World-Premiere Drama
Right to be Forgotten
October 11 – November 10, 2019
- Press Contact Email
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Publicist
Lauren McMillen
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Phone
202-600-4055
[Rothstein’s] work has been called “a force of nature.”
Written by Sharyn Rothstein
Directed by Seema Sueko
The Internet never forgets. A young man’s mistake at 17 haunts him online a decade later. Desperate for a normal life, he goes to extraordinary lengths to erase his indiscretion. But freedom of information is big business, and the tech companies aren’t going down without a fight. Secrets, lies and political backstabbing abound in this riveting new drama about one man’s fierce battle to reclaim his right to privacy. Playwright Sharyn Rothstein (By the Water, USA Network’s "Suits"), winner of the prestigious 2015 Primus Prize and whose work has been called “touching & affecting” (New York Times), has written a striking allegory about privacy, social media and human forgiveness in the age of the internet.
Right to be Forgotten is generously sponsored by Joan and David Maxwell, Christopher Wolf and James Beller and is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.
Right to be Forgotten runs approximately one hour and 35 minutes with no intermission.
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Cast
JOHN AUSTIN
MELODY BUTIU
GUADALUPE CAMPOS
RACHEL FELSTEIN
SHUBHANGI KUCHIBHOTLA
EDWARD O'BLENIS
JOHN AUSTIN
JOHN AUSTIN (Derril Lark) last appeared at Arena Stage as Valentin in Kleptocracy. Other D.C. credits include Trond/German Husband in Oslo (Round House Theatre) and Frank in Melancholy Play (Helen Award, Outstanding Production; Constellation Theatre). With National Players (Olney Theatre Center), John toured America as Montano in Othello, the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland and Gatsby in The Great Gatsby. In Austin, Texas, John originated the role of Young Zeus in Zeus in Therapy (B. Iden Payne Award, Outstanding Young Performer; Tutto Theatre Company). Training: BFA in Acting, Summa Cum Laude, from Boston University; Certificate in Classical Acting from L.A.M.D.A. The Bette Davis Foundation awarded John the Bette Davis Prize, for excellence in the acting profession. Upcoming: Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes (Signature Theatre). Instagram: @johnaustinactor. www.johnaustinactor.com
MELODY BUTIU
MELODY BUTIU (Marta Lee) is making her Arena Stage debut. She has appeared on Broadway in Doctor Zhivago, Off-Broadway in David Byrne’s Here Lies Love at The Public Theater, and has performed regionally in South Pacific (Finger Lakes MTF), Vietgone (Denver Center), M. Butterfly, Shipwrecked and The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow (South Coast Repertory), Merrily We Roll Along (Wallis Annenberg Center), Sunday in the Park with George (Huntington Theatre), Stage Kiss (Geffen Playhouse) and also at Seattle Repertory, American Conservatory Theater, Getty Villa, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Kirk Douglas Theatre, East West Players, San Diego Repertory and La Jolla Playhouse. Melody’s TV and film credits include “The Patients”, “The Kominsky Method”, “NCIS:LA”, “Kingdom”, “Rizzoli & Isles”, “Major Crimes”, “Gotham”, “NCIS”, and “True Blood”. melodybutiu.com Instagram: @mellowdeebee
GUADALUPE CAMPOS
GUADALUPE CAMPOS (Eve Selinsky) last appeared at Arena Stage in the ensemble for Native Gardens. Other D.C. credits include work with The Kennedy Center TYA, Olney Theatre Center, Studio Theatre, Theatre Alliance, Arts on the Horizon and GALA Hispanic Theatre. Regional credits include work with Theatre Squared, Arkansas Staged, The Border Theatre and North Dakota Shakespeare. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The University of Texas El Paso and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Arkansas. She studied Long-form Comedy in NYC at The Upright Citizens Brigade. Guadalupe is a bilingual teaching artist for Shakespeare Theatre Company and is also the current Director of Paso Nuevo, GALA Hispanic Theatre's after school program for at-risk youth. Instagram: @guadalupecamposm
RACHEL FELSTEIN
