(Click on the poster for a high resolution version)

Living Between the Lines

Joe is a factory worker who wants to accept a promotion, but knows it will expose him as functionally illiterate.  He will have to decide if hiding his limitations is more dangerous than asking for help to overcome them.

Written by Todd Ristau and Joan Ruelle
Directed by Patrick Kennerly

September 15-26, 2010

Characters / Cast

Joe Conroy ... Mike Pilcher
Cindy Conroy ... Linsee Lewis
Katie Conroy ... Hallie Pilcher
Denise Reynolds ... Monique Ingram
Charlie Miller ... Charles Boswell

 Credits

Producer: Kenley Smith
Resident Stage Manager: Rachel Linkous
Assistant Stage Manager:  Shay Mullins
Resident Designer: Jason "Blue" Herbert
Scenic Construction: Jason "Blue" Herbert
Costumer:  Lori Pilcher
Props:  Pat Kennerly
Dramaturg: Maryke Barber

Special Thanks to our Corporate Sponsors: 101.5 FM The Music Place, Playwright's Lab at Hollins University, Roanoke Times/Roanoke.com, Audiotronics, City Magazine, and New City Media

About the Playwrights: 
Todd Ristau is a playwright, actor, director, designer and producer.  He holds an MFA in playwriting from the Iowa Playwright’s Workshop and is currently the Program Director of the Playwright’s Lab at Hollins University.  His plays have been produced in church basements in Midwestern America, regional and professional theatres from New York to San Francisco, and major commercial theatres all over England (including London’s West End).  He founded No Shame Theatre and has seen it spread around the country, including here in Roanoke.  He worked at Mill Mountain Theatre from 2003 to 2008, serving as Literary Associate and Producer of Underground Roanoke.  He was the Artistic Director of Studio Roanoke for its first two seasons and continues to work closely with them  to bring new plays and professional guest artists to their stage.   Thanks to my co-author and life partner, Joan Ruelle, for her invaluable insight and participation in this project and to Molly Bell for thinking it was all a very good idea in the first place.  I hope our work on this play helps Literacy Volunteers to find more resources to do their very important work in the field. 

This play is dedicated to Margaret Ristau, whose life of service to others included literacy training and volunteering, and without whose experience and contributions this play could not have been written.

Joan Ruelle is the University Librarian of the award-winning Wyndham Robertson Library at Hollins University.  This is her official coming out as a theatre writer.  Joan has previously written and performed for No Shame Theatre in Charlottesville and Roanoke, and has had short theatre pieces published in two Smith & Kraus monologue anthologies under the pen name Nell Grantham.   Thanks to my collaborator (in all things) Todd for this opportunity and experience.  I hope this play raises awareness and friends for literacy initiatives in Roanoke and beyond.

 About the Director:  Patrick Kennerly is a name familiar to friends and supporters of Studio Roanoke.   As an actor, Patrick appeared in the role of Preacher Graves in the recent production of Kenley Smith’s “Devil Sedan.”  Last December, he played the role of Russian journalist, Tzerkov, in Jeff Goode’s “Yes Svetlana, There is a Grandfather Frost.”  Patrick has also appeared in numerous readings here at Studio Roanoke.  Last March, Patrick had the pleasure of directing “A Lesson Before Dying,” by Romulus Linney, which Studio Roanoke hosted during the Valley-wide celebration of “The Big Read.”  

Patrick holds an honors B.A. in Theatre Arts from Virginia Tech, where he performed in dozens of shows from “Waiting for Godot” to “Gypsy.” He was awarded the department’s “Best Actor” honors in 1977 and 1978, but one of his fondest memories is of the production of a Samuel Beckett one-act he directed for his senior project.  Patrick lived and worked in New York City from 1978 to 1986, performing in three national tours with The National Shakespeare Company and a summer of NYC parks tours with Joseph Papp’s organization.  Patrick also served as

Studio Roanoke is committed to being a home for new plays and the people who create them. Help us keep this commitment by donating today.
 

Studio Roanoke uses the Causes network to handle our online contributions in a safe, secure, and efficient way. Click on the Causes logo above to be taken to a link to make your contribution online!