Actors’ Shakespeare Project in Collaboration with Boston University School of Theatre Presents Let the Right One In
A thrilling collaboration between BU School of Theatre and Actors’ Shakespeare Project
Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist | Presented in special arrangement with Concord Theatricals | By Jack Thorne | Directed by Christopher V. Edwards
Actors’ Shakespeare Project launches its 19th season with a collaboration and regional premiere. Let the Right One In by Jack Thorne, based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, will be produced in collaboration with Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Theatre and performed at the Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre in the heart of BU’s Commonwealth Avenue campus, from October 20 through November 6, 2022.
Let the Right One In is the first show in ASP’s 2022-23 season. 2022-23 represents the first fully programmed live season since the pandemic interrupted operations in 2020.
Christopher V. Edwards, ASP Artistic Director and Director of the piece, who is also a senior lecturer at BU, speaks about ASP’s post-pandemic approach to both collaborations and content: “This season- and moving forward- we are making a concerted effort to be in community with other organizations and help bring ourselves closer to the city of Boston and the people with whom we live and serve. Boston is a city full of universities; building deeper relationships with these institutions is mutually beneficial for Boston theatre practitioners at all levels. This piece specifically suits this collaboration as ASP has a Resident Acting Company of deeply experienced mature actors and BU has incredible young talent enrolled in the School of Theatre. Let the Right One In is a play about the struggle of young people in middle school and the generational tension with their parents and teachers; both groups are easily cast with the talent in each organization.”
Let the Right One In specifically suits this collaboration as ASP has a Resident Acting Company of deeply experienced mature actors and BU has incredible young talent enrolled in the School of Theatre.
Susan Mickey, Director of BU School of Theatre, says, “We are excited to enter into a collaboration with Actors’ Shakespeare Project for our first production in the Booth Theatre. It is valuable for our student artists to work alongside Artistic Director Christopher V. Edwards and the professional company members of ASP. We are combining this energizing connection with a provocative piece of theatre.”
About the play itself, Edwards says, “Let the Right One In is a coming-of-age love story that is reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet and other love stories from Shakespeare. It’s a modern/supernatural take on two young people trying to find comfort, support, and partnership in their lives. At face value, it’s a vampire horror romance, but under that façade there is a story of people combatting extreme loneliness, reaching out for acceptance, and overcoming hate. This play is important now because we are in a time of recovery from extreme loneliness after years of pandemic closures. People are reaching out for acceptance and community. I also believe that this play appeals to young people on a different level than many of ASP’s offerings thus far in Boston. Like most classically centered arts organizations, we need to engage more young people and others who may not attend our shows given a perception of them being too intellectual or not inclusive. Finally, the time of year is perfect; this eerie production (not coincidentally) spans Halloween.”
About Let the Right One In
Oskar is a bullied, lonely teenage boy living with his mother at the edge of town when a number of sinister killings rock the neighborhood. Eli is the young girl who has just moved in next door. She doesn’t go to school and never leaves the apartment by day. Sensing in each other a kindred spirit, the two become devoted friends. What Oskar doesn’t know is that Eli has been a teenager for a very long time.
An enchanting and eerie vampire myth and coming-of-age love story adapted from the bestselling novel and award-winning film of the same name. As the play explores the monstrosity of humans and the humanity of monsters, we are reminded that love can transcend gender and our physical being.
Content Warning: Please be aware that this production is intended for mature audiences and has depictions and/or language of blood, bullying, partial nudity, death, and physical violence. Appropriate for ages 15 and over.