RACHEL FELSTEIN (Annie Zahirovic)’s D.C. credits include: Antigonick (Taffety Punk), Summerland (Washington Stage Guild) and Lake Effect (Tonic Theater at the Kennedy Center). Rachel is also looking forward to appearing with Mosaic Theater Company in their upcoming production of Pilgrims Musa and Sheri in the New World. New York credits include: This American Life - As Seen on Radio (BAM); readings and productions with Ensemble Studio Theatre, and wRETCH - the final concert (Fresh Fruit Festival). Regional credits include: Fun Home (Virginia Stage Company); The Merry Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey); and the most recent national tour of Man of La Mancha. Rachel is a proud MFA graduate of the Academy for Classical Acting and studied acting with Terry Knickerbocker. www.rachelfelstein.com
SHUBHANGI KUCHIBHOTLA
SHUBHANGI KUCHIBHOTLA (Sarita Imari) is excited for her debut performance at Arena Stage and is over the moon to be here! Other D.C. credits include: White Snake as ensemble (Constellation Theatre); The Comedy of Errors as Foley Artist, Love’s Labour’s Lost as Maria and The Miser as Marianne (Annapolis Shakespeare Company) and Twelfth Night as Feste, The Mail Order Bride as June and The Amish Project as Velda (UMBC Theatre Department). Shubhangi graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County with her BFA in Acting (‘18). Instagram: @Shubhyk. Website: kshubhangi.com. So much love to all my family, friends and mentors!
EDWARD O'BLENIS
EDWARD O’BLENIS (Alvaro Santos) is excited to be making his Arena Stage debut. Most recently, Edward was seen Off-Broadway as Gasparo in Red Bull Theater’s critically acclaimed production of The White Devil. Other recent work includes Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Walter Lee in A Raisin in the Sun (Triad Stage) and originating the role of Ronald Hitchens in Bruce Graham’s world premiere production of Sanctions (Delaware Stage). He is a repeat performer at Connecticut’s Westport Playhouse where he performed in Joanne Woodward’s directorial finale of A Member of the Wedding. He can be seen on various television shows and later this year portraying the iconic role of Ralph Ellison in the film “Shirley” starring Elizabeth Moss and Michael Stuhlbarg. www.edwardoblenis.com. Instagram: @eddieboy_o
Creative
SHARYN ROTHSTEIN
SEEMA SUEKO
PAIGE HATHAWAY
IVANIA STACK
ADAM HONORÉ
ANDRE PLUESS
SHAWN DUAN
ZACH CAMPION
KURT HALL
HETHYR (RED) VERHOEF
VENUS GULBRANSON
JOCELYN CLARKE
GREGORY KENG STRASSER
SHARYN ROTHSTEIN
SHARYN ROTHSTEIN (Playwright)’s plays include By the Water (Manhattan Theatre Club/Ars Nova), Neglect (Ensemble Studio Theater), All the Days (McCarter Theatre Center), Landladies (Northlight Theatre), and Tell Me I'm Not Crazy and Camp Monster (Williamstown Theater Festival). She was a writer and producer for the USA legal drama “Suits” and has developed shows for Bravo and Apple. Sharyn is the winner of the American Theater Critics Association Francesca Primus Prize and four-time recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. Sharyn holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU as well as a Master’s in Public Health, Hunter College; and a BA in Sociology, Vassar College.
SEEMA SUEKO
SEEMA SUEKO (Director) loves directing, research and development (R&D), as well as building community through theater. She serves as deputy artistic director of Arena Stage, where she directed The Heiress, The Price and Smart People. Her R&D work includes consensus organizing for theater methodology, the Green Theater Choices Toolkit and researching theater and neuroscience. Prior, she was associate artistic director with Pasadena Playhouse and executive artistic director with Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company. Her directing credits include: Arena Stage, Denver Center, Ford’s Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, People’s Light, The Old Globe, among others. As a playwright, she received commissions from Mixed Blood Theatre and Baltimore Center Stage. Her work has been recognized by the Chicago Jeff Awards, NAACP, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Asian Pacific American Friends of the Theater and California State Assembly.
