MARN and Brigata Theater are pleased to announce a reading of The City of Benedict della Crosse along with two wine socials on Saturday, August 24th from 4 to 8 pm at the MARN ART + CULTURE HUB (191 N. Broadway).
Doors open at 4 pm for a pre-show wine social. Performance begins at 5 pm. A second wine social and talkback with the director, actors and playwright follows the performance.
The City of Benedict della Crosse by Gaetano Marangelli and directed by Cody Estle tells the story of an idealistic candidate for Wisconsin State Senate whose campaign for public office leads him to a battle between power and ideals.
$15 General Ticket
$40 Ticket and Wine Tasting
$35 MARN Member Ticket and Wine Tasting
including three specially chosen glasses of wine
ABOUT
The City of Benedict della Crosse: Six weeks before Election Day, an idealistic young candidate for state senate is down 18% to a three-term incumbent. When his campaign manager publishes a devastating rumor about his opponent, the candidate pulls even in the race. Six days before the election, an ally offers to turn the rumor into reality. Will the candidate become a mercenary for public office and betray his ideals?
Cody Estle (Director) became the Artistic Director at Next Act Theatre in December 2022. Previously he served as the Artistic Director at Raven Theatre in Chicago. His directing credits include The Treasurer at Next Act Theatre; Every Brilliant Thing at The Weidner; The Luckiest (2022 Jeff Award nominee for Best Production and Best Director), Sundown, Yellow Moon, How I Learned To Drive (named by Windy City Times as the best of Chicago theatre in 2019), The Gentleman Caller (2019 Jeff Award winning new play by Philip Dawkins), The Assembled Parties, A Loss of Roses (named by Chicago Tribune honorable mention as one of the year’s best in 2016), Dividing the Estate, Vieux Carré (named by Chicago Tribune as one of the year’s best in 2014), Good Boys and True, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Boy Gets Girl and Dating Walter Dante at Raven Theatre; The Garbologists and By the Water (named by Chicago Sun-Times honorable mention as one of the top theatre productions of 2017) at Northlight Theatre; Damascus at Strawdog Theatre; Five Mile Lake at Shattered Globe Theatre; American Hero at First Floor Theatre; Scarcity at Redtwist Theatre; The Seagull and Watch on the Rhine at The Artistic Home; Don’t Go Gentle at Haven Theatre; Uncle Bob at Mary-Arrchie Theatre, and Hospitality Suite at Citadel Theatre. He is a member of SDC and is an alumnus of Columbia College Chicago. Learn more about Next Act Theatre: https://nextact.org/about-next-act/mission/
Gaetano Marangelli (Playwright) wrote and directed Tu Historia Es at El Pasillo Verde Teatro in Madrid. He wrote La Fiesta de Compromiso o: Como Apreciar el New Theater Technology o: ¡Barry! (to be directed next season by Ángel Ferrero) for El Pasillo Verde Teatro. He wrote and performed Four Strangers (directed by Marcella Kearns) in Milwaukee. He wrote and directed The Gardens in Milwaukee and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as Los Jardines, the play’s Spanish translation, in Madrid. He wrote A Theory Of Perpetual Motion (directed by Mirabelle Ordinaire) in New York, and he wrote and directed The Violence of My Affection in Chicago. The first in his trilogy of plays about the land is Iron County, readings of which were staged in New York (directed by Brendon DeMay) and in Milwaukee (directed by Lisa Kornetsky). He was a story analyst for HBO Films in New York and a screenwriter for Studio Hamburg in Germany. He is married to a marine scientist, and they share their Wauwatosa apartment with a lovely rabbit.
