Company of Fools presents Heisenberg: Aug 28-Sep 9
Company of Fools’ (COF) 23rd theatre season continues in late August with the production of Heisenberg, a sharply original play directed by COF founding member Denise Simone and written by the visionary playwright Simon Stephens, winner of the 2015 Tony Award for Best New Play for his dramatic adaptation of Mark Haddon’s novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. COF’s production of H
eisenberg will open Tuesday, Aug. 28, and runs through Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey.
Described by The New York Times as a play that “Mines the extraordinary in the commonplace,” Heisenberg tells the tale of two strangers who meet by chance at a busy London train station and begin a relationship that changes both of their lives forever. Evoking the “Uncertainty Principle” of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Werner Heisenberg, Stephens’ play brings to life the uncertain and often comical sparring match that is the human connection.
Heisenberg features NYC-based actors Hanna Cheek (COF’s Grounded, Other Desert Cities) and Christopher Curry (Sully, O’Neill Playwright Conference) performing in an intimate theater configuration with seating for 70 people on the stage. The Heisenberg artistic team includes Amanda Clegg Lyon (Light Design), Maria Gerhardt (Costume Design), K.O. Ogilvie (Stage Management), Ann Price (Dialect Coach) and Russell Simone Wilson (Sound Design).
“When I first read the script for Heisenberg, I was deeply moved,” said Director Denise Simone. “The story is seemingly simple — two unlikely people falling in love — but really it is about them finding the courage to go on this remarkable journey, with love becoming stronger than their feelings of yearning and loss. As a director, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work on a beautiful piece of writing with two phenomenal actors and an incredible artistic team — this project checked all my creative boxes!”
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Simon Stephens’ plays have been translated into more than 30 languages and produced all over the world. He is a professor of playwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University, an associate playwright at the Royal Court Theatre, the artistic associate at the Lyric Hammersmith in London and the Steep Associate Playwright at Steep Theatre in Chicago.
Stephens began his theatrical career in the literary department of the Royal Court Theatre, where he ran its Young Writers’ Programme. His plays for theatre include Bluebird (Royal Court Theatre, London, 1998, directed by Gordon Anderson); Herons (Royal Court Theatre, 2001); Port (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 2002); One Minute (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, 2003 and Bush Theatre, London, 2004); Christmas (Bush Theatre, 2004); Country Music (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 2004); On the Shore of the Wide World (Royal Exchange Theatre and National Theatre, London, 2005); Motortown (Royal Court Theatre Downstairs, 2006); Pornography (Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hanover, 2007; Edinburgh Festival/Birmingham Rep, 2008 and Tricycle Theatre, London, 2009); Harper Regan (National Theatre, 2008); Sea Wall (Bush Theatre, 2008/Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, 2009); Heaven (Traverse Theatre, 2009); Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith, London, and Royal Exchange Theatre, 2009); The Trial of Ubu (Essen Schauspielhaus/Toneelgroep Amsterdam, 2010); A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky (co-written with David Eldridge and Robert Holman; Lyric Hammersmith, London, 2010); Marine Parade (co-written with Mark Eitzel; Brighton International Festival, 2010); T5 (Traverse Theatre, 2010); Wastwater (Royal Court Theatre Downstairs, 2011); Morning (Lyric Hammersmith, 2012); an adaptation of A Doll’s House (Young Vic, 2012); an adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre, 2012); Blindsided (Royal Exchange, 2014); and Birdland (Royal Court, 2014). His radio plays include Five Letters Home to Elizabeth (BBC Radio 4, 2001) and Digging (BBC Radio 4, 2003). His screenwriting includes an adaptation of Motortown for Film4 (2009); the two-part serial Dive (with Dominic Savage) for Granada/BBC (2009); and a short film adaptation of Pornography for Channel 4’s “Coming Up” series (2009). Awards include the Pearson Award for Best New Play, 2001, for Port; Olivier Award for Best New Play for On the Shore of the Wide World, 2005; and for Motortown German critics in Theater Heute’s annual poll voted him Best Foreign Playwright, 2007. His adaptation of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play.
