Miranda
by James Still
A World Premiere
Carolyn Pool as Miranda
January 28-February 18th
Commissioned by Illusion Theater with support from the National Endowment for the Arts
Directed by Michael Robins
Featuring Carolyn Pool, Steve Hendrickson, Beth Gilleland, Delta Giordano and Ricky Morisseau
January 28 -February 18
Set by Dean Holzman
Lighting by Mike Wangen
Sound and video by C .Andrew Mayer
Costumes by Barb Portinga
Props by Sarah Salisbury
A CIA operative working in the Middle East goes through a mind-bending existential crisis. Who are her friends? Who is the enemy ? And just who is Miranda?
A psychological thriller set in the world's most explosive region.
James Still
James Still's plays have been produced throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, South Africa, China and Japan. . Illusion has produced VELOCITY OF GARY ( NOT HIS REAL NAME), THE VELVET RUT, IRON KISSES and I LOVE TO EAT. James Still is a three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, an elected member of the National Theatre Conference in New York and the College of Fellows of the American Theatre at the Kennedy Center, and a five-time Emmy nominee for his work in television. He received the Otis Guernsey New Voices Award from the William Inge Festival and the Todd McNerney New Play Prize from Spoleto. He lives in Los Angeles. He has been playwright- in -residence at the Indiana Repertory Theater in Indianapolis for 20 years.
“The act of creating is a desire to make some kind of sense out of the senseless, to make some kind of harmony out of chaos, to give voice to the voiceless. As artists we attempt that in hundreds of personal and unique ways.”
The reviews for Miranda are in!
Theater review: ‘Miranda’ is both insightful and exciting
By ROB HUBBARD | Special to the Pioneer Press
PUBLISHED: January 29, 2017 at 10:10 pm | UPDATED: January 29, 2017 at 10:48 pm
Somewhere between the shootouts on downhill skis found in a James Bond movie and the analytical gamesmanship of a John LeCarre novel lies the real life of a spy. Those entrusted with procuring information about potential threats to their nation’s people live a life that’s more about developing relationships than spectacular chases. The catch is that they can’t tell anyone what they do for a living. Oh, and … it’s dangerous. Read more...
“A solid achievement for IllusionTheater… ~
Talkin’ Broadway Regional
“4 Stars – Highly Recommended” ~ Single White Fringe Geek
“Breath-takingly ambitious… Definitely worthwhile.” ~
How Was The Show
“Riveting Miranda Right” ~ Twin Cities Arts Reader
"Miranda" at Illusion Theater
Cherry and Spoon Blog
The titular character of James Still's new play Miranda is like Homeland's Carrie Mathison, but more grounded in reality, without all of the soap opera drama. A CIA operative currently based in Yemen after years of working in the Middle East, she's good at her job, but has begun to grow weary with all that her job entails. The playwright notes, "While the pursuit of happiness may be one of the inalienable rights guaranteed in our Declaration of Independence, Miranda is too smart not to know that happiness is elusive. She's thrived during her years in the CIA in the pursuit of meaning, not happiness. But what if that meaning and sense of purpose has faded with time and age - what now?" Miranda is a dense and fascinating play about the women and men who immerse themselves in foreign lands to secure intelligence for the US government, but also find themselves getting entangled in the lives of the people they live among. Read more...