: ANNOUNCING THE 3rd ANNUAL "CHANDLER SUMMER PRIDE FESTIVAL” in Randolph, Vermont by Gene Heinrich

Mark your calendar for Chandler’s 3rd ANNUAL SUMMER PRIDE FESTIVAL July 12th – 14th and July 19th - 21st Chandler and Pride Films and Plays bring the third season of Summer Pride to Chandler Music Hall July 12th – 14th and July 19th - 21st. The festival – the only one of its kind in the state – was inaugurated in 2011 as a way to facilitate conversations between gay and lesbian Vermonters, their friends and family members, and the broader community. David Zak, Executive Director of Pride Films and Plays, returns to direct. Celebrity hosts will introduce each evening’s reading. After each reading, there will be a talkback discussion among the audience, the cast, and the host, followed by a reception in Chandler Gallery. The shows are: * Moises Kaufmann’s “Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde” will be presented as a staged reading, with Gene Heinrich of Bethel as Oscar Wilde and noted theater lecturer Peter Saccio of White River Junction also in the nine-member cast, on Friday, July 12 and Sunday, July 21. Before Kaufmann wrote “The Laramie Project,” he developed this version of the trials that ended the career of the popular gay playwright, poet, and author. Using texts from the trials, newspaper accounts, personal recollections, and Wilde’s own words, Kaufmann creates a textual tapestry both haunting and heartbreaking. This is the Vermont premiere of a contemporary classic. CAST: Gross Indecency Oscar Wilde: Gene Heinrich Queensbury, Gill Lockwood, Nar 8: J. Louis Reid Douglas, Nar 7: Jeffrey Parry Clarke, Nar 6: Michael Backman Carson, Nar 5: Peter Saccio Nar 1: Cobalt Tolbert Nar 2: William Wuttke Nar 3: Evan Brigham Nar 4: Ian Coleman At 7:00 PM on Friday July 12 Gregory Maguire, acclaimed author of Wicked, will introduce the Vermont premiere of Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde by Moises Kaufmann. The blockbuster musical adaptation of Maguire’s book created a sensation when it opened at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway, where it still plays to sold-out houses. Wicked is the first book in his fantasy series that looks at the back- and side-stories of L. Frank Baum’s classic tale, The Wizard of Oz. Maguire received his Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Tufts University. His work as a consultant in creative writing for children has taken him to speaking engagements across the country and abroad. The author of numerous books for children, he is also a contributor to “Am I Blue?: Coming Out From the Silence”, a collection of short stories for gay and lesbian teenagers. At 7:00 PM on Sunday July 21 Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin will introduce the repeat performance of Gross Indecency. His career in public service began more than 30 years ago, when at the age of 24 he was elected to serve on his town’s selectboard. In 1990 he was appointed by Governor Madeleine Kunin to fill an empty seat in the Vermont House of Representatives, where he served for 3 years. Mr. Shumlin then represented Windham County for 8 terms in the Vermont Senate, during most of that time leading his Senate colleagues as President pro tem. First elected Governor in 2010 and re-elected in 2012, the focus of his time in that office has been job creation, health care, expanding broadband and cell service, investing in education, and rebuilding after Tropical Storm Irene. * Hannah Free” by Claudia Allen, one of America’s most esteemed lesbian playwrights will be presented in a full production on Saturday, July 13 and Friday, July 19. This love story, with a 10-member cast featuring Screen Actors’ Guild member Cameron Ford of Burlington as Hannah and Andra Kisler of Northfield as Rachel, stretches across decades. Now in the twilight of their years, with their health degenerating, they are being kept apart by the actions of a family member. This Vermont premiere of Allen’s 1992 drama speaks eloquently to current issues facing the lesbian community. CAST: Hannah Free Hannah: Cameron Foord Rachel: Andra Kisler Young Hannah: Sasha Aronson Young Rachel: Callie Wuttke Greta: Caitlin Glasgo Marge: Lonnie Poland Nurse: Jasmin Hayes Mail Lady: Nancy Manney Old Man: J. Louis Reid Minister: Gene Heinrich The Vermont premiere of Claudia Allen’s Hannah Free will be introduced at 7:00 PM on Saturday July 13 by Vermont attorney Susan Murray. She was influential in Baker v. State of Vermont, which established a constitutional right to marriage equality for same-sex couples; and prior to that, was instrumental in lobbying for the passage of