PAIGE HATHAWAY
PAIGE HATHAWAY (Set Designer) is based in the Washington, D.C., area. Her D.C.-area credits include: School Girls…, A Doll's House Part 2, How I Learned to Drive, The Book of Will and Or (Round House Theatre); Escaped Alone, Ain't Misbehavin', John and The Gulf (Signature Theatre); South Pacific and Godspell (Olney Theatre Center); Talley's Folly, Becoming Dr. Ruth and Everything is Illuminated (Theater J); and Me... Jane (Kennedy Center). Her regional credits include: Matilda, Cinderella, Jerome Robbins' Broadway and A Chorus Line (Muny in St. Louis); Sweat (Asolo Rep in Sarasota); and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Arden in Philadelphia). She received her MFA in Scenic Design from the University of Maryland. Instagram: @paigehathawaydesign. www.paigehathawaydesign.com
IVANIA STACK
IVANIA STACK (Costume Designer) is delighted to return to Arena Stage, where she previously designed for The Heiress, The Price, Two Trains Running and Intelligence. Her work has been seen at many other D.C.-area theaters including Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (company member), Ford’s Theater, Round House Theatre (resident artist), Kennedy Center Family Theatre, Signature Theatre, Imagination Stage, Olney Theatre Center (associate artist), Studio Theatre, Theatre J, Constellation Theatre, Pointless Theatre, Synetic Theatre, Forum Theatre, Theatre Alliance, Rorschach Theatre, Metro Stage and Gala Hispanic Theatre. Her regional credits include designs for Seattle Repertory Theatre, Center Stage, Everyman Theatre, The Karski Project, Andy’s Summer Playhouse, The Second City and The Contemporary American Theatre Festival. She has an MFA in design from the University of Maryland, College Park.
ADAM HONORÉ
ADAM HONORÉ (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to be making his D.C. debut at Arena Stage. Selected Off-Broadway credits include: Ain’t No Mo (The Public); Carmen Jones (Classic Stage Company, Dir. John Doyle); Behind the Sheet (Ensemble Studio Theatre); and Faux-bia! (Carnegie Hall). Selected regional collaborations include: the Huntington Theater Company, Dallas Theater Center, Signature Theatre and the Capital Repertory Theatre. International designs include: Haydn’s The Seasons (Austria), Kinky Boots (Manila) and the international premiere of Fun Home, which featured Lea Salonga. Adam is a Drama Desk & Henry Hewes Nominee, as well as an AUDELCO Award recipient. www.HonoreLighting.com
ANDRE PLUESS
ANDRE PLUESS (Sound Designer)’s Arena Stage credits include Indecent, Smart People, Equivocation, The Passion Play Trilogy, Legacy of Light, 33 Variations, Smart People, Metamorphoses and Arabian Nights. Broadway: Metamorphoses, I Am My Own Wife and 33 Variations, as well as the world premiere of The Clean House at Yale Repertory and Lincoln Center. Based in Chicago, his work has appeared on most of the city’s stages including the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare and Lookingglass Theatre, where he is an associate artist. Regional credits include multiple productions with Oregon and California Shakespeare Festivals, The Guthrie Theatre, McCarter Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theater, American Conservatory Theater, Seattle Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse and Center Theater Group.
SHAWN DUAN
SHAWN DUAN (Projection Designer) is a New York-based projections and media designer. Arena Stage credits include: Snow Child and Jubilee. Select credits include: Broadway’s Chinglish (Longacre) and work with Off-Broadway/New York with the MET Museum, The Public Theater and Abrons Art Center. Regional credits include: The Alliance, Berkeley Repertory, Dallas Theater Center, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The Guthrie, The MUNY, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Repertory, South Coast Repertory, Trinity Repertory, Pittsburgh Public and Virginia Stage Company. Opera credits include: New York City Opera and Center for Contemporary Opera. Tours/commercial work include: An Evening with Pacino (US/international), numerous US commercial entertainment tours, Chinglish (HK Arts Festival) and numerous Las Vegas shows/concerts.
