2010-2011 Season

The Red Balloon

by Albert Lamorisse
Adapted for stage and directed by Park Cofield
With Léandre Thivierge, Park Krausen, Christof Veillon, Christopher Mont, Jeffrey C. Zwartjes, Alicia V. Wilson, and the Children's Ensemble

February 16-27, 2011
at 7Stages Back Stage, 1105 Euclid Ave.

This classic story about a young boy who makes friends with a shiny red balloon comes to life in a brand new stage adaptation featuring puppetry and live original music. Based on the beloved 1956 film. Performed in a combination of French and English -- no French required for the whole family to enjoy!

Bal Masqué

Our first annual Masked Ball gala fundraiser

Saturday, November 13, 2010
8:00pm
At the Alliance Française, Colony Square

Join us for music, masks, and marvels at this gala fundraiser benefitting Théâtre du Rêve. A silent auction will complete this fabulous evening of fun and fellowship. Tickets $30 for theatre industry and under 30, $60 all others. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS!

Get ready for the big night -- come to our Mask and Wig Making Workshop on Thursday, Nov. 4, 5:30-9:30pm at the Alliance Française, Colony Square. $20 includes all materials and wine! Come relax, have a good time, and make a one-of-a-kind mask to complement your attire! Tickets available at the door or online in a package with your Masked Ball ticket.

2009-2010 Season

Vive La Fontaine!

Directed by Ariel de Man
With Carolyn Cook, Adam Fristoe, Park Krausen and J.C. Long

Horizon Theater: October 16-25, 2009
1083 Austin Ave, Atlanta, GA

Our Suzi Award-winning show is back by overwhelming demand! Based on the fables of Jean de La Fontaine, featuring such favorites as the Tortoise and the Hare. The fables are told with music, dance, puppetry, acrobatics and much more! The performance is in French, but ne vous inquiétez pas, you don't need to speak a word of French to enjoy the stories and fun in this hypervisual play!

L'Acteur Sacrifiant

Adapted and directed by Valéry Warnotte
Dramaturgy by Amin Erfani
With Chris Kayser, Park Krausen, Eliana Marianes, Grégory Montel and drummer Fred Lamarre

Performing Arts Studio, Emory University: January 15-24, 2010
8:00pm Fridays and Saturdays, 3:00pm Sundays
Pay-what-you-can Preview: Thursday, January 14 at 9:00pm - *Note time change*

Wit, subversion, a challenge to the theatre-going experience as we know it -- French-Swiss playwright Valère Novarina's works come to life with irreverence and exploration in this new creation from Théâtre du Rêve and Compagnie L'Intervention in Paris. Théâtre du Rêve is collaborating with Emory University to bring the work of Valère Novarina to Atlanta this season. Novarina is one of the most important visionaries and one of the most interesting authors in contemporary French theatre. He is often produced at the international Avignon Festival, and we are happy to be one of the first companies to bring him to the U.S. We have commissioned new translations of his work into English (by Amin Erfani of Emory); Warnotte adapts excerpts from this living playwright's dramatic and theoretical works into a dynamic, funny, challenging and experiential piece. Novarina questions the core of theatre and asks the audience to "come back into the theater" and throw out our preconceptions. He seeks to invent a new theatrical language that is closer to our own heartbeats and hits our funny bones, that tickles us in places we didn't know we were ticklish!

Made possible in part by grants from the Emory College Center for Creativity & Arts and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.

L'Acteur Sacrifiant will tour to Washington, DC, April 12-14, 2010. US tour facilitated by the Alliance Française USA, April 1-15, 2010: for more details and booking information, visit the site of the Délégation Générale.

Developed partly in workshop with Novarina and the Emory University Department of French and Italian in February 2009, as well as at the Festival des Francophonies en Limousin in September 2009.

La Pièce Entre la Langue et L'Identité

A staged reading
With local actors and members of Atlanta's Francophone communities

Clarkston Community Center: Monday, March 29, 2010 - 7:00pm
3701 College Avenue, Clarkston, GA, 30021
Tel: 404.508.1050
Entrance for donations at the door

Imperial Fez restaurant: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 - 6:30pm
Drinks and Tapas start 6:30pm, performance 7:30pm - stay for dinner and make it a night out!
Tickets $30 at the door

Théàtre du Rêve is delighted to celebrate Francophonie Month this March with all of Atlanta! We will perform a staged reading of texts gathered from all over the French-speaking world, exploring the interplay between language and identity. Music, dance and drumming will round out two evenings of works from Haiti, Martinique, Africa, Viet Nam, Quebec, Louisiana and other points on the globe. This will be a truly international experience! Texts will be read by actors and members of Atlanta's Francophone communities!

