IRT’s 2021-2022 Season Premiere The Book Club Play is up for discussion
Fizzy and unpredictable comedy invites audiences to join in on the laughs and secrets

Indianapolis, Ind.—After producing an entirely virtual season last year, the Indiana Repertory Theatre will open their doors again for the 2021-2022 Season, as well as continue to offer virtual options. The hybrid season will kick off with the with the tart comedy The Book Club Play, written by Karen Zacarías and directed by IRT’s Associate Artistic Director Benjamin Hanna. This fizzy, funny delight will be live on the OneAmerica Mainstage October 6 – 31 and available for streaming October 18 – 31, 2021.

“It is no coincidence that we selected a comedy to re-open our Theatre to live performance after an 18-month hiatus,” IRT’s Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director Janet Allen said. “Our shared need to laugh, to allow our perspectives to be broadened by sharing joy in the human condition, has rarely been more sorely needed.”

Set in 2013, The Book Club Play follows a group of 30-somethings whose book club is the subject of a famous documentary filmmaker. The members of the club differ in perspective, race, sexual orientation and viewpoint on the world so completely, that their colliding assumptions also create a ripe environment for the comedy.

“Playwright Karen Zacarías has written a whip-smart play that celebrates our relationships to the literature we love and the friends we cherish,” Director and IRT’s Associate Artistic Director Benjamin Hanna said. “Book clubs celebrate great stories and our ability to love different things. We hope you settle in