Renaissance Theaterworks continues its season next month. They'll be following-up a well-executed comedy (one of the best to be staged so far in a year drenched with locally-produced comedies) with a really serious drama as they open a production of David Harrower’s 2007 drama Blackbird. A woman (played by Carrie Coon) approaches a man (played by Brian Mani) 15 years after the affair that took place between them. Fifteen years ago, she wasn’t a legally consenting adult. The play has been praised for exploring the subtle complexities of sexual relations.
The play is being directed by Renaissance Co-Founder Susan Fete, who has had a great deal of experience with the Broadway Theatre Center’s Studio Theatre over the years. The intimacy of that venue should amplify the uneasiness and discomfort of the drama quite well.
Renaissance is collaborating with the Aurora Sexual Assault Treatment Center and The Healing Center to help provide some perspective on the show’s themes after the January 24th performance. Also: There will be post-show talk backs on January 28th and February 4th, which could be really interesting as well. Mani, Coon and Fete are talented professionals and their insight into the theatrical exploration of the subject matter would be really interesting to watch.
Renaissance’s Blackbird opens January 15th.