For more information: 404.875.3829

2008-2009 Season

Voir un Ami Pleurer, by Olivier Coyette

Directed by Valery Warnotte
Featuring Carolyn Cook, Ariel de Man, Liz Hartnett, Chris Kayser, Joe Knezevich and Park Krausen
Atlanta remount -- 14th Street Playhouse: September 11-14, 2008
International tour -- Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles, Paris: November 12-16, 2008
US tour, with the partnership of the Délégation Générale des Alliances Françaises USA --
La Maison Française, Washington, DC: April 4, 2009
Portland High School, Portland, ME: April 10, 2009
Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, NY: April 22, 2009

Théâtre du Rêve presents this commission from Belgian playwright Olivier Coyette about the ever-changing, dynamic relationship between France and the United States and our ever-challenged identities. The play attempts to show how the United States inspire dreams across the world as much as we aggravate and sometimes, move others. The title of the play, which is also a song by Jacques Brel, sheds light on the direction of our movements: America suffers. The play revolves around the relationship between Americans and French, revealing stereotypes and prejudices along the way. Through comical situations and a wonderful sense of humor, Olivier Coyette creatively reiterates the theme that "you can’t live with them, you can’t live without them."

Performed in a combination of French and English with supertitles in the opposite language.
A dark and light comedy with poetry and music. Appropriate for ages 12+

2007-2008 Season

365 Days/365 Plays, by Suzan-Lori Parks

Directed by Park Krausen, Amanda Baker, Joe Knezevich, Barry Stewart-Mann and Donald McManus
Intenational Farmer's Market, Chamblee, GA: July 2007

TdR's week as part of the nationwide performances of Parks' works.

Discovering the Past, by Suehyla El-Attar
A Théâtre du Rêve company creation

High Museum of Art, Atlanta: October 2007-May 2008

Théâtre du Rêve performed for school groups at the High Museum to complement their experience of the Louvre Atlanta exhibition; in English, beginner or advanced French.

Voir un Ami Pleurer, by Olivier Coyette

Directed by Valery Warnotte
Featuring Carolyn Cook, Ariel de Man, Chris Kayser, Joe Knezevich and Park Krausen
World premiere -- 14th Street Playhouse, Atlanta: January 24-27, 2008

The world premiere of a new play commissioned by Théâtre du Rêve from Belgian playwright Olivier Coyette about the ever-changing, dynamic relationship between Europe and the US and our ever-challenged identities. The play attempts to show how the United States inspire dreams across the world as much as we aggravate and sometimes, move others. The title of the play, which is also a song by Jacques Brel, sheds light on the direction of our movements: America suffers. The play revolves around the relationship between Americans and French, revealing stereotypes and prejudices along the way. Through comical situations and a wonderful sense of humor, Olivier Coyette creatively reiterates the theme that "you can’t live with them, you can’t live without them."

2006-2007 Season

Une Visite du Roi and Fit for a King, by Lauren Gunderson and Carolyn Cook
Théâtre du Rêve company creations

Featuring Carolyn Cook, Park Krausen, Adam Fristoe, Angus Whyte, Laura Whyte, Charlie Burnett, Andrew Kearns and Amreen Ukani
High Museum of Art, Atlanta

Théâtre du Rêve performed for school groups at the High Museum to complement their experience of the Louvre Atlanta exhibition; in English, beginner or advanced French.

Trois Pièces Courtes de Beckett

Pas (Footfalls), directed by Walter Asmus of Germany, Samuel Beckett’s assistant
Va et Vient (Come and Go), directed by Adam Fristoe
Catastrophe, directed by Ariel de Man
Featuring Carolyn Cook, Park Krausen, Adam Fristoe, Angus Whyte, Laura Whyte, Charlie Burnett, Andrew Kearns and Amreen Ukani
7Stages, Atlanta: Fall 2006

TdR's part in Atlanta's Year of Beckett, a celebration of the playwright's work and influence in the world of theatre and writing.