Vermont’s civil-union law. Ms. Murray is an officer and board member of the Vermont Fund for Families. She received her law degree from the New York University School of Law and is a partner at Langrock, Sperry & Wool in Burlington. * Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead : In this world premiere of a prize-winning new script, we meet friends Jinx and Griff, one gay and one straight, whose parallel lives have more in common than they realize. Directions… is destined to add to the string of Off-Broadway successes from New York playwright Casella. CAST: Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead Jinx: Richard Waterhouse Griff: Ethan Bowen Richard: Eddie Freund Bea: Emily Lyons At 7:00 PM on Sunday July 14 playwright Martin Casella will introduce the world premiere of his prize-winning new play, Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead. The plays in his extensive catalogue have received critical acclaim and been performed in the US and abroad. His TV projects include the film Behind the Lens for CBS; and Daddy’s Girl, a pilot of HBO. His screenplay One Night Stand was directed by Talia Shire. Mr. Casella is a graduate of the California Institute of the Arts and currently teaches playwriting at the Harvey Milk High School in Manhattan. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Writer’s Guild of America, Actor’s Equity Association, and the Screen Actors Guild. At 6:30 PM on Saturday July 20 photographer Evie Lovett and interviewer Greg Sharrow will host “Transformations”, an in-depth look at the Vermont Folklife Center’s audio-visual exhibit, “Backstage at the Rainbow Cattle Company”, on display in the Esther Mesh Room through July 21. In this exhibit, Lovett offers viewers a unique and highly personal portrait of drag queens in rural Vermont, documenting backstage preparations for the monthly show at the now-defunct Rainbow Cattle Company in Dummerston. Sharrow’s interviews provide a rare glimpse into the thought processes and decision-making of drag performers. The repeat performance of Casella’s new play will follow their presentation. Adult tickets for Summer Pride performances are $17 in advance, $20 day of show; for students, $12 in advance, $15 day of show. These are available on-line at www.chandler-arts.org or by calling the Chandler box office (802) 728-6464 between 3-6 PM on weekdays. A 3-play pass is available for the price of 2 plays, but only if ordered directly from the box office before Thursday July 18. The festival has generous sponsorship support from the Gay and Lesbian Fund of Vermont and the Samara Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation. Vermont Public Radio is the media sponsor. The annual Summer Pride Festival at Chandler -– the only one of its kind in the state -- was inaugurated in 2011 as a way to facilitate conversations among gay and lesbian Vermonters, their friends and family members, and the broader community. CHANDLER CENTER FOR THE ARTS The mission of Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, Vermont is to inspire and cultivate artistic expression and education in the performing and visual arts for people of all ages, deepen the cultural and artistic growth of youth, and strengthen and energize our community by offering opportunities for people to come together in pursuit and celebration of the arts. Chandler has a long tradition of developing collaborative and innovative community arts programming serving a diverse population. In this spirit, Chandler enthusiastically joins with Pride Films and Plays in announcing the third annual Summer Pride Festival, which it anticipates will enhance its other offerings and strengthen connections with the regional gay and lesbian community. Pride Films and Plays is thrilled to partner again with Chandler on the festival, which using gay and lesbian characters or themes, will present human stories of parenting, marriage, faith, and love that become a cultural bridge to understanding. Pride Films and Plays (PFP), a Chicago-based non-profit which links an international network of writers with film and theater producers , fosters excellent new work for the stage and screen that not only speaks to the gay and lesbian community, but also is essential viewing for our friends, family, and co-workers. PFP’s Executive Director David Zak, who will direct the Summer Pride at Chandler offerings, has won many Jeff Awards for directing and writing. He is an adjunct faculty member at Roosevelt University in Chicago and has directed in Chicago, London, Dublin, Seoul, and New York. Join our Facebook Events page: https://www.facebook.com/events/158869184260886