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Melancholy Play

Senior Company 2010

Tilly is beautiful when she’s sad. She doesn’t get in trouble with policemen when she cries. She goes to therapy and her therapist falls in love with her. But when she’s happy she’s more like a sweaty cow, and everyone falls out of love with her. Tilly’s world is a world of long lost twins, children abandoned in unspecified European countries, too many windows, and almonds. Fall out of love, fall back in love, come see Senior Company’s production of Melancholy Play by Sarah Ruhl.

Ruhl has written about Melancholy Play: "Melancholy in this play is Bold, Outward, Sassy, Sexy, and Unashamed. It is not introverted."

Sarah Ruhl is an American-born playwright. Her plays include The Clean House, Late: A Cowboy Love Song, Eurydice, Dead Man's Cell Phone, and In the Next Room (or the vibrator play). In September 2006, Ruhl was named the winner of the MacArthur Fellowship. She is also the recipient of a 2008 PEN/Pels Award for Drama. Ruhl saw her Broadway debut in 2009 with In the Next Room (or the vibrator play).

The production is directed by Niccolo Moretti ’10 and Louis Jargow ’10, and features set design by Emma Ferguson ’10, lighting design by David Todaro, sound design by Daniel Perelstein ’09, and costume design by Eleanor McSherry ’10. The ensemble includes Nell Bang-Jensen ‘11, Samantha Friedman ‘10, McFeely Sam Goodman ‘10, Eric Holzhauer ‘10, Chris Klaniecki ’10 and Brian Willis ‘11.

Chris Klaniecki '10 (Frank) and Nell Bang-Jensen '11 (Tilly). Photo by Steve Weinik.

Nell Bang-Jensen '11 (Tilly) and Eric Holzhauer '10 (Frank). Photo by Steve Weinik.

M. Sam Goodman '10 (John) and Samantha Friedman '10 (Frances). Photo by Steve Weinik.

Samantha Friedman '10 (Frances), Nell Bang-Jensen '11 (Tilly), Eric Holzhauer '10 (Lorenzo) and M. Sam Goodman '10 (John). Photo by Steve Weinik.

Chris Klaniecki '10 (Frank). Photo by Steve Weinik.

Chris Klaniecki '10 (Frank) and Nell Bang-Jensen '11 (Tilly). Photo by Steve Weinik.

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