"An intelligent and intriguing offering, especially during a political season" - DC Theatre Scene
"An inspired creative team and a talented cast" --DC Theatre Scene
About
Cast
Creative Team
Tickets
Synopsis
Black magic seeps into a conservative science institute in this provocative retelling of the Faust story by revolutionary and first Czech Republic President Václav Havel. This dark comedy exposes ambition, desire and political deception in a world populated by a demon, a dancer, a secret messenger and a team of seductive scientists.
ENSEMBLE
Katie Atkinson (Dr. Lorencova) is pleased to return to Constellation Theatre Company after having been seen in last season’s productions of The Good Woman of Setzuan and The Arabian Nights. Other local credits include Spooky Action Theater Company: The Marriage of Bette and Boo; Forum Theatre: Antigone and The Skriker; Shakespeare Theatre Company: Lady Windermere’s Fan; Synetic Theater Blackout Series: My Way Little Girl; Rorschach Theatre: A Bright Room Called Day; Capital Fringe Festival: Local Story, Short Works Exploring Dangerous Devotion; The Hatchery Festival: The Woodpecker. She has worked as an actor and teaching artist at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, MA. Katie has a BFA in Drama from Syracuse University.
Frank Britton (Fistula) is happily making his Constellation debut. A DC native, and graduate and faculty member of the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, he has appeared with many area theatres including Arena Stage: Orpheus Descending; Forum Theatre: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Antigone, Everyman; Theater Alliance: Insurrection: Holding History — Helen Hayes Award nomination, Outstanding Ensemble; and has also appeared with Washington Shakespeare Company, Scena Theatre , Rorschach Theatre, ganymede Arts, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, Didactic Theatre Company, Tsunami Theatre Company, Venus Theatre, The Hatchery Festival, and Capital Fringe Festival ’06 &’07, among others. Upcoming Projects Include: Forum Theatre: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (re-mount); Journeymen Theater Ensemble: The Inspector General; Round House Theatre: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Jennifer Crooks (Marketa) is excited to once again work with Constellation Theatre Company after appearing as Cassandra in The Oresteia. She is a graduate of the Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory. She has collaborated in creating the original ensemble pieces: Love & War: with the Bard’s Women, and Iconicity, which each premiered in the ’07 and ‘08 Capital Fringe Festivals, respectively. Jennifer is an artistic associate with The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, where she appeared as Trania in Taming of the Shrew and a Witch in Macbeth. Coming up, she will join the ensemble in Roundheads and Peakheads with Catalyst Theater Company.
Nick DePinto* (Dr. Foustka) is pleased to be working with Constellation Theatre after appearing as Apollo in The Oresteia. CREDITS include: Michigan Shakespeare Festival: Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night; Hilberry Theatre: The Kentucky Cycle Pt I & II, Macbeth, Henry IV Pt 1, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Cherry Orchard, Misalliance; Shakespeare Theatre Company: Richard III; Olney Theatre Center: 13 Rue du L’Amour, Democracy; Kentucky Repertory Theatre: Murderer, Merry Wives of Windsor, A Christmas Caroll; Antioch’s Shakespeare Under the Stars: Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It; National Players: The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing. Nick received a BA from Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH; studied theatre at the Moscow Art Theatre School and acquired his MFA through the Hilberry Theatre in Detroit, MI.
Gwen Grastorf (Petrushka) is delighted to be working with Constellation Theatre Company again, having performed in The Oresteia and The Arabian Nights. Other local credits include: Washington Shakespeare Company: Peace; Rorschach Theatre: Rough Magic, Fair Ladies at a Game of Poem Cards; Capital Fringe Festival: Power House, Nutshell, The Trojan Women; Beckett Centenary Festival: Come and Go; Hatchery Festival: The Disappearance of Janey Jones, and Source Festival 10-minute plays. Gwen is a producing team member of eXtreme eXchange and earned a BA in theatre from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Heather Haney (Vilma) is enjoying her first collaboration with Constellation Theatre Company. Local credits include Longacre Lea: Theories of the Sun (Choreographer); Washington Shakespeare Company: Red Noses (Marguerite, Choreographer), Hedda Gabler (Hedda), Caligula (Drusilla), Macbeth (Witch #2); The Shakespeare Theatre Company: Much Ado About Nothing (Ensemble, Hero u/s); Much Ado About Nothing at the Carter Barron Free For All (Ensemble); The Inkwell at the Page-to-Stage Festival: OK (Josie); Active Cultures: Mad Breed staged reading (Blanche); Fountainhead Theatre: Top Girls (Jeanette). She can currently be seen on the g14 productions’ Internet series Reservation at thereservation.tv, and in the Unknown Pengiun feature Festivale.
