The Representatives present

PRIVATE MANNING GOES TO WASHINGTON
By STAN RICHARDSON

Featuring

E. JAMES FORD and MATT STEINER

Co-Directors: STAN RICHARDSON & MATT STEINER
Lighting & Set Designer: PAUL HUDSON
Sound Design: STAN RICHARDSON
Dramaturg: JORDAN SCHILDCROUT
Co-Producer: DONNY REPSHER
Production Stage Manager: ZACHARY TOMLINSON
Production Assistant: MAREN LAVELLE
Graphic Designer: MICHAEL CONSTANTINE
Projections: THOMAS KAVANAGH
Photographer: JAN WANDRAG
Press Representative: KEVIN P. McANARNEY/KPM ASSOCIATES
Community Outreach: CAITRIN SNEED
Hospitality Designer: LINDSAY MAIORANA

Studio at 345
345 West 13th Street (between Eighth & Ninth Avenues)
www.therepresentatives.org
Opening Night: December 4, 2016

Patriotism and whistleblowing. Two opposing concepts or two aspects of collaboration? In Stan Richardson’s PRIVATE MANNING GOES TO WASHINGTON this timely issue, based on actual events, is tackled. Writer Billy (E. James Ford) and Internet Activist Aaron Swartz (Matt Steiner) set out to create a play that will unlock compassion in order to encourage the release of Chelsea (used-to-be Bradley) Manning, who has been accused of leaking thousands of classified documents to Wikileaks. They craft an imagined meeting between President Obama, who during his initial presidential campaign upheld and praised whistleblowers, and Chelsea. As Obama justifies his policy changes, Chelsea speaks her conscience. Superb performances by Ford and Steiner make this both probable and powerful.

As America reels from its recent election where fear ruled and facts took a back seat to outrageous lies, integrity is a dying entity that must be fought for. Save our country or save ourselves? Are they one and the same? If so, why is Chelsea in jail being tortured? And why is the government bullying those speaking out about injustices? PRIVATE MANNING GOES TO WASHINGTON almost erases the line between fiction and reality and hopefully makes it impossible for you to leave unaffected. This should be required theatre for anyone concerned about the current state of our country.

- Laurie Lawson -