ANN ARBOR – Theatre NOVA, Ann Arbor’s resident nonprofit professional theatre, kicks off the new year with the world premiere of “SPLATTERED!” by Hal Davis and Carla Milarch, which runs April 21 through May 14, 2023.
It is evening at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, where old friends, cousins, and lovers – Sylvie, Astrid, and Justin – gather at a wedding reception. Seminarian Justin sneaks off to be alone in Gallery 406, where he encounters Jackson Pollock’s famous splatter painting One: Number 31, 1950. As the painting mesmerizes him, Pollock’s ghost emerges to challenge some of Justin’s most fundamental beliefs, divulging stories, and secrets of Pollock’s turbulent life. Meanwhile, Astrid and Sylvie come and go, appealing to Justin to join the party, as conflicts from their past bubble back to the surface, prompting Justin to question his choices and his chosen future.
Directed by Briana O’Neal, “SPLATTERED!” features Artun Kircali, Marie Muhammad, Andrew Huff, and Allison Megroet. The production and design team includes Monica Spencer and Forrest Hejkal (scenic design), Jeff Alder (lighting design), Genevieve Compton (costume design), Carla Milarch (sound and props), and Carolyn Pierce (stage manager).
For the health, safety, and well-being of our patrons, staff, and artists, COVID safety measures will be in place. All artists and staff participating in the season must be fully vaccinated, and patrons must wear a mask while in the building. This policy is subject to change at any time in accordance with fluctuating local, state, and federal guidelines. Please check our website for our current policy before attending.
Theatre NOVA is located at 410 W Huron St., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. General admission tickets for plays are $22. In addition, Theatre NOVA continues to make theatre accessible by offering pay-what-you-can tickets for those who need them at all performances.
Tickets, memberships, flex passes, and subscriptions may be purchased online at www.TheatreNOVA.org. Tickets may also be purchased in person one hour before each performance. Seating in the theatre will begin 30 minutes before each performance. There is ample free parking and quick access to the city’s restaurants, bars, bakeries, and coffee shops. New patrons can find Theatre NOVA across Huron Street from Ann Arbor’s YMCA through a parking lot entrance on the north side of the street. For more information, visit www.TheatreNOVA.org.
Theatre NOVA is dedicated to raising awareness of the value and excitement of new plays and new playwrights in a diverse and expanding audience; and providing resources and outlets for playwrights to develop their craft, by importing, exporting, and developing new plays and playwrights.
Hal Davis (Playwright) Hal is a jazz guitarist, composer, and playwright. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan. Hal is a proud member of the Dramatist Guild. He’s also nuts about his family, swimming, and bicycling.
Carla Milarch (Playwright) is a former artistic director of Performance Network Theatre, whose passion for new plays led her to co-found Theatre NOVA. As a dramaturg and director, she has helped bring 25 brand new plays to fully-staged productions, as well as hundreds of plays to staged readings, including those at the Michigan Playwrights Festival, the Fireside New Play Festival, the NNPN National Showcase of New Plays (board member), and the Kennedy Center’s MFA playwrights’ workshop. She served as board president of the Michigan Equity Theatre Alliance. Some awards include “Best Overall Season/Artistic Direction” from the Oakland Press, “Outstanding Contributions to an Ensemble” from The Detroit Free Press, “Most Valuable Performer” from the Oakland Press, and the Between the Lines “Angel” award for outstanding contributions to the LGBT community. Carla’s love and experience for both sides of the stage have taken her from producing theatre at The Barn Theatre in Port Sanilac, Michigan, to co-founding a theatre in Amarillo, TX with her Purchase classmates, to producing theatre in a barn again – this time in the middle of a world-class city.
Briana O’Neal (Director) is a proud graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts and Political Science. She has been working with Theatre NOVA since 2019, first as the Resident Stage Manager and now also as the Company Manager. She is so grateful for the opportunity to direct Splattered!, and for all the work Theatre NOVA does with new plays and playwrights. Some of her favorite credits with NOVA include stage managing The Language Archive, Sanctuary City, Relativity, and four of our annual holiday Pantos including Sugar Plum Panto most recently. She wants to thank the cast and crew and the Theatre NOVA team for all their support and dedication!
Photos by Sean Carter Photography.
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FACT SHEET
WHO:
JUSTIN: Artun Kircali*
ASTRID: Marie Muhammad
POLLOCK: Andrew Huff*
SYLVIE: Allison Megroet
* The Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association,
the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Production Team:
Director: Briana O’Neal
Set design: Monica Spencer and Forrest Hejkal
Lighting design: Jeff Alder
Costume design: Genevieve Compton
Sound design/Props: Carla Milarch
Stage Manager: Carolyn Pierce
WHAT:
“SPLATTERED!” by Hal Davis and Carla Milarch
Theatre NOVA, 410 W. Huron, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Box office: 734-635-8450,
Tickets: $22 (Pay-what-you-can tickets available for every performance)
ON THE INTERNET:
www.TheatreNOVA.org
http://www.facebook.com/theatrenova
http://www.instagram.com/a2theatrenova/
https://twitter.com/TheatreNova
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
SPLATTERED! by Hal Davis and Carla Milarch
April 21-May 14, 2023
Fri., Apr. 21, 8:00 p.m. Opening Night
Sat., Apr. 22, 8:00 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 23, 2:00p.m.
Thurs., Apr. 27, 8:00 p.m.
Fri., Apr. 28, 8:00 p.m.
Sat., Apr. 29, 8:00 p.m.
Sun., Apr. 30, 2:00 p.m.
Thurs., May 4, 8:00 p.m.
Fri., May 5, 8:00 p.m.
Sat., May 6, 8:00 p.m.
Sun., May 7, 2:00 p.m.
Thurs., May 11, 8:00 p.m.
Fri., May 12, 8:00 p.m.
Sat., May 13, 8:00 p.m.
Sun., May 14, 2:00 p.m.
Theatre NOVA