Ashley Ivey (Deputy) is thrilled to be joining Constellation Theatre Company for their second season after performing in The Oresteia, The Good Woman of Setzuan , and A Dream Play. His choreography has also been seen in Constellation’s A Dream Play, The Arabian Nights, The Good Woman of Setzuan, and The Oresteia. Ashley is proud to be an Associate Artist with Constellation Theatre Company. Some of his recent local acting credits include: Catalyst Theatre Company: 1984, The Trial; Forum Theatre: Marat/Sade; Open Circle Theatre: Songs for a New World; In Series: Petpourri; Ganymedea: Never The Sinner, The Ruffian on the Stair, The Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, SEXE! The Floorshow.
Lisa Lias (Mrs. Houbova/Secret Messenger) returns to Constellation Theatre Company for her fifth production, having appeared in A Dream Play, The Arabian Nights, The Good Woman of Setzuan and The Oresteia. Other credits include roles for Forum Theater, Imagination Stage, Stanislavsky Theatre Studio, Source, Olney, Everyman and Horizons as well as appearances at the New York International Fringe Festival and the Capital Fringe Festival.
Jesse Terrill (Director) is an actor and composer who recently appeared in and composed original music for Marat/Sade with Forum Theatre. He also appeared as Sigmund Freud in Forum Theatre’s The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Other acting credits include: Rorschach Theatre: Kit Marlowe; Arena Stage: She Loves Me, Born Yesterday; Solas Nua: The Drunkard (also original music); Studio Theater 2ndStage: Autobahn; Roundhouse Theatre: Frankenstein; Theatre Alliance: Headsman’s Holiday; and The Shakespeare Theatre Company: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Jesse is a company member of Forum Theatre.
John Tweel (Dr. Kotrly) was last seen with Constellation Theatre Company as Shahryar in The Arabian Nights. John was most recently seen portraying Robert Kennedy in The Titans at the American Century Theater. Other local credits include Olney Theatre Center: 1776; Washington Shakespeare Company: Marat/Sade, A Walk Across the Rooftops; Solas Nua: Scenes from the Big Picture (2007 Helen Hayes Nomination, Outstanding Ensemble); Catalyst Theatre Company: The Elephant Man, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (2006 Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Ensemble), and Signature Theatre: The Gospel According to Fishman. John will make a featured appearance on America’s Most Wanted later this fall.
Ron Ward (Dr. Neuwirth) is happy to be returning to Constellation Theatre Company for a third appearance, after having been seen in The Oresteia as Aegisthus and The Good Woman of Setzuan as Yang Sun. Ron has worked with Fraudulent Productions, Trumpetvine Theatre, Uncommon Repertory, Maryland Ensemble Theatre, Baltimore Poe Museum’s Birthday Celebration, Lincoln Square, Moving Dock Theatre, Dallas Shakespeare Theatre. Ron has appeared in several national advertisements as well as on the History Channel’s True Crime Authors: The Westies as Mickey Featherstone. Ron studied theater performance and political science at Virginia Commonwealth University and received a Certificate of Dramatic Study from Trinity College, Dublin Ireland.
Scott Zeigler (Dancer) is glad to be working with Constellation Theatre Company. He has recently appeared as Victor Sitnikov in Firebelly Theater’s production of Nothing Sacred and Roger Doremus in Eccentricities of a Nightingale at the American Century Theater. He received an undergraduate theatre degree from Greensboro College.