ZACH CAMPION
ZACH CAMPION (Voice and Dialect Coach) is a freelance voice, speech and dialect coach and once worked in the Arena Stage sales office. D.C. credits include: voice/dialect coach for Kleptocracy, Indecent, Sovereignty, The Price and Smart People (Arena Stage); Doubt, Hand to God, Vietgone and The Remains (Studio Theatre); the world premiere of The Gulf, and Heisenberg (Signature Theatre); Cabaret, Tiger Style, Labour of Love, The Invisible Hand and My Fair Lady (Olney Theatre Center); The Legend of Georgia McBride and Angels in America Part 1 and 2 (Round House); and The Wiz (Ford's Theatre). Zach is a certified teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework© and is a member of the Studio Acting Conservatory faculty. Education: MFA Virginia Commonwealth University, BFA Texas State University. www.voicecoachdc.com
KURT HALL
KURT HALL (Stage Manager)’s Arena Stage credits include Jubilee, Indecent, The Great Society, The Pajama Game, Smart People, Watch on the Rhine, Carousel, Born for This, All the Way, Sweat, The Blood Quilt, Our War, Smokey Joe’s Café, Mother Courage and Her Children starring Kathleen Turner, Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life, Good People, Red Hot Patriot starring Kathleen Turner, The Normal Heart, Red, Ruined, every tongue confess starring Phylicia Rashad, Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, Looped starring Valerie Harper, Next to Normal starring Alice Ripley, Awake and Sing! and The Goat, or Who is Sylvia. He has additional regional credits at the Kennedy Center, Roundabout Theatre Company, McCarter Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage and Signature Theatre. Thanks to his family for all their support.
HETHYR (RED) VERHOEF
HETHYR (RED) VERHOEF (Stage Manager) is frequently on the road regionally and nationally with A Night with Janis Joplin, a musical that got its wings here at Arena! She also completed a successful run of JQA here in the Kogod Cradle. Hethyr has worked on numerous productions over the years as a stage manager and flyman. She continues to be deeply invested in theater, art, diversity and all the elements it takes to create it. Red is thrilled to return to Arena Stage for this exciting piece and is a proud member of AEA.
VENUS GULBRANSON
VENUS GULBRANSON (Assistant Lighting Designer) is proud to return to Arena Stage after recently serving as the Allen Lee Hughes Lighting Design Fellow in the previous season working on Anything Goes, Indecent, The Heiress, Junk, Jubilee and more. Venus has also worked for The Santa Fe Opera, Berlin State Opera, Philadelphia Theatre Company and many of the regional theaters in the DMV. Recent works include: Arena Stage's Ann, UVU's Pre-Broadway Fly More Than You Fall and Barrington Stage Company's Into the Woods. Upcoming work include: Roundhouse Theatre's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Woolly Mammoth Company's There's Always the Hudson. Venus is a proud graduate of Idaho State University and alumni of the USITT Gateway Program.
JOCELYN CLARKE
JOCELYN CLARKE (Dramaturg) is Senior Dramaturg at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. He was Theatre Advisor to the Arts Council of Ireland for ten years. As a dramaturg, Clarke has worked with writers such as Katori Hall, Taylor Mac, Lydia Diamond, Abhishek Majumdar, Eduardo Machado, Charles Randolph Wright, Lisa Kron, Craig Lucas, Carl Hancock Rux, Mary Kathryn Nagle, Tanya Saracho, and Karen Zacarias. He was a script editor on several Irish films, including Young Offenders, and was executive story editor on all three seasons of the BBC/RTE TV series Young Offenders. He is a writer on the second season of P-Valley, Katori Hall’s acclaimed TV series for Starz. His new adaptation of Elizabeth Swados’ musical The Beautiful Lady, will be directed by Anne Bogart at La Mama Theatre in New York in May 2022.
GREGORY KENG STRASSER
GREGORY KENG STRASSER (Directing Assistant) is the current Allen Lee Hughes Directing Fellow at Arena Stage. He is affiliated with 4615 Theatre Company, where will he direct the world premiere of The Infinite Tales adapted from Irish mythology and related by the modern diaspora. He is also associated with the Lab for Global Performance and Politics, which culminated in a year of study, engagement and creation of Doi Nang Non, a dance drama in Bangkok, Thailand. He adapted and directed the world premiere of Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey for the Brighton Center for the Performing Arts and made his D.C. debut directing 410[GONE] by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig with Rorschach Theatre. Education: University of Michigan, BFA; Instagram: @gregory.keng.strasser
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