Torrington Native Takes on "Our Country's Good"

STORRS. Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will stage the Tony Award nominated and Olivier Award winning play, Our Country's Good, by Timberlake Wertenbaker. Emma Mathieu is onstage as Lt. George Johnston/Duckling and is "Our Country's Good" Dramaturg. Performances will be held in the Nafe Katter Theatre from November 30th through December 10th, 2017. For tickets and information please visit crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-2113.

Mathieu says, "Wertenbaker’s writing is so precise and charged, her words, though poetic and stylized, are heart wrenching and carry their own impulse. The play itself is seeped in history, most of the characters are based off of real people and a lot of the action actually occurred during the 18th century. Being the dramaturg for the show while also being a part of the cast was an incredible experience. I had a chance to really delve into the details of the historic conditions and struggles these characters faced, and then I got to get up on my feet and rummage around in them. For me, this show speaks to the human ability to transcend our own circumstances and the value of humanity especially during terrible times. Hope is a very precious idea in the play - Wertenbaker reminds us just how important it is to keep it close."

Mathieu is a Junior BA Theatre Studies student with a focus in Playwriting. Dramaturgical assignments at CRT include Eurydice and Nuevo California. Playwriting credits include staged readings of her plays Fit of the Coastlines, In Other Gardens, and Trees, Trombones, and Other Hollow Bodies. Performance credits include Woyzeck (Marie), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Titania), and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (Tragedian). She has also previously trained with Bated Breath Theatre Company.

New South Wales, 1780s: The Sirius arrives on the shores of Australia bringing Royal Marines and convicts together in a penal colony. Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark stages the first play in Australia casting the convicts in an experiment to discover the rehabilitative power of art. Theft, escapes, and only two copies of the script provide most of the drama in rehearsals, but the play ultimately turns the prison into an escape from punishment. Soon the lines blur between captors and captives and the players begin to discover the characters that lie within both on and off the stage. "Our Country's Good" is an acclaimed and award-winning historical drama that provides both passion and humor and a look at the humanizing power of play.
PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION

Evening performances start at 7:30pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Select matinee performances start at 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Single tickets are available now. Single tickets range from $10 to $33. All student tickets are $10.

On Wednesday, December 6th, patrons can purchase tickets to Dine with Design, a pre-show dinner with members of the creative team for a behind-the-scenes experience. Dinner includes entrees and dessert.
Post-show discussions with members of the cast and crew will follow the performance on Thursday, December 7th at 7:30pm and the matinee Saturday, December 9th at 2pm.

Children must be at least 4 years old to attend CRT productions. CRT recommends ages 15 and up (R) for this production. For additional ticket information or to charge tickets by phone, call 860.486.2113. All sales are final; no refunds. Play selections and performance dates are subject to change.

Please call the box office at 860.486.2113 for tickets and additional information or visit www.crt.uconn.edu for specific show dates and times because performance schedules vary and are subject to change.

The Nafe Katter Theatre is located on the campus of the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT.