Beware the price of dynastic power in Yale Rep world premiere

History is remixed in the Yale Repertory Theatre’s next production, the world premiere of playwright Sarah Ruhl’s “Scenes from Court Life, or the whipping boy and his prince.”
test test
Angel Desai is Laura Bush and Jeff Biehl is Karl Rove (among other characters) in "Scenes from Court Life." Here they are pictured in rehearsal.

History is remixed in the Yale Repertory Theatre’s next production, the world premiere of playwright Sarah Ruhl’s “Scenes from Court Life, or the whipping boy and his prince.”

In 17th-century Britain, the Stuarts — Charles I and Charles II — defend their divine rights, with the help of a whipping boy. In our own time, Jeb and George W. Bush play hardball — both politics and tennis — battling for power as siblings and statesmen. By turns intimate and epic, “Scenes from Court Life” explores the cost of dynastic privilege.

The play was commissioned by the New York University (NYU) Graduate Acting Program and Yale Repertory Theatre. Further development and production support are provided by Yale’s Binger Center for New Theatre. The play is the recipient of a 2016 Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award.

This is the first production of the Yale Rep’s anniversary season celebrating 50 years of “daring artists, bold choices, and adventurous audiences.”

“Scenes from Court Life” runs Sept. 30-Oct. 22. It is directed by Mark Wing-Davey, chair of the Graduating Acting Program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, who has committed much of his career to developing new plays. He has directed new work by Caryl Churchill, Ruhl, Mona Mansour, Naomi Iizuka, José Rivera, Tony Kushner, and Craig Lucas, among others. He is currently working with Churchill on her version of a rarely performed Genet play.

Ruhl’s other plays include “For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday,” “The Oldest Boy,” “In the Next Room, or the vibrator play,” “Orlando,” “Late: a cowboy song,” “Stage Kiss,” and a number that have been produced at Yale Rep: “The Clean House” (world premiere, 2004), “Eurydice” (2006), “Passion Play” (2008), a new version of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” (2011), and “Dear Elizabeth” (world premiere, 2012). She is a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and a Tony Award nominee. Her plays have been produced on Broadway, regionally, and internationally, and have been translated into over 12 languages. Her honors include the Susan Smith Blackburn Award, the Whiting Award, the Lily Award, a PEN Award for mid-career playwrights, and a MacArthur Fellowship. Her book of essays, “100 Essays I Don’t Have Time to Write” was published last fall. She teaches at Yale School of Drama.

The cast of “Scenes from Court Life” include Jeff Biehl, John R. Colley, Angel Desai, Evelyn Giovine, Greg Keller, Keren Lugo, Hudson Oznowicz, Mary Shultz, T. Ryder Smith, Arturo Soria, Andrew Weems, and Danny Wolohan.

The creative team includes choreographer Michael Riane; scenic and costume designer Marina Draghici; lighting designer Stephen Strawbridge; sound designer Shane Rettig; projection designer Yana Birÿkova, technical director Kelly Rae Fayton; dialect and voice coaches Beth McGuire and Jane Guyer Fujita; fight director Rick Sordelet; wig designer Charles G. LaPointe; baroque expert and choreographer Meggi Sweeney Smith; dramaturg Kari Olmon; casting director Tara Rubin Casting; and stage manager James Mountcastle.

Tickets range from $12-$99 and are available online at www.yalerep.org, by phone at 203-432-1234, and in person at the Yale Rep box office, 1120 Chapel St. Student, senior, and group rates are available.

Previews are Friday, Sept. 30-Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 8 p.m., with post-show conversations after the Friday and Saturday shows. Preview tickets are $20. Opening night is Thursday, Oct. 6. After opening night, performances will be Tuesday-Saturday at 8 p.m., with additional 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday, Oct. 8 (followed by a Talk Back); Saturday, Oct. 15 (an audio-described performance),; Wednesday, Oct. 19 (featuring a reception for senior citizens); and Saturday, Oct. 22 (an open-captioned performance).

For futher information, visit the Yale Rep website.

Share this with Facebook Share this with X Share this with LinkedIn Share this with Email Print this

Media Contact

Steven Padla: steven.padla@yale.edu, 203-432-1574