Allison Arkell Stockman (Director) is the Founding Artistic Director of Constellation Theatre Company and directed their productions of A Dream Play, The Arabian Nights, The Good Woman of Setzuan and The Oresteia. Recently, Allison has directed a workshop of Dolley Madison and The Secret History Club for The Kennedy Center and America, The Fabulous! for The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. DC directing credits include: The In Series: Combat and Redemption: An Opera Triptych, Fascinating Rhythm, Paper Moon; Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia: Nightingale; The Hatchery: The Disappearance of Janey Jones; Phoenix Theatre DC: The Blue Room; and Georgetown Gilbert and Sullivan Society: Patience. Allison has also directed shows at Williamstown Theatre Festival, the Hangar Theatre, Duke University and New York City venues: HERE, Expanded Arts and Soho Rep. Locally, Allison has been an Assistant Director at The Shakespeare Theatre Company and the Folger Theatre. Allison is the recipient of a Drama League Directing Fellowship and a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. She earned her BA from Princeton and an MFA in Directing from Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.
Giselle Alvarez (Choreography) is a member of CityDance Ensemble. She began dancing at Ballet Concerto Studios and then studied at Miami City Ballet School with her mentor Nancy Raffa. She has danced with the Carolina Ballet in North Carolina and with The Washington Ballet as a Studio Company member. During her tenure there, she had the opportunity to perform works by Trey McIntyre, Jared Nelson, Jessica Lamb, Steven Pertonio, and Mathew Neenan. She has choreographed for Ganymede Arts’s Fall Arts Festival in 2007 for their production of Great Gig in the Sky- An Eclectictive Evening of Dance.
A.J. Guban (Scenic & Lighting Designer) is the Resident Designer, including stage and graphic design, for Constellation Theatre Company. Previous designs with Constellation include: The Oresteia, The Good Woman of Setzuan, The Arabian Nights, and A Dream Play. He has designed for such companies as Opera Cleveland, The Maryland Opera Studio, Opera Vivente, The Kennedy Center,, Imagination Stage, The InSeries, SCENA Theatre, Washington Shakespeare Company, Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia, Didactic Theatre Company, The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington D.C., The Huron Playhouse, Catholic University of America, The Washington Ballet, The Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the National Postal Museum, among others. He received an M.F.A. in Lighting Design from the University of Maryland at College Park.
Kate Loveric (Properties Design) is pleased to return to Constellation Theatre Company after being a Scenic Artist for A Dream Play. Other properties credits include Properties Artisan at Syracuse Stage, Properties Apprentice/Props Run Crew Head at Goodspeed Musicals, and Stage Carpenter/Props Runner at The Shakespeare Theatre Company. Kate is currently pursuing a graduate degree in graphic design.
Yvette M. Ryan (Costume Designer) is happy to be designing another exciting show at Constellation Theatre Company. Previous designs include: The Arabian Nights, The Good Woman of Stezuan, and The Oresteia. Her designs have also been on stage at Catholic University of America, Everyman Theatre, Forum Theatre, Imagination Stage, The In Series, Journeyman Theatre Ensemble, Rorschach Theatre, The Studio Theatre, and Washington Shakespeare Company. Yvette received an M.F.A. in Costume Design from The University of Maryland, College Park.
Tom Teasley (Composer) is pleased to be returing to Constellation Theatre Company
after having composed orginal music for The Oresteia, The Good Woman of Setzuan and The Arabian Nights. He has toured with the United States Navy Band and has been an artist-in resident at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He has collaborated with the National Symphony as a composer and soloist in Robert Kapilow’s D.C. Citypiece. As an international collaborator, he has performed by invitation at the 6th International Percussion Festival in Rio Negro, Argentina and plans to travel to Bahrain to teach and perform at the 16th International Music Festival. When not on tour, Tom teaches in a private studio, presents workshops and school programs, and continues developing new compositions and recordings.
Cliff Williams III (Fight Choreography) is happy to return to Constellation Theatre Company after having been the fight choreographer for The Oresteia. His regional choreography credits include: The Scene Off-Broadway at Second Stage in New York: Dracula; Actors Theatre of Louisville; four of the six humana festival plays of 2006. His local credits include Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Dead Man’s Cell Phone, (Helen Hayes Award Winner for Best New Play); Arena Stage: Gem of the Ocean; The Inkwell: OK; Scena Theatre: The Maids; Forum Theatre: Antigone; and Firebelly Productions: Twelfth Night. For a full bio please see his website: www.CliffWilliamsIII.net.
