FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

03/02/09

Dreamchasers Theatre Arts Center of Norwell will present the NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE of the hauntingly beautiful play “BALLAD HUNTER” by Jenny Laird. Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “Ballad Hunter is a deeply lyrical, emotionally varied and continually surprising new work…Laird’s luminous writing gives Ballad Hunter both a sense of authenticity and the irresistible allure of a fairy tale and rare love story.” The play received its premiere at Chicago Dramatists and a Joseph Jefferson Nomination for Outstanding New Work. The playwright, Jenny Laird, is the recipient of the Cunningham Prize for Playwriting, Mill Mountain Theatre’s New Play Award, an Illinois Arts Council Playwriting Fellowship, as well as developmental and production grants from the NEA.

BALLAD HUNTER takes place in 1937 in the hills of the Appalachian Mountains of Southwestern Virginia. The play revolves around a family of three women, the Mother, Hetty, played by Emily Genovese of Hingham, her Daughter, Gussie, played by Tess Wenger of Norwell, and Hetty’s Granddaughter, Lotta, played by Alice Tilles of Norwell. Living nearby is a mysterious owner of a junk yard, Buzzy, played by Tom Driscoll of Norwell. Into their lives comes a young man, Cecil, played by Todd Selby of Norwell, who works for the Rural Electrification Administration. His job is to lay power lines which will eventually provide the area with electrical power. Cecil believes this will greatly help Hetty and her family have a better life. As he says, “The only way to wake up to the kinda world we dream about is to go out and make it ourselves.”

Directing BALLAD HUNTER is Dreamchasers Artistic Director Rosann M. Weeks. Creating the costumes, hair, and makeup are Maggie Russell of Norwell and Sandra Holbrook of Plymouth. The Sound Operator is Ethan Niyangoda of Norwell. Running Props is John Gill of Norwell. Handling Concessions is Kevin Doyle of Norwell. Creating the Program is Michele Comer of Hanover. Providing several unique props is Stone House Antiques of Norwell. Set Construction is by John LaBounty of Norwell, Albert Faraca of Plymouth, and Linda Genovese of Hingham. Providing instruction in wood carving and several carved pieces is Jim Carr of Linden Ponds in Hingham.

Dreamchasers will present four performances of BALLAD HUNTER. Performances are Friday, March 20th at 7 pm, Saturday, March 21st at 2 pm and 7 pm, and Sunday, March 22nd at 2 pm. Tickets are $10 for General Admission, $8 for Senior Citizens and Students, and $5 for Dreamchasers Students. Tickets go on sale at the theatre thirty minutes prior to each performance. All performances are at the Norwell Grange Hall, 142 Main Street, in Norwell. There is a special Final Dress Rehearsal on Thursday, March 19th at 4 pm, to which senior citizens and teachers are invited free of charge.

Registration is now in progress for Dreamchasers Spring Theatre Classes which begin April 7th, and their Summer Theatre Program which begins July 6th. For information on any of Dreamchasers programs visit dreamchaserstheatre.org or call 508-224-4548.