference 2022) and White Party (Public readings at EST LA and Palm Beach Dramaworks, workshopped at Florida Repertory Theatre). Brent was part of HBO’s New Writers Project and has written screenplays for Paramount Pictures, Marvel Films and MTV. Brent is a National New Play Network affiliate artist and a member of Mad Horse Theatre Company.

SKIP GREER† (Director) serves as Artist in Residence at Geva Theatre Center in his 27^th season. At Geva he has directed 26 shows including Airness; Hard Cell by Brent Askari; Red, The Mountaintop; Last Gas; Freud’s Last Session; On Golden Pond; Over the Tavern; Almost, Maine; Doubt; American Buffalo; Inherit the Wind; Death of a Salesman; Lobby Hero; Below the Belt; The Weir; Women Who Steal; Beast on the Moon. Other regional directing credits include Indiana Repertory Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Studio Arena Theatre, Cape Playhouse, White Heron Theatre, Totem Pole Playhouse, State Theatre of Austin, and Gary Marshall’s Falcon Theatre, where he directed Golf with Alan Shepard starring Jack Klugman and Charles Durning. Mr. Greer has toured Europe, Africa, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia and the Cook Islands directing, teaching and performing.

BRIAN PRATHER (Scenic Design) Associate Artist. BSC: Boca; Eleanor; Into the Woods; The Glass Menagerie; A Doll’s House, Part 2; Ragtime; American Son; Breaking the Code; Dr. Ruth, All the Way; Freud’s Last Session; A Streetcar Named Desire; The Burnt Part Boys and many others. Recent Off Broadway: Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Daniel’s Husband, A Christmas Carol, Becoming Dr. Ruth, The Memory Show, Freud’s Last Session, Nymph Errant, The Burnt Part Boys. International: Chung-mu Hall (South Korea). Regional and other: Alley Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Cincinnati Playhouse, Broad Stage, Mercury Theatre, Delaware Theatre Co., Shakespeare on the Sound, Capitol Rep. Regional Emmy nominee, Jeff Award and BTCA Award winner. Resident Designer at TheaterWorks Hartford. brianprather.com

NICOLE WEE (Costume Designer) National Tour: Martin Luther on Trial and The Great Divorce (Fellowship for the Performing Arts). Off Broadway: Desperate Measures (New World Stages), Sideways (The Peccadillo Project), Closer Than Ever and Storyville (Henry Hewes and Audelco nominations — Outstanding Costume Design, York Theatre Co.), The Body Politic (59E59), Surely Goodness and Mercy (Keen Co.), The Sensational Josephine Baker (Emerging Artists Theatre). Regional: The Great Leap (Portland Center Stage), Vietgone (Geva Theater Center), The White Snake (Baltimore Center Stage), Back Home Again (Lesher Center for the Performing Arts), Crazy For You, Spamalot (Muhlenberg SMT), I Do! I Do! (Peterborough Players), Tosca (Boheme Opera N.J.), Ruined (regional premiere, Best Costume Design — Best of the Suncoast 2010, Florida Studio Theatre). Adjunct: NYU Tisch School of the Arts. MFA: New York University.

JOYCE LIAO (Lighting Designer) is delighted to make her BSC debut. Recent and selected lighting design: Sweat (Dallas Theatre Center); Azul (Southern Rep Theatre); Party Face starring Hayley Mills, directed by Amanda Beares at the New York City Center Stage II; Hero starring Omari Hardwick at the Billie Holiday Theatre and The Pill (La MAMA); Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (Cherry Lane Studio Theatre). Other New York projects: Soul of Soulin (Broadway, Marquee Theatre), Chasing Andy Warhol, Dead Dog Park, The Glass Menagerie, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Breakfast with Mugabe, Final Analysis, The English Bride. Her lighting design on Brothers from the Bottom was nominated for an Audelco Award. Joyce’s lighting work has been seen both across the US and internationally. JoyceLiaoStudio.com.

DAN ROACH (Sound Designer) has, since 1988, worked on sound for more than 260 productions at various theatres including: Geva Theatre Center in Rochester NY, NTID’s Theatre for the Deaf, Syracuse Stage, Arizona Theatre Company. Most recent productions include Hard Cell (by Brent Askari and Directed by Skip Greer), Slow Food, The Diary of Anne Frank, Steel Magnolias, Water by the Spoonful, Angels in America, Private Lives and In the Heights. He studied sound at Berklee College of Music in Boston and has been applying that knowledge to theatre over the past 34 years. He’s looking forward to working at BSC on this show.

MARY SCHILLING-MARTIN (Wig & Makeup Designer) BSC: Boca, Eleanor, Fall Springs, Time Flies and Other Comedies, The Royal Family of Broadway. She is the former Wig Master for La Jolla Playhouse, Marriott Theater in Lincolnshire, Cleveland Play House and Arizona Theatre Company. Her regional credits include: Berkshire Theatre Group, Northern Stage, Great Lakes Theater, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, The Goodman Theatre, Denver Center Theatre Company and The Old Globe Theatre. Mary, along with her daughter Caitie, own Wigs and Whiskers.