A.J. Magoon (Benedict della Crosse) is delighted to take part in this reading! A Milwaukee-based actor and arts administrator, favorite local roles have included Thom Pain in THOM PAIN: BASED ON NOTHING (Theatre Nervosa), Jason/Tyrone in HAND TO GOD (Voices Found Repertory) and Raleigh in LAST TRAIN TO NIBROC (Acacia Theatre Company). He has also appeared with First Stage, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Theatre Gigante, Sunstone Studios, Summit Players Theatre, The Boulevard Theater, Kith & Kin Theatre Collective, Quasimondo Physical Theatre, Windfall Theatre, Bard & Bourbon and Cooperative Performance. A.J. is the Marketing Director at Next Act Theatre and a founding member of Summit Players Theatre, which he served administratively for nine years, including four as Executive Director. Coming up, see him in IN THE CANYON with The Constructivists and AT THIS EVENING'S PERFORMANCE with Seat of Our Pants. www.ajmagoon.com
Caroline Norton (Assistant Director) currently serves as the Administrative and Artistic Manager at Next Act Theatre and the Director of Education at Summit Players Theatre. Her directing credits include Wild Sky at Milwaukee Irish Arts, Gidion’s Knot at Sunstone Studios, The Universal Language at Marquette University, A Midsummer Night’s Dream at First Stage Summer Academy, and Roberta’s Skin at Renaissance Theaterworks’ Br!nk New Play Festival. Staged reading directing credits include Laundry and Bourbon with Next Act Theatre (Spring Reading Series) and Morning Announcements with Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (Young Playwrights Festival). Assistant directing credits include Julius Caesar at First Stage Summer Academy and The Rivals at Marquette University. In addition to her directing and administrative work, Caroline has worked as an actor with Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MKE Black Theatre Festival), Summit Players Theatre, The Constructivists, Sunstone Studios, Voices Found Repertory and Forte Theatre. Caroline is a graduate of Marquette University.
Libby Amato (Emila Barnes) is delighted to have the opportunity to work with Cody, Gaetano, and the rest of the cast on this smart and engaging new play. She was most recently seen in Optimist Theatre’s production of HAMLET, playing Hamlet (and everyone else). Other recent credits include THE MOUSETRAP at Next Act Theatre where she also serves as Managing Director, and DEAD MAN’S BELLS with Milwaukee Irish Arts.
Matt Specht (Christopher Lucas) is an actor, songwriter, poet, visual artist, pianist, guitarist, Bigfoot enthusiast, and sailboat builder. Matt has previously worked with Boulevard Theatre, The Constructivists, Voices Found Repertory, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Over Our Head Players, Forte Theatre, Theatre Gigante, Outskirts Theatre, and many others. He thanks you for coming, and encourages you to see more theatre at every level!
Mohammad N. ElBsat (Stage Directions) would like to thank Gaetano for the opportunity. Directing credits: Assistant Director, “The Treasurer”, Next Act Theatre. Acting credits: “The Who & The What”(Afzal U/S), The Milwaukee Rep, "Back of the Throat" and “Laughter on the 23rd Floor”, Next Act Theatre, “Much Ado About Nothing”, “King Lear”, Optimist Theatre, "RED", “By Jeeves”, “Red Herring”, "The Metromaniacs", "Sons of the Prophet", “City of Angels”, “Prin” , “An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf”, and “Omnium Gatherum” at Windfall Theatre, “Dr. Faustus” and "Call Me Ishmael", Off the Wall Theatre, and "Significant Other" at Boulevard Theatre. Exhibit credits: “Chasing Rainbows” and "Ordered Chaos" : Acrylic paintings. Mohammad would like to thank his family and friends for their continuous love and support.
Nate Press (Billy Williams) is a native Milwaukeean and proud graduate of the city's public school system. Over the years, he has performed for many theater companies including (but not limited to): Alchemist Theatre, Bialystock & Bloom, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee Entertainment Group, Milwaukee Irish Arts, Next Act, Off the Wall Theatre, Optimist Theatre, Pink Banana Theatre Co., Smithereen Productions, Spiral Theatre, Sunset Playhouse, and The World's Stage. Some favorite past roles include Tim in THE GOOD FATHER, Tom Wingfield in THE GLASS MENAGERIE, Horst in BENT, Ned and Walker Janeway in THREE DAYS OF RAIN, Nathan Leopold Jr in NEVER THE SINNER, and Frosty in the (at one time) cult Milwaukee seasonal classic WHO KILLED SANTA?!. Nate trained at Boston University's College of Fine Arts and has also worked as a director and theatre educator. He currently resides on Milwaukee's south side with wife Amanda, their 3 cats; Fern, Kevin, and Woodrow, and their ever changing pride of foster cats. For more information on how you can help to humanely control the feral cat population, please go to catsatlargemke.org