Delecia Turner Sonnenberg Makes Globe Directorial Debut in Skeleton Crew

SAN DIEGO —San Diego director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg makes her Globe debut to helm the award-winning drama, Skeleton Crew, which is presented in association with San Diego’s MOXIE Theatre, where Turner Sonnenberg is Founding Artistic Director.

Times are tough in 2008 Detroit, but there’s still one working auto plant. The long hours and demanding shifts have turned the line workers into a family. The firm, compassionate Faye holds them together, and she’s only months away from retiring with her full pension. But when she discovers that management has a new plan, she’s torn between self-preservation and allegiance to her coworkers. Ben Brantley of The New York Times called Skeleton Crew “a deeply moral and deeply American play … squarely in the tradition of Arthur Miller.”

Skeleton Crew runs April 8 – May 7, 2017 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Thursday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $29, on sale now, and can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

The cast is led by Tonye Patano (Globe’s The Last Goodbye, Craig Noel Award winner for La Jolla Playhouse’s Ruined, “Weeds”) as Faye and also includes Amari Cheatom (On the Levee at Lincoln Center Theater, Django Unchained) as Dez, Brian Marable (Morisseau’s Detroit ’67 at Baltimore Center Stage and Detroit Public Theatre) as Reggie, and Rachel Nicks (The Good Negro at The Public Theater, War at LCT3, “Nurse Jackie”) as Shanita.

The creative team includes Tim Mackabee (Scenic Design), Jennifer Brawn Gittings (Costume Design), Sherrice Mojgani (Lighting Design), Lindsay Jones (Sound Design), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Peter Van Dyke (Production Stage Manager).

Dominique Morisseau (Playwright) is the author of The Detroit Project (A 3-Play Cycle), which includes the plays Skeleton Crew (Atlantic Theater Company), Paradise Blue (Williamstown Theatre Festival), and Detroit ’67 (The Public Theater, Classical Theatre of Harlem, and National Black Theatre). Her additional plays include Sunset Baby (Labyrinth Theater Company), Blood at the Root (National Black Theatre), and Follow Me to Nellie’s (Premiere Stages). She is an alumna of The Public Theater Emerging Writers Group, Women’s Project Theater’s Playwrights Lab, and Lark Playwrights’ Workshop, and she has developed work at Sundance Institute Theatre Lab and Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference. Her work has been commissioned by the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Women’s Project Theater, South Coast Repertory, People’s Light & Theatre Company, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival/Penumbra Theatre. She currently serves as Executive Story Editor on the Showtime series “Shameless.” Ms. Morisseau has received the Stavis Playwriting Award, NAACP Image Award, Spirit of Detroit Award, L. Arnold Weissberger Award, PoNY Fellowship, Sky Cooper New American Play Prize, TEER Spirit Trailblazer Award, Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award, Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama (for Detroit ’67), and Obie Award (for Skeleton Crew).

Delicia Turner Sonnenberg (Director) is making her Old Globe debut. She is the founding Artistic Director of MOXIE Theatre, where she has directed many acclaimed productions. Her other local directing credits include San Diego Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Cygnet Theatre Company, Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company, New Village Arts, Diversionary Theatre, ion theatre company, and Playwrights Project. Her honors include the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle 2015 Director of the Year Award, Theatre Communications Group’s New Generations Program fellowship, San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Awards, a Women’s International Center Living Legacy Award, Van Lier Fund fellowship (Second Stage Theatre), and the New York Drama League’s Directors Project.

Additional events taking place during the run of Skeleton Crew include:

• INSIGHTS SEMINAR: Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 5:30 p.m.
  An opportunity to closely connect with productions both onstage and backstage. A panel selected from the artistic company of each show (playwrights, actors, directors, designers, and/or technicians) engages patrons in an informal and illuminating presentation of ideas and insights to enhance the theatregoing experience. Reception at 5:00 p.m. FREE.

• SUBJECT MATTERS:Saturday, April 15, 2017 following the 2:00 p.m. matinee.
  Explore the ideas and issues raised by a production through brief, illuminating post-show discussions with local experts, such as scientists, artists, historians, and scholars. Subject Matters will ignite discussion, bring the play’s concerns into sharp focus, and encourage you to think beyond the stage! FREE.

• POST-SHOW FORUMS:Tuesday, April 18; Sunday, April 23 (matinee); Tuesday, April 25; and Wednesday, May 3, 2017.
  Join us after the show for an informal and enlightening question-and-answer session with cast, crew, and/or Globe staff members. Get the inside story on creating a character and putting together a professional production. FREE.