People, Places and Things
AUTHOR
by Duncan Macmillan
DIRECTOR
Carolyn Coulson
PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS was first produced by Headlong Theatre Company
and the National Theatre at the Dorfman Theatre on September 1, 2015,
after which it transferred to Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End of London on March 15, 2016.
SCENIC AND PROPERTIES DESIGNER
Jessica Lynn
COSTUME DESIGNER
Karsen Green
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Liam Heyl*
TECHNCAL DIRECTORS
Austin Stiles* and David Steinmetz
SOUND DESIGNER
Maggie Waite
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER
Genevieve Layton*
*in partial fulfillment of a B.F.A. in Theatre Design & Production
PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)
Any photography, video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
October 26–29, 2023
Glaize Studio Theatre
Shenandoah Conservatory
This production contains flashing lights, loud and high-pitched sounds, and stage smoking of herbal cigarettes, as well as adult language and mature topics, including the depiction of drug and alcohol use, addiction, recovery, suicide and self-harm. Contact the Box Office or speak with an usher for more information.
I saw the National Theatre’s original production of People, Places and Things in London in 2016, and I was blown away. It was theatrical, compelling, disturbing, thought-provoking and moving – everything I want theatre to be. As we were preparing this year’s season, I proposed two titles. One was charming, safe, had name recognition, and I was confident we could do a solid production. The other was this risky, challenging play by Duncan MacMillan, with a main character who never leaves the stage and the heavy subject matter of addiction. There are no easy roles in it. It straddles different styles, notably expressionism and realism, and, frankly, most college programs are not “up to it.” But I love a good challenge, and fortunately my fellow acting faculty LOVE taking a risk too!
So, here we are, with a theatrical, compelling, disturbing and thought-provoking show. I hope you also find it moving. It isn’t easy for any of us — not for the actors, designers or for the audience. All of your senses will be activated: characters smoke, swear and abuse substances; lights flash and sounds rings in our ears. But at the heart of the sensory chaos, the play is honest and real, and it matters profoundly.
We are all touched by addiction, whether it is through a family member, a friend or ourselves. During our rehearsal process, we were lucky enough to have a visit from Meredith Speir, one of the founders of The Recovery Connection here in Winchester, who spoke honestly about her own experiences, many of which are remarkably similar to those we witness and hear about in the play. The golden nuggets of wisdom that I took away from this session are that addiction is a “brain disease with behavioral symptoms,” and the opposite of addiction is connection. When a cast member asked how we can continue to learn about and help others understand substance use disorders, the response was “keep doing plays like this. Keep the subject alive.” We are all deeply grateful to Meredith for grounding our story in truth and hope.
While this play may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the story is important for everyone. If it makes you think of loved ones with whom you’ve lost contact, a relative who died long ago, or the child you cannot understand, then we have done our job. If you emerge from the theatre thinking a little differently about substance abuse or wanting to find out more, then we have done our job. If you leave weeping about lost opportunities or fractured families, then we have done our job.
Buckle in. It’s a wild ride.
– Carolyn Coulson
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