(in alphabetical order)
Lachlan Boyle – Torkel/Jimmy
Gabriel Graetz* – Kurt/Jocke
Leah Hohauser – Eli
Alan Kuang – Stefan
Michaela Lazarou – Nils
Jojo – Micke
Deborah Martin* – Mum
Sarah Newhouse* – Halmberg
Frankie Otis – Johnny
Richard Snee* – Hakan
Dennis Trainor, Jr.* – Dad/Mr. Avila
Mishka Yarovoy – Oskar
Acsa “AJ” Welker – Janne
Christopher V. Edwards – Director
Brian Robillard* – Production Stage Manager
Jolie Frazer-Madge* – Assistant Stage Manager
Paige D’Ambrosio – Sub Assistant Stage Manager
Alexandra Beller** – Movement Director
Emma Weller – Assistant to the Movement Director
Peyton Tavares – Scenic Designer
Magaret Shivers – Assistant Scenic Designer
Brenda Dziadzio – Paint Charge
Lily Bitner – Props Designer
Nia Safarr Banks – Costume Designer
Daniel Vigil – Assistant Costume Designer
Kevin Fulton – Lighting Designer
Margaret Garrity – Assistant Lighting Designer
Steve Tolin – Special Effects
Steve Vieira – Production Manager, ASP
Hannah Eckert – Production Manager, BU
Ben Lieberson – Technical Director, ASP
Becca Karlin – Technical Director, BU
Rachel Schladenhauffen – Assistant Technical Director
Celeste Delgadillo – Production Electrician
Grant Powicki – Assistant Production Electrician
Lena Broach – Assistant Production Electrician
Mackenzie Adamick – Sound Designer, Composer
Angela He, Assistant Sound Designer
Irene Wang, Audio Engineer
(in alphabetical order)
Lyndsay Allyn Cox – Operations Manager
Louise Croteau – Bookkeeper
Christopher V. Edwards – Artistic Director
Victoria Omoregie – Social Media Coordinator
Mara Sidmore – Managing Director
Jules Talbot – Graphic Designer
Steve Vieira – Production Manager
Lindsay Williams – Director of Education
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association
** Member of SDC, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
TICKETS
OCTOBER 20 – NOVEMBER 6, 2022
Individual tickets are $52.50 and can be purchased in advance at any time. A limited number of tickets per show are reserved as “pay what you can” and will be available for purchase at the beginning of each performance week.
BU School of Theatre students will receive a code for 1 comp ticket for the run. $15 student rush tickets will go on sale for all BU students with ID at the box office 30 minutes before curtain, subject to availability.
About BU School of Theatre
The School of Theatre in the College of Fine Arts at Boston University was established in 1954 as one of the country’s leading institutions for the study of acting, stage management, design, production, and all aspects of the theatrical profession. In recent years, the School of Theatre has evolved into an energetic place that values the notion of “the new conservatory.” From that idea, several core School of Theatre values emerge:
- We believe in the artistic possibilities of collaboration that involve faculty, students, alumni, and guest artists in potent explorations of the art form that encourage working together as the best means for achieving artistic growth.
- We believe that artists must be provided with a rigorous curriculum that allows mastery of the skills of their particular area of interest, be it in acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, design, production, or management.
- We believe that every member of our community is a part of the artistic home that we create together. In that home, we nurture an appreciation of challenge, a conviction for the value of everyone’s potential, and a belief in the need for intellectual growth as a core part of developing artistic growth.
- We believe that the School can serve the profession by interacting with it and providing a laboratory for the development of new work or new approaches to existing work. Like our colleagues in the sciences, our role as stewards within an excellent research institution is to be on the forefront of exploring new possibilities for the theatre.
For more information, visit bu.edu/cfa/theatre.
About Actors’ Shakespeare Project (ASP)
Actors’ Shakespeare Project is an award-winning professional theater company with a Resident Acting Company and extensive education, youth and community programs. ASP works and performs in found spaces, schools, and theaters in Boston neighborhoods. We present and explore the robust language, resonant stories, and deeply human characters in Shakespeare’s plays and in other language-based contemporary playwrights. Our work is focused on intimacy, storytelling, language, relationships, voice, risk and artistry within and throughout the Boston area. For more information, visit actorsshakespeareproject.org.