October 20 - November 5
Linda promises that if you listen — really listen — she can take you to the “thin place,” the fragile boundary between our world and the next. Hilda is grappling with loss and seeking answers. She is listening — hard. This spine-tingling new play examines the things we don’t know and can’t understand. THE THIN PLACE toys with perception, asking are psychic abilities real, or merely a cunning illusion that awakens our deepest desires?
Lucas Hnath (Playwright) is a Tony Award nominated playwright whose plays Hillary and Clinton and A Doll’s House, Part 2 have recently played on Broadway. Hnath’s other plays include Red Speedo, The Christians (Obie Award, Kesselring Prize, Outer Critics Circle Award), A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, Isaac’s Eye and Death Tax. His plays have been produced Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop (where he is a Usual Suspect), Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep and Ensemble Studio Theatre (where he is a member). Hnath’s plays have also premiered at the Humana Festival of New American Plays, Victory Gardens Theater and South Coast Repertory. Awards include the Whiting Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, Steinberg Playwright Award and Windham-Campbell
Literary Prize.
John Schmor (Director) has directed As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, Tempest, Or Not To Be, Far Away, The Clean House, and The Winter' Tale for the Lord Leebrick Theatre Company, and for Oregon Contemporary Theatre has directed The Thirty Nine Steps, The Understudy, The Flick, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.
Trish DeBaun (Linda) is excited to be stepping for the first time onto the OCT stage. In 2021, as part of the virtual NW10 Playwright Festival, she was seen as Sylvie in On the Porch. A few favorite stage roles include Claire in This Random World, Alice in Rapture, Blister, Burn and Annette in God of Carnage. She has appeared in film and tv, commercials and print work. She sends much love to her friends and family for they support her tirelessly in all of her endeavors. A special thanks goes to the amazing cast and crew and to a special little blind senior rescue dog named Maya who is the best study partner ever.
Vanessa Greenway (Sylvia) was last seen on the OCT stage as Nora in A Doll's House, Part 2 (also written by Lucas Hnath). She sings regularly at The Shedd Institute with the Emerald City Jazz Kings, Oregon Festival of American Music, and in their theatrical series (most recently in Sweet Charity). Vanessa grew up in Eugene and returned a few years ago with her husband and sons after enjoying a 24 year career in Chicago, where highlights included receiving Joseph Jefferson Awards for her performances in The Constant Wife (Griffin Theatre) and The Night Season (Vitalist Theatre) and working with The Hypocrites, Chicago Shakespeare, Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Porchlight, Timeline, Live Bait and Eclipse Theatres, among others. She’s a movement educator specializing in Pilates and Gyrotonic®️ and earned her BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. She’s grateful to be welcomed back into Eugene’s thriving performing arts community!
Cloud Pemble (Jerry) is excited to be back at OCT. He performed in OCT’s productions of Silent Sky, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Clybourne Park, and Shrimp & Grits: She's Gone. In the last several years Cloud’s most notable roles have been at the SHEDD, where he played Sky Masterson in Guys & Dolls, Georg Nowak in She Loves Me, and just last month had the pleasure of playing Oscar Lindquist in Sweet Charity. Cloud loves to stargaze, disc golf, and rockhound with his wonderful girlfriend Jessie.
Erica Towe (Hilda) is an actor, producer, director, and educator based in the Eugene/Springfield area. In addition to making theatre in the Eugene/Springfield area, she is a part-time faculty member of theatre and improv at Lane Community College, workshop facilitator of Improvisation for Creatives and Daily Living, company member with Theatre 33 in Salem, Oregon, and producer for the NW10 Play Festival. She has her BA in Acting and Communications and Masters in Education. Erica says a big THANK YOU to everyone involved in creating The Thin Place and is thrilled to be a part of this production.
Riley Allen (Scenic & Lighting Designer; Production Assistant) graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelors in Theatre Design and Production. Riley's lighting design credits include Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Oregon Contemporary Theatre), Lady Be Good (The Shedd Institute for the Arts), and scenic design credits include Man and Moon (Oregon Contemporary Theatre), Round the Mountain (CWU Ghostlight Lab Series), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (CWU Theatre Arts) and The Year of the Solar Eclipse (The Wild Project). Riley is excited to be setting the atmosphere of this story through the subtle tones of light and scenic design.
Chris Lewis (Sound Designer; Sound Engineer) is a live performance sound technician and recording/mixing engineer, joining the staff at Oregon Contemporary Theatre in August 2022. Chris also works with George Relles Sound and IATSE 675 as a stagehand and a/v technician, and he can be found moving pianos with Carter Piano services. Chris started his professional audio career in Eugene at The Shedd Institute, where he was acting Technical Director, managing light, projection and sound design. Sound design credits include Annie and White Christmas (The Shedd) and live sound mixing for Hedwig And The Angry Inch (OCT). When not doing shows or moving pianos, Chris enjoys playing guitar and soccer (not at the same time), or listening to music or a good story.
Laura Tuffli (Production Stage Manager; Production Assistant) recently graduated from the University of Oregon in 2022, majoring in Theatre Arts and minoring in Music. They have spent their time in theatre focusing on costumes, wigs and makeup. Costuming credits include: The 39 Steps, After the Revolution, 12 Angry Jurors (Pocket Playhouse); Birds Flying Through, James and The Giant Peach (LCC), Man and Moon, What The Constitution Means To Me (OCT) assistant costume design for Hay Fever (University Theatre); makeup/wig design for A Midsummer Night's Dream (The Tall Tale Players), makeup/wig stylist and assistant stage manager for Hedwig And The Angry Inch and The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley (Oregon Contemporary Theatre). Upcoming projects include Costume Designer for Wunderkammer (LCC). Laura is very excited to be a part of this production!
Amy Weinkauf (Props Designer) is part of a family of artists who love good story telling. She has worked on and off the stage in support of a variety of productions within the local arts community. Her roles at OCT include property designer, NW10 acting and directing alum, and NW10 producer. 143.
Erin Wills (Costume Designer) is has previously designed at OCT for Colonialism is Terrible, but Pho is Delicious, Something Clean, Alabaster, A Doll’s House Pt 2, Buyer and Cellar, Art, The Roommate, Thanksgiving Play, Fun Home, 39 Steps, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Lucky Me, Clybourne Park, A Bright New Boise, Tribes, Next to Normal and Fahrenheit 451. She graduated from the University of Oregon and completed MFA work in costume technology at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Additional credits include the Old Globe Theatre, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, New York City Center and Broadway productions.
Linda promises that if you listen — really listen — she can take you to the “thin place,” the fragile boundary between our world and the next. Hilda is grappling with loss and seeking answers. She is listening — hard. This spine-tingling new play examines the things we don’t know and can’t understand. THE THIN PLACE toys with perception, asking are psychic abilities real, or merely a cunning illusion that awakens our deepest desires?
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