(Greensboro, NC) — Triad Stage is kicking off 2019 by digging into two Southern traditions – NASCAR and moonshine. Race down red dirt roads through an Alabama night. A young veteran with a checkered past and ’39 Ford makes a name for himself running moonshine and outrunning the law. But love and NASCAR show him another road. Strap in, put the pedal to the metal and head straight into adventure and romance. The North Carolina premiere of Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder’s White Lightningruns January 27 – February 17, 2019. Opening Night is Friday, February 1.
“Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder makes the story accessible for novices to stock car racing and the moonshine business, as well as adding the specific details about the history that will appeal to long-time fans of the sport,” said Sarah Hankins, Triad Stage Associate Artistic Director and the director of this production. “As a director I'm particularly delighted to be working with an all-female creative team for the first time in my career. Although we didn't intentionally staff the show with that in mind, it's an exciting moment and an unusual opportunity.”
About the production
The creative team includes: director Sarah Hankins, scenic designer Natalie Taylor Hart, costume designer Deborah Bell, lighting designer Amanda Valdez, and sound designer Maria F. Württele. The dramaturg is Virginia Hirsch, Denise Gabriel is the movement coach, Christine Morris is the vocal coach, Cindi Rush is the casting director, and the stage manager is Terence Orleans Alexander.
The Cast
The cast includes David Bowen in his Triad Stage debut alongside Carrol Michael Johnson (Beautiful Star, Actions and Objectives), Stanton Nash (The Passion of Teresa Rae King), Erin Schmidt (The Member of the Wedding), and Michael Tourek (South Pacific, Common Enemy).
More information on the production can be found online at https://triadstage.org/performance/277/white-lightning.
Performance and special event information
All performances are at Triad Stage at The Pyrle Theater, located at 232 South Elm Street in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina (between Market and Washington Streets).
Show times for White Lightning are 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and select Sunday evenings and 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. Select Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2:00 p.m. There are no matinee performances during previews.
Opening Night is Friday, February 1 at 8:00 p.m. Pay-What-You-Can performances are Tuesday, February 5,and Wednesday, February 6, at 7:30 p.m. Wine Tasting Friday is Friday, February 8, prior to the evening’s 8:00 p.m. performance.
Technically Talking,a behind-the-scenes discussion with members of the design team is Tuesday, January 29, immediately following the 7:30 p.m. preview performance.
The InSight Series with a noted expert who will be discussing the world of the play will be held on Sunday, February 3, immediately following the 2:00 p.m. matinee performance.
PostScript, a lively, open discussion with the cast, will be held on Thursday, February 7, immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance.
About Triad Stage
Triad Stage is a professional not-for-profit regional theater company based in downtown Greensboro and downtown Winston-Salem. All Triad Stage productions are created in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina using the best of local and national talent. Triad Stage gratefully acknowledges the support of its Season Sponsors: Blue Zoom, the North Carolina Arts Council, ArtsGreensboro and The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
Season passes and single tickets are currently on sale for the 18th Season. For more information about the season, please visit www.triadstage.org. The next production will be August Wilson’s Two Trains Running (March 10 – 31, 2019).
All Triad Stage productions feature the bold acting and breathtaking design that have been nationally recognized by The Wall Street Journal and by the American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards®, which named Triad Stage one of the top ten most promising theatres in the country as a recipient of the 2010 National Theatre Company Grant. Triad Stage has also earned accolades including “Best North Carolina Production of 2010” for The Glass Menagerie by Triangle Arts & Entertainment magazine; “One of the Best Regional Theatres in America”, New York’s Drama League; “Best Live Theater” (thirteen years running), Go Triad/News & Record; and “Professional Theater of the Year” (2003, 2011), North Carolina Theatre Conference.
To purchase tickets or for performance information on White Lightning, call the Triad Stage Box Office at 336.272.0160 or visit www.triadstage.org.