ABOUT COMPANY OF FOOLS
Since 1996, COF has produced high-quality plays, musicals and new work along with substantial arts-in-education programming in Sun Valley, Idaho. A member of The Theatre Communications Group and an Actors Equity Small Professional Theatre, COF has always put an emphasis on the connection between theatre and community, a commitment to excellence in acting and design, and the signature intimacy of its home, the Liberty Theatre. COF has been recognized for its significant contributions to the arts, receiving the Idaho Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2004 and being honored as Arts Advocate of the Year by the Sun Valley/Ketchum and Hailey Chambers of Commerce in 2009. Founding members Denise Simone and John Glenn are both individual recipients of the Idaho Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts — Simone in 2014 and Glenn in 2016. In 2013, COF merged with the Sun Valley Center for the Arts — a multifaceted organization that runs museum-quality art galleries and presents educational programs, music, dance, and film screenings in venues around the Wood River Valley — to become what is now the largest arts institution in the state of Idaho.
Sponsors of COF’s 23rd season include Arrow R Storage; Linda and Bob Edwards; Ginny and Peter Foreman; Kenneth Lewis; Mathieu Ranum & Allaire, PLLC; Jane Rosen and Scott Miley – Scott Miley Roofing; Carol P. Nie; Priscilla Pittiglio; Richard Smooke and Family in loving memory of Judith Smooke; Mary Ann and John Underwood; Maryanne and Jerry Whitcomb; and media sponsor The Weekly Sun.
TICKET INFORMATION
Prices do not include taxes or processing fees
- $35 for members of The Center
- $40 for nonmembers
- $35 for seniors (62 and over)
- $15 for students (with student ID)
- $35 for members of a group (8 or more)
- $23 for “Second Night 23” adult tickets (Wednesday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m.)
These ticket prices do not include the “Pay What You Feel” first preview, 10 for $10, or Educator Night.
Tickets may be purchased online at sunvalleycenter.org, by phone at 208.578.9122 or at the Liberty Theatre box office starting one hour before curtain. COF’s box office is located at the Liberty Theatre, 110 N. Main Street in Hailey, with hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. All seats are reserved, except for the “Pay What You Feel” preview.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Heisenberg will run 1 hour and 20 minutes with no intermission.
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 8pm “Pay What You Feel” Night
Wednesday, Aug. 29, 8pm Second Night 23 ($23 Tickets)
Thursday, Aug. 30, 8pm
Friday, Aug. 31, 8pm Educator Night
Saturday, Sept. 1, 8pm Date Night
Sunday, Sept. 2, 8pm Backstage Tour / Chat Back
Tuesday, Sept. 4, 8pm
Wednesday, Sept. 5, 8pm
Thursday, Sept. 6 , 8pm
Friday, Sept. 7, 8pm
Saturday, Sept. 8, 8pm
Sunday, Sept. 9, 8pm
“BEYOND THE CURTAIN” SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
Learn, explore and have fun with COF. Take advantage of these interesting ways to engage with theatre and the current performance on a deeper level:
“Pay What You Feel” Night – Tuesday, Aug. 28, 8 p.m.
Join us for the first performance of Heisenberg and literally pay whatever you’d like! Tickets go on sale at the Liberty Theatre box office one hour before the performance. There are no reserved seats. Simply buy your ticket, find a seat and enjoy the show. If you’d prefer to reserve your seats, you may also purchase your tickets at full price for this performance.
Second Night 23 (All tickets $23) – Wednesday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m.
In honor of COF’s 23rd season, all tickets are just $23 for the second performance of every mainstage production!
Educator Night – Friday, Aug. 31, 8 p.m.
$15 tickets are available to currently employed educators and school administrators for this designated night. These tickets may be purchased in advance. Limit two per person.
Date Night – Saturday, Sept. 1, 8 p.m.
Going to the theatre has never been more fun! This performance offers a pre-show happy half-hour with discounted wine, beer and bubbly; deals at local partner restaurants; and a chance to win fabulous prizes.
Post-Show Chat Back / Backstage Tour – Sunday, Sept. 2, immediately following the show
Stick around after the performance for a thought-provoking and fun discussion with the artists of Heisenberg and enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour to learn about the design elements that went into creating the show.
10 for $10
At each performance, 10 seats are sold at the box office for $10 each starting one hour before curtain. These tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis; limit two per person.
CLICK HERE to buy tickets