Brendon Vierra (Sound Designer) is pleased to be returning to Constellation Theatre Company after having designed the sound for A Dream Play. Other sound design credits include: Gala Hispanic Theatre: Tu Ternura Molotov, Fuego Flamenco III, Latino Negro, Elliot: A Soldier’s Fugue, Fuego Flamenco II; Signature Theatre: Fallen from Proust; Arena Stage: 33 Variations – workshop; Catalyst Theatre Company: The Trial; American University: Machinal, Urinetown: The Musical; Didactic Theatre Company: Orange Flower Water, The God of Hell. Projections Design: Actors Theatre of Washington: Tramps and Vamps, Sexe v3.0; Arena Stage: 33 Variations – workshop. Upcoming productions include: Catalyst Theatre Company: Roundheads and Peakheads; GALA Hispanic Theatre: The True Story of Coca-Cola in Mexico, Fuego Flamenco IV.
Temptation Performance Calendar
October 9 - November 9
Performances are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
There is a special Monday performance on November 3rd at 8:00p.m.
All performances are at Source, 1835 14th Street NW.
Ticket Prices:
Adults: $20
Seniors/Students: $15
Groups of 10 or more: $17
Subscription Package: 3 Shows for $54.
Select a Date on the Calendar to Purchase Tickets.
Katie Atkinson (Dr. Lorencova) is pleased to return to Constellation Theatre Company after having been seen in last season’s productions of The Good Woman of Setzuan and The Arabian Nights. Other local credits include Spooky Action Theater Company: The Marriage of Bette and Boo; Forum Theatre: Antigone and The Skriker; Shakespeare Theatre Company: Lady Windermere’s Fan; Synetic Theater Blackout Series: My Way Little Girl; Rorschach Theatre: A Bright Room Called Day; Capital Fringe Festival: Local Story, Short Works Exploring Dangerous Devotion; The Hatchery Festival: The Woodpecker. She has worked as an actor and teaching artist at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, MA. Katie has a BFA in Drama from Syracuse University.
Frank Britton (Fistula) is happily making his Constellation debut. A DC native, and graduate and faculty member of the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, he has appeared with many area theatres including Arena Stage: Orpheus Descending; Forum Theatre: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Antigone, Everyman; Theater Alliance: Insurrection: Holding History — Helen Hayes Award nomination, Outstanding Ensemble; and has also appeared with Washington Shakespeare Company, Scena Theatre , Rorschach Theatre, ganymede Arts, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, Didactic Theatre Company, Tsunami Theatre Company, Venus Theatre, The Hatchery Festival, and Capital Fringe Festival ’06 &’07, among others. Upcoming Projects Include: Forum Theatre: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (re-mount); Journeymen Theater Ensemble: The Inspector General; Round House Theatre: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. 
Jennifer Crooks (Marketa) is excited to once again work with Constellation Theatre Company after appearing as Cassandra in The Oresteia. She is a graduate of the Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory. She has collaborated in creating the original ensemble pieces: Love & War: with the Bard’s Women, and Iconicity, which each premiered in the ’07 and ‘08 Capital Fringe Festivals, respectively. Jennifer is an artistic associate with The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, where she appeared as Trania in Taming of the Shrew and a Witch in Macbeth. Coming up, she will join the ensemble in Roundheads and Peakheads with Catalyst Theater Company.
Nick DePinto* (Dr. Foustka) is pleased to be working with Constellation Theatre after appearing as Apollo in The Oresteia. CREDITS include: Michigan Shakespeare Festival: Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night; Hilberry Theatre: The Kentucky Cycle Pt I & II, Macbeth, Henry IV Pt 1, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Cherry Orchard, Misalliance; Shakespeare Theatre Company: Richard III; Olney Theatre Center: 13 Rue du L’Amour, Democracy; Kentucky Repertory Theatre: Murderer, Merry Wives of Windsor, A Christmas Caroll; Antioch’s Shakespeare Under the Stars: Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It; National Players: The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing. Nick received a BA from Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH; studied theatre at the Moscow Art Theatre School and acquired his MFA through the Hilberry Theatre in Detroit, MI.
