The continuation of live, in-person performances will continue when the Falcon Theatre opens its 2022-2023 Season, presenting a mix of contemporary works and regional U.S. premieres.
The U.S. regional premiere of “The Half-Life of Marie Curie” by Lauren Gunderson (Silent Sky, The Revolutionists) revels in the strength of female friendship between two fearless scientists during the heights and depths of their careers.
“The Half-Life of Marie Curie,” tells the story of Marie Curie, who won the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her discovery of the elements radium and polonium. Within a year of her scientific triumph, she was the object of ruthless gossip over an alleged affair with a married Frenchman, all but erasing her achievements from public memory.
The performance is described as “weakened and demoralized by an unrelenting and unforgiving press, Marie joins her friend and colleague Hertha Ayrton, an electromechanical engineer and suffragette, to recover from the scandal at Hertha’s seaside retreat on the British coast, their journey to persevere and heal reveals the strength that can be found in others.”
Following a celebrated revival on Broadway, Falcon presents the ground-breaking drama “Betrayal” by Harold Pinter (The Dumb Waiter, Moonlight). “Betrayal” is a presentation of human resilience as its three characters navigate the aftermath of their lives following the end of a love triangle.
According to a news release, “the play begins in the present, with the meeting of Emma and Jerry, whose adulterous affair of seven years has long since ended. Emma’s marriage to Robert, Jerry’s best friend, is now ending and she needs someone in whom to confide. Their reminiscences reveal that Robert knew of their affair all along and, to Jerry’s dismay, regarded it with total nonchalance. In a series of contiguous scenes, the play moves backward in time, from the end of the affair to its beginning, throwing into relief the little lies and oblique remarks that reveal more than direct statements or actions ever could.”
Human strength takes center stage in “Every Brilliant Thing” by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, a heart-wrenching yet humorous play about depression and the lengths we will go to for those we love.
“You’re six years old. Mom’s in the hospital and Dad says it’s because she’s “done something stupid”. She finds it hard to be happy. So, you start to make a list of everything that’s brilliant about the world – everything that makes life worth living,” a news release describes the play. “In this acclaimed show, a child attempts to cure their mother’s depression by creating a list of the best things in the world. The list grows as they progress from childhood (ice cream) and adolescence (Star Trek), to college (surprises) and marriage (falling in love). But, when life deals a bitter blow, the list proves to be helpful to them in ways that it could never be for their mother.”
“The Lifespan of a Fact”is based on the true story of John d’Agata’s essay, “What Happens There,” about the Las Vegas suicide of teenager Levi Presley. Written by a trio of playwrights (Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell), this contemporary drama is propelled by human resilience and determination for truth.
“What starts professional, quickly becomes profane in this fast-paced play that hurtles through a few crucial days in the lives of a writer, fact-checker, and editor as opposing ideologies collide in a battle of highly intellectual combatants,” a news release describes the play. “The clock races as the three characters debate facts, artistic license, and the need to tell a good story as the decision looms whether to publish against an approaching Monday morning deadline that could make or break their struggling magazine – and their careers.”
“Flyin’ West” by Pearl Cleage (Blues for an Alabama Sky, A Song for Coretta) explores the strength and endurance of four African-American women who overcame tremendous odds to make a place for themselves in post-Civil War America.
“Set in 1898, “Flyin’ West” is the story of pioneers of color who took advantage of The Homestead Act, leaving their homes and heading West to build new lives for themselves and their families in the all-black town of Nicodemus, Kansas,” a news release describes the play. “Throughout their journey, their sisterhood is challenged in unexpected ways as they face harsh conditions, racism, sexism, and domestic violence. “Flyin’ West” is a reflection upon how individuals, families, and communities survive together.”