The Tony-winning regional theatre presents the play about a young man who survives a serious illness to find he may now have supernatural powers.
BY LEAH PUTNAM
The world premiere of Chelsea Marcantel’s The Upstairs Department begins at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia April 26 and are set to run through June 12.
The cast stars Annie Grove as Colleen, Joy Jones as Shiloh, and Zach Livingston as Luke while Anna Shafer, Anissa Parekh, and Taylor Witt serve as understudies. Holly Twyford directs The Upstairs Department which follows a young man who wakes up following a serious illness with the power, or maybe just the belief, that he can communicate with the dead. With his unconvinced sister in tow, the two go to a spiritualist community to test his powers and begin a journey that explores family love, cynicism, and the unexplainable.
“This is a play about transition and change, and the places we look for comfort when the world spins out of control,” says Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner in a statement. “Her play takes all the divisiveness and tragedy of the last two years and with humor and incredible empathy she tells a remarkable and unexpected story that I believe will allow audiences to laugh, process, and heal together.”
Also on the creative team are scenic designer Paige Hathaway, costume designer Ivania Stack, lighting designer Annie Wiegand, and sound designer Kenny Neal. Chelsea Pace is Signature’s resident intimacy consultant. Serving as production stage manager is Joey Blakely with Clancey Yovanovich and Allison Poms serving as assistant director and production assistant, respectively. Casting is by Kelly Crandall d’Amboise and Jorge Acevedo.
For tickets and more information, visit SigTheatre.org.
