November 11-20
Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm
West End Studio Theatre
959 Islington Street
Portsmouth, NH

New Hampshire Theatre Project will present The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance as the season opener for the 2005-06 Professional Production Series.

Based on the life of John Merrick, The Elephant Man tells the story of a severely deformed, isolated man who is introduced to London society in the late 1800’s by a physician, Frederick Treves. Pomerance’s script is elegant, poetic and highly original. Written in 1979, it ran for over two years at the Booth Theatre in New York. Genevieve Aichele’s direction adds its own dimensions to the play, incorporating a cinematic approach to the piece through the use of a changing audience perspective and photographic tableaux. Short scenes, punctuated by poetic mastery and live cello, carry the audience from the circus freak show where Treves finds Merrick, to his new life at “home” in the London hospital. Besides providing us with a story rich in humanism, The Elephant Man asks its audience to ask themselves an important question: “Who does he remind YOU of?”

Blair Hundertmark stars as the sensitive and engaging John Merrick, and Peter Motson’s Dr. Frederick Treves is a compelling portrait of a man who is forced to question what is good and normal.

The regionally selected, international cast, all of whom play multiple roles, includes Joseph Chase, Christy Cloutier Holmes, Kevin Collins, Clara Coussement, Seth Mazzaglia, Sofia Piel, Lisa Richardson, and Kathy Wurtz.

Black and white costumes designed by Zhana Morris and Maura Suter add to the cinematic aura of the play, as does lighting design by Quentin Stockwell. Live cello will be played by Laurie Meeder. With sound design by Marcus
DelGreco and scenic design by Axel Froment. Cathedral model designed by Greg Gathers of Pontine Movement Theatre.

“A giant of a play – wonderful, moving and purely theatrical.” – NY Post.