'Intrigue And Love' at the Bouwerie Lane Theatre

Thu 27 Jan 2005 'Intrigue And Love' at the Bouwerie Lane Theatre Friedrich von Schiller's Intrigue And Love in an all new translation commissioned by the Cocteau by Lynn Marie Macy, opens on the 20 Feb at the Bouwerie Lane Theatre, following previews from the 11 Feb and runs in repertoire through to the 22 May 2005. Intrigue And Love will be directed by David Fuller and features Sara Jeanne Asselin, Natalie Ballesteros, Angus Hepburn, Amanda Jones, David Ledoux, Lynn Marie Macy, Jay Nickerson, Ralph Petrarca, Mickey Ryan and Chad A. Suitts. The creative team includes Michael Carnahan (scene design), Sean Sullivan (costume design), David Kniep (lighting design) and Charles Berigan (sound design). Intrigue And Love is the story of Ferdinand von Walter and Louisa Miller, he a nobleman, she of the middle class, and their tragic love. Ferdinand's father, the President, refuses the match in favor of Lady Milford, mistress to the Duke. Wurm, a court secretary, has his own designs on Louisa. Lady Milford has her heart set on Ferdinand. In the end, the lovers become victims of a secret intrigue and Death is the only alternative. Written in 1784, Intrigue And Love (Kabale und Liebe) is a landmark in the history of drama whose influence resonates through Ibsen to the modern age. Schiller's unique voice and his passionate engine that drives the characters to their inexorable end, make for emotionally thrilling theater. So much so, that Verdi was inspired to turn it into the opera 'Luisa Miller' David Fuller comments, "In Intrigue And Love we are engaged from the opening moments and become breathlessly embroiled in the emotionalexcitement as the story unfolds. The engine which drives the play, which keeps us transfixed, is passion. Webster defines it as "extreme, compelling emotion; intense emotional drive or excitement," including great anger, rage, fury, strong love, sexual drive or desire. Every one of these elements is present in Schiller's play. From the white-hot core of pure love springs a storm of passion, which spirals outward, engulfing all in a tempest of emotions. Passions pile upon passions, relentlessly, concatenating until their shear forces rend the lives into inexorable tatters." Jean Cocteau Repertory (an Actors Equity off-Broadway company, in residence at the Bouwerie Lane Theatre) remains the nation's only resident ensemble performing a full non-stop, 52-week season of rotating repertory.