YANA BIRYUKOVA (Projections Designer) is a projection designer and video artist. Theatrical designs include Hart Island (Mason Holdings); Yeah Baby (Resident Ensemble Players); Mlima’s Tale (Westport Country Playhouse); The White Devil (Red Bull Theater); Dropping Gumballs on Luke Wilson (Working Theater); SELKIE (Dutch Kills); Grounded (Westport Country Playhouse); Imogen Says Nothing (Yale Repertory Theatre); Scenes from Court Life (Yale Repertory Theatre); Square Root of Three Sisters (Dmitry Krymov Lab); Don Quixotte (Yale Opera); Transport (Irish Repertory Theatre). Yana’s video installations were featured at the 2022 Venice Biennale, Yale Art Gallery, Harvestworks, Catskill Art Society and others. MFA: Yale School of Drama. YanaBiryukova.com

JASON BROUILLARD* (Production Stage Manager) BSC: A Crossing. Broadway: Big Fish, Spider-Man, The Best Man, Bonnie & Clyde, Baby It’s You, West Side Story, Jersey Boys, LoveMusik, Hairspray, Frog and Toad, Dance of The Vampires, The Civil War. Tours include: Dear Evan Hansen, An Evening with Patti LuPone & Mandy Patinkin, John Lithgow: Stories by Heart, Ragtime. Off Broadway: Sakina’s Restaurant, If I Forget, Trip of Love, Satchmo At The Waldorf, The Cocoanuts. Carnegie Hall: Anyone Can Whistle. Most recently worked on the new musical, Afterwords, at the Fifth Avenue Theatre.

LESLIE SEARS* (Production Stage Manager) BSC: If I Forget; A Doll’s House, Part 2; Taking Steps; Georgie; Kunstler; 2018 10×10 Festival. Off Broadway: Sons of the Prophet (Roundabout). Regional: Peer Gynt (Boston Symphony Orchestra); Albatross (Michael Seiden/The Poets’ Theatre); Private Lives (Shakespeare Theatre Co.); A Raisin in the Sun, Invisible Man, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Private Lives, Sons of the Prophet, Ruined, Fences, A Civil War Christmas, The Miracle at Naples, The Corn is Green (Huntington Theatre Co.); The Four of Us (Old Globe). Opera credits include Washington National Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Tanglewood Music Festival, Jacksonville Symphony, Boston Lyric Opera and Boston Early Music Festival. Ms. Sears is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and a core member of FairWage.

MCCORKLE CASTING LTD; PAT MCCORKLE (Casting) (C.S.A.) Casting actors for Barrington Stage for 20 years. Pat McCorkle is pleased to be an Associate Artist at BSC. Broadway: Over 50 productions including On the Town, Amazing Grace, End of the Rainbow, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Amadeus, She Loves Me, A Few Good Men. Off Broadway: highlights — Clever Little Lies; Sheer Madness; Tribes; Our Town (Barrow Street); Freud’s Last Session; Toxic Avenger; Almost, Maine; Driving Miss Daisy. Feature film: Premium Rush, Ghost Town, The Thomas Crown Affair, Die Hard with a Vengeance, School Ties, etc. Television: Twisted, St. George, Sesame Street, Hack, Californication, Max Bickford, Chappelle’s Show, Strangers with Candy, Barbershop, etc. mccorklecasting.com

CHARLIE SIEDENBURG (Berkshires Press Representative) (Associate Artist, 18^th Season) joined the BSC family in 2005 and has represented over 130 BSC productions. His work has led to features in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, USA Today and American Theatre Magazine. His many PR credits include the Metropolitan Opera (Live in HD), Paper Mill Playhouse (1999–2004), George Street Playhouse, Hartford Stage, Goodspeed Musicals, Long Wharf Theatre, Surflight Theatre and Two River Theater Company. He serves as Press Rep for Wagner College Theatre, The Minty Awards, Ghostlight Productions and In The Wings Productions. Charlie is a 1995 Theatre/Arts Administration graduate of Wagner College on Staten Island, where he currently teaches Theatre Appreciation. Last year he was appointed Director of Alumni Relations for his alma mater, Moore Catholic High School.

THE PRESS ROOM (National Press Representatives) represents the Broadway productions of Hamilton, The Book of Mormon and Paradise Square, as well as the Vineyard Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Wooster Group, Rosie’s Theater Kids, Building for the Arts, Hunter Theater Project, Miami New Drama, Paper Mill Playhouse, Ogunquit Playhouse, 3-D Theatricals, NY Classical Theatre, The Drama Book Shop and the Antonyo Awards. Recent: Black No More; The Waverly Gallery; Gloria: A Life, Three Tall Women; Farinelli and the King; Beyond Babel; Waterwell’s 7 Minutes; Out of the Box Theatrical’s The Last Five Years. Upcoming: Florida Georgia Line’s May We All; Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical; Born for This; Mister Miss America; Sidney.