THE SANTALAND DIARIES by David Sedaris; adapted by Joe Mantella; directed by Stephanie C. Cunningham
New York City-based actor Tristan Sample ( The Graduate, Buyer & Cellar ) returns to the Mendocino Theatre Company in this sardonic and “merrily subversive” tale that is a hilarious and heart-warming treat for adults by one America’s favorite humorists!
RIPCORD by David Lindsay-Abaire; directed by Lynn Sotos
A sunny room on an upper floor is prime real estate in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, so when the cantankerous Abby is forced to share her quarters with new-arrival Marilyn, she has no choice but to get rid of the infuriatingly chipper woman by any means necessary. A seemingly harmless bet between the women quickly escalates into a dangerous game of one-upmanship that reveals not just the tenacity of these worthy opponents, but also deeper truths that each would rather remain hidden.
THE UBU PROJECT by Alfred Jarry; directed by Katherine Jean Nigh
The power-hungry Ubu and his equally ambitious wife will stop at nothing to gain and maintain power in this classic piece of absurdist theatre inspired, in part, by Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Director Katherine Nigh (They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay! ) brings a particular sense of fun and her own stylistic interpretation to Alfred Jarry’s still-controversial play from 1896, which is uncannily relevant in this election year.
EXPOSURE TIME by Kim Merrill; directed by Virginia Reed
In 1850s England, photography is a newfangled sensation. Is it art? Truth? A frivolous fad? In the historically factual yet playfully skewed world of Exposure Time, photographers Julia Margaret Cameron and Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) duke out these questions in front of Alice Liddell, heroine of Alice in Wonderland and cherished photographic subject of them both.
THE CHRISTIANS by Lucas Hnath; directed by Ann Woodhead
Twenty years ago, Pastor Paul’s church was nothing more than a modest storefront. Now he presides over a congregation of thousands, with classrooms for Sunday School, a coffee shop in the lobby, and a baptismal font as big as a swimming pool. Today should be a day of celebration. But Paul is about to preach a sermon that will shake the foundations of his church’s belief. A big-little play about faith in America–and the trouble with changing your mind.
THE CEMETERY CLUB by Ivan Menchell; directed by Bob Cohen
Three Jewish widows meet once a month for tea before going to visit their husbands’ graves. Ida is sweet-tempered and ready to begin a new life; Lucille is a feisty embodiment of the girl who just wants to have fun; and Doris is priggish and judgmental, particularly when Sam the butcher enters the scene. This warm and poignant comedy about life’s unexpected changes explores enduring friendships and the power of love.