Gwen Grastorf (Petrushka) is delighted to be working with Constellation Theatre Company again, having performed in The Oresteia and The Arabian Nights. Other local credits include: Washington Shakespeare Company: Peace; Rorschach Theatre: Rough Magic, Fair Ladies at a Game of Poem Cards; Capital Fringe Festival: Power House, Nutshell, The Trojan Women; Beckett Centenary Festival: Come and Go; Hatchery Festival: The Disappearance of Janey Jones, and Source Festival 10-minute plays. Gwen is a producing team member of eXtreme eXchange and earned a BA in theatre from the University of Maryland, College Park. 
Heather Haney (Vilma) is enjoying her first collaboration with Constellation Theatre Company. Local credits include Longacre Lea: Theories of the Sun (Choreographer); Washington Shakespeare Company: Red Noses (Marguerite, Choreographer), Hedda Gabler (Hedda), Caligula (Drusilla), Macbeth (Witch #2); The Shakespeare Theatre Company: Much Ado About Nothing (Ensemble, Hero u/s); Much Ado About Nothing at the Carter Barron Free For All (Ensemble); The Inkwell at the Page-to-Stage Festival: OK (Josie); Active Cultures: Mad Breed staged reading (Blanche); Fountainhead Theatre: Top Girls (Jeanette). She can currently be seen on the g14 productions’ Internet series Reservation at thereservation.tv, and in the Unknown Pengiun feature Festivale. 
Ashley Ivey (Deputy) is thrilled to be joining Constellation Theatre Company for their second season after performing in The Oresteia, The Good Woman of Setzuan , and A Dream Play. His choreography has also been seen in Constellation’s A Dream Play, The Arabian Nights, The Good Woman of Setzuan, and The Oresteia. Ashley is proud to be an Associate Artist with Constellation Theatre Company. Some of his recent local acting credits include: Catalyst Theatre Company: 1984, The Trial; Forum Theatre: Marat/Sade; Open Circle Theatre: Songs for a New World; In Series: Petpourri; Ganymedea: Never The Sinner, The Ruffian on the Stair, The Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, SEXE! The Floorshow. 
Lisa Lias (Mrs. Houbova/Secret Messenger) returns to Constellation Theatre Company for her fifth production, having appeared in A Dream Play, The Arabian Nights, The Good Woman of Setzuan and The Oresteia. Other credits include roles for Forum Theater, Imagination Stage, Stanislavsky Theatre Studio, Source, Olney, Everyman and Horizons as well as appearances at the New York International Fringe Festival and the Capital Fringe Festival. 
John Tweel (Dr. Kotrly) was last seen with Constellation Theatre Company as Shahryar in The Arabian Nights. John was most recently seen portraying Robert Kennedy in The Titans at the American Century Theater. Other local credits include Olney Theatre Center: 1776; Washington Shakespeare Company: Marat/Sade, A Walk Across the Rooftops; Solas Nua: Scenes from the Big Picture (2007 Helen Hayes Nomination, Outstanding Ensemble); Catalyst Theatre Company: The Elephant Man, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (2006 Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Ensemble), and Signature Theatre: The Gospel According to Fishman. John will make a featured appearance on America’s Most Wanted later this fall.
Ron Ward (Dr. Neuwirth) is happy to be returning to Constellation Theatre Company for a third appearance, after having been seen in The Oresteia as Aegisthus and The Good Woman of Setzuan as Yang Sun. Ron has worked with Fraudulent Productions, Trumpetvine Theatre, Uncommon Repertory, Maryland Ensemble Theatre, Baltimore Poe Museum’s Birthday Celebration, Lincoln Square, Moving Dock Theatre, Dallas Shakespeare Theatre. Ron has appeared in several national advertisements as well as on the History Channel’s True Crime Authors: The Westies as Mickey Featherstone. Ron studied theater performance and political science at Virginia Commonwealth University and received a Certificate of Dramatic Study from Trinity College, Dublin Ireland. 
Scott Zeigler (Dancer) is glad to be working with Constellation Theatre Company. He has recently appeared as Victor Sitnikov in Firebelly Theater’s production of Nothing Sacred and Roger Doremus in Eccentricities of a Nightingale at the American Century Theater. He received an undergraduate theatre degree from Greensboro College.