Albright College’s Domino Players will present Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage, Feb. 23 to 26, in Albright’s Wachovia Theatre. Julia Matthews, Ph.D., associate professor of theatre, will direct the production.
Set in 1905, Intimate Apparel tells the story of Esther, an independent but lonely African-American seamstress who earns her living making beautiful corsets for other women. When a Caribbean stranger starts a long-distance correspondence with her, Esther begins dreaming of an intimate life of her own. Against the background of a rapidly changing New York City, Esther and the other migrant characters pull against the social constraints that lace them even more tightly than corset strings. Nottage, a Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright, chronicles the hopes and heartbreaks of ordinary people in this haunting drama.
A playwright and screenwriter, Nottage’s plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Her recent play, Sweat, which is soon moving to Broadway, is set in Reading in the early 2000s, and focuses on the city’s industrial decline. Nottage spent years researching the region. The play also mentions Albright, as one plant worker dreams of attending the College as a way to improve his future outlook.
Sets and costumes for the Domino Players’ production of Intimate Apparel have been designed by Paula Trimpey, associate professor of theatre and fashion; lights and sound have been designed by Wayne Vettleson, associate professor of theatre.
Additional performance-related events for Intimate Apparel include:
Feb. 23: A talkback and reception will follow the performance.Feb. 24: Albright’s short-form improv ensemble, Less Than or Equal To, will present a show in Roop Hall following the performance.Feb. 27: Panel discussion at 7 p.m., in the Campus Center South Lounge, co-hosted by the local chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW).
Performances of Intimate Apparel will be held Feb. 23 to 25, at 8 p.m., and on Feb. 26, at 2:30 p.m. For prices and tickets, call the box office at 610-921-7547 or visit www.albright.edu/centerforthearts.
The Center for the Arts is located on the Albright College campus at 13th and Bern streets, Reading, Pa. For more information, please call 610-921-7715, or visit www.albright.edu/centerforthearts.