2004-2005 Season

Les Précieuses Ridicules, by Molière

Directed by Ariel de Man
Featuring Carolyn Cook, Park Krausen, Adam Fristoe, Angus Whyte, Laura Whyte, Charlie Burnett, Andrew Kearns and Amreen Ukani
7Stages, Atlanta

A contemporary staging of this classic about two girls obsessed with and under the spell of "l'air precieux", the air of sentimentality and romance that pervades high society. The girls are duped by the servants of men of quality posing as fashionable Parisian aristocrats, living "l'air precieux".

2003-2004 Season

Vive La Fontaine!
A Théâtre du Rêve company creation

Directed by Ariel de Man
Featuring Shaun Whitley, Park Krausen, Adam Fristoe and Carolyn Cook
7Stages, Atlanta

An evening of music, movement, and dazzling entertainment based on the fables of Jean de La Fontaine. Ariel de Man directs this company-created piece, which features original music by performers Shaun Whitley, Park Krausen, Adam Fristoe, Carolyn Cook and music director Scott dePoy. 2006 Suzi Bass Award Winner in the Best Musical Ensemble Category.

2002-2003 Season

Dissident, Il Va Sans Dire (Dissident, Goes Without Saying) by Michel Vinaver

Directed by Vincent Murphy
Featuring Carolyn Cook and Adam Fristoe
7Stages Backstage Theatre, Atlanta

Vinaver's touching examination of a mother and son dealing with the agony of failed communication and personal loss. How they endure, how they argue, how they connect (and fail to connect) are Vinaver's subjects. Performed in both French and English. Photo © 2001, Jonathan Burnette

2001-2002 Season

Le Mariage Forcé The Forced Marriage by Molière.

Directed by Carolyn Cook
Featuring Chris Kayser, Adam Fristoe, Angus Whyte, Park Krausen and Joel Ganz
7Stages, Atlanta

When an older man seeks a beautiful young wife, his troubles are only just beginning. Chris Kayser stars as Sganarelle, with an ensemble of versatile actors (Adam Fristoe, Angus Whyte, Park Krausen, and Joel Ganz) playing all the other roles. Original music and choreography by the cast.

2000-2001 Season

Antigone by Jean Anouilh.

Directed by Peter Ganim
Featuring David deVries, Rachel Fowler, Adam Fristoe, Park Krausen, Carolyn Cook, Chris Kayser and Peter Ganim
7Stages, Atlanta

Anouilh's classic treatment of Sophocles' original tragedy: the story of a young girl who chooses death with honor over life. Director Peter Ganim places our production in an unspecified Middle Eastern state, bringing timeless themes directly into the present world. Photos © 2000, Jonathan Burnette

1999-2000 Season

L'Autorisation, by Pierre Bourgeade

Directed by Peter Ganim
Featuring Chris Kayser and Carolyn Cook
The Atlanta International School

Kayser and Cook star in this intimate portrait of two lonely people caught together in a web of bureaucracy at the Russian border. When a border guard refuses a woman's passport based on a technicality, she is forced to stay with him and adopt his rigid principles -- with deadly consequences.

1998-1999 Season

La Cantatrice Chauve, by Eugène Ionesco

Directed by Peter Ganim
Featuring Chris Kayser, Carolyn Cook, Park Krausen, David deVries, Angus Whyte and Christina Goddard
7Stages, Atlanta

Ionesco's absurdist classic comes to life as M. and Mme. Smith spend an evening at home with unexpected guests. An ensemble of six actors play with language's inability to communicate.

1997-1998 Season

Huis Clos, by Jean-Paul Sartre

Directed by Peter Ganim
Featuring Rachel Fowler, Chris Kayser, Brian Kimmell and Carolyn Cook
7Stages, Atlanta

Hell is other people in this existential nightmare, set in a stark white environment with no place to hide. Ganim's production has audience members entering through the same door to what will ultimately become the place of no exit for the cast of doomed characters.

1996-1997 Season

La Leçon by Eugène Ionesco

Directed by Peter Ganim
Featuring Chris Kayser, Carolyn Cook and Christina Goddard
7Stages, Atlanta

Our inaugural season brings to life this absurd comedy about a professor who, by degrees, inspires, frightens, and kills his hapless students. Chris Kayser gives a tour de force performance as the Professor in Peter Ganim's hilarious production, which also stars Carolyn Cook and Christina Goddard.