Roe

Roe

  • April 20 - October 29, 2016
  • Angus Bowmer Theatre
  • by Lisa Loomer | Directed by Bill Rauch | World Premiere | Co-produced with Arena Stage and Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Overview
Artists
Video
Reviews
Run Time:Approximately two hours, 30 minutes, including one intermission.

Stranger than fiction . . . and all true

The lawyer: a young, brilliant, courageous woman who argued Roe v. Wade before the Supreme Court. The plaintiff: a hard-drinking, wild-tempered hippie bartender seeking to end an unwanted pregnancy. As we know, they won the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion. But what most people don’t know is how their divergent journeys after the case reflect the subsequent polarization in American culture. With shocking turns and surprising humor, Roe illuminates the difficult choices women make and the passion each side has for its cause. Bill Rauch directs this American Revolutions premiere by Lisa Loomer (Distracted).

Contains strong profanity and graphic language.

Roe crackles with energy and makes the historical events presented live and breathe on stage.”
— Siskiyou Daily News


“... a rousing entertainment, its two-and-a-half hours flashes by like you’ve been time-warped.”
— Medford Mail Tribune


“Funny, raw, creative, and thought-provoking.”
— Audience comment


Join the conversation! The Living Ideas series probes the events that frame the landmark Roe v. Wade court case through the lens of history (May 14, 15), agency (July 15, 16) and advocacy (August 19, 20).

Development and production of Roe was supported by grants from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust.

Roe was awarded the 2015 Association for Theatre in Higher Education Jane Chambers Playwriting Award.




Roe


Más extraño que la ficción… y todo verdadero

La abogada: una joven mujer brillante y valiente que argumentó Roe v. Wade ante la Corte Suprema. La demandante: una hippie camarera de bar bebedora y corajuda que busca terminar a un embarazo no deseado. Como sabemos, ellas ganaron el caso de 1973 en una decisión histórica que legalizó al aborto. Pero lo que muchos no sabemos es la manera en que sus caminos contrarios después del caso reflejan la subsecuente polarización de la cultura americana. Con vueltas chocantes y humor sorprendente, Roe ilumina las difíciles decisiones que toman las mujeres y la pasión que ambos partidarios le tienen a la causa. Bill Rauch dirige este estreno de Revoluciones Americanas escrito por Lisa Loomer (Distraído).

El desarrollo y la producción de Roe fueron apoyados por subvenciones de The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation y The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust.

Para información en español, por favor llame a 541-482-2111 ext. 242.

Creative Team

Playwright
Lisa Loomer
Director
Bill Rauch
Scenic Designer
Rachel Hauck
Costume Designer
Raquel Barreto
Lighting Designer
Jane Cox
Composer & Sound Designer
Paul James Prendergast
Video Designer
Wendall K. Harrington
Dramaturg
Tom Bryant
Voice & Text Director
Rebecca Clark Carey
Fight Director
U. Jonathan Toppo*
Associate Costume Designer
Sarah Beata DeLong
Phil Killian Directing Fellow
Lavina Jadhwani
Movement Consultant
Jaclyn Miller
Production Stage Manager
Jeremy Eisen*

Cast

Sarah Weddington
Sarah Jane Agnew*
Norma McCorvey
Sara Bruner*
Aileen/Barbara/Uma/Third Pregnant Woman/Ensemble
Gina Daniels*
Linda Coffee/Judy/ First Pregnant Woman/ Peggy/Ensemble
Susan Lynskey*
Helen/Second Pregnant Woman/Ronda/Ensemble
Amy Newman*
Molly/Mary/Ensemble
Kate Mulligan*
Ofelia/Connie Gonzalez/ Ensemble
Catherine Castellanos*
Henry McClusky/ Robert Flowers/Abortion Doctor/Ensemble
Barret O'Brien*
Ron Weddington/Jay Floyd/ Flip Benham/Ensemble
Jeffrey King*
Justice Blackmun/ Dr. Kennedy/Ensemble
Richard Elmore*
Justice Blackmun/ Dr. Kennedy/Ensemble (selected performances, May–June)
Tony DeBruno*
Melissa/Emily
Zoe Bishop
Roxanne
Nemuna Ceesay*
* Member of Actors' Equity Association (AEA)
**AEA Professional Theatre Intern
  • ROE image

    Trailer

    Lisa Loomer's theatrical and engaging work should not be missed!

  • image

    Stage Notes: On Writing Roe

    Playwright Lisa Loomer talks about her commission ROE: how it came about and her writing process. Excerpted from the Informed Volunteer Program (IVP) held in early April 2016.

  • Bill Rauch

    Director Interview

    Bill Rauch talks about the world premiere American Revolutions commission, ROE, which he will direct in 2016. The play, written by Lisa Loomer and told with humor and humanity, is the story of the lives of the two women behind the 1973 Roe V. Wade decision.

  • image of Travis Gilmore

    Snapshot: Designing a Set for Tour and Travel

    Associate Technical Director Travis Gilmore discusses the challenges of building the technically-complicated set for ROE, knowing that it would need to be flexible in order to travel to Arena Stage and Berkeley Rep and would need to fit on their stages, as well as in the Angus Bowmer Theatre .

  • Automation image

    Snapshot: Cool Stuff from Automation

    Members of the Automation Department describe how they created the center unit for ROE, which will be used for this production those at Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Arena Stage.

  • Mail Tribune logo

    Medford Mail Tribune

    Lisa Loomer’s “Roe” is the eighth play developed in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s American Revolutions series of history plays, and it’s one of the best. ...its two-and-a-half hours flashes by like you’ve been time-warped.

  • Siskiyou Daily News logo

    Siskiyou Daily News

    “Roe” crackles with energy and makes the historical events presented live and breathe on stage. It does not hurt that this production is strongly aided by an exceptional cast of actors.

  • Daily Tidings logo

    Ashland Daily Tidings

    With great comedic moments, and many opportunities for profound revelation ... "Roe" is yet another worthy entry into the American Revolutions pantheon. A challenging, passionate piece of theater, it will leave you with much to think about, discuss and consider, regardless of your established opinion on the subject.