February 23, 2008 - World Premiere
Ravensridge
Written by T.S. Cook, author of "The China Syndrome".
Directed by James Reynolds.
It’s Russia, 1992, about two years into the life of the new democratic society. The old style police state is gone, replaced by a new, home-grown form of uncontrolled capitalism. The strong can still crush the weak underfoot, but the strong are the rich instead of the State.
Will Torrey is an American steelworker and an officer of his striking labor union. He has come to Russia to confront Richard Miller, the real owner of the steel mill in Ravensridge, West Virginia. Miller is a financial criminal and a fugitive from American justice who is now protected by the richest man in the new ownership class in Russia.
Pursuing Miller, Will has accidentally killed a Russian security guard, and so now languishes in a Moscow prison, where is grilled by a Major in the MVD (local law enforcement). Viktor, the Major, has discretion over the ultimate fate of Will, who may face up to thirty years in a Russian prison. The meantime, Lilly, Will’s beautiful American companion, is being shadowed by cop Mikhail, who fancies her.
Miller can make Will’s nightmare of incarceration go away….if Will sells his union brothers and sisters back in Ravensridge down the river and betrays everything his life has stood for.
What will he do? This story is inspired by real events. The playwright is T.S. Cook, who was nominated for an Oscar ® and a Golden Globe ® as the co-writer of the screenplay for “The China Syndrome.” He has also had a busy career as a producer and writer for television, including series like “Baretta” and “Airwolf” and movies for TV including co-writing the teleplays for prestige fare like “The Tuskegee Airmen” and the remake of “High Noon.”
Directed by James Reynolds. Best known for his Emmy-nominated role of over 20 years as Abe Carver on “Days of Our Lives,” he owns and operates the Fremont Centre Theatre with his wife Lissa. His recent credits there include directing the long-running hits “National Pastime” and “The Tangled Snarl/Murder Me Once,” as well as starring in his solo play surveying Black history, “I, Too, Am America.”
The stars of “Ravensridge” include Jed Reynolds and Vaughn Armstrong. Jed starred as Jackie Robinson in “National Pastime.” Vaughn recently starred at Fremont Centre Theatre in the hit play “Joanna’s Husband and David’s Wife.” He also enjoys a nationwide legion of devoted fans from his many appearances on various “Star Trek” TV shows, particularly the “Enterprise” series, where he played Commodore Forrest.
The cast also includes Robert Trebor, Emily Adams, John Sklaroff and Kim Story. Set design: Victoria Profitt. Lighting design: Carol Doehring. Costume design: Lois Tedrow
T.S. Cook knows his way around a political drama, and “Ravensridge” may be one of the most eagerly anticipated plays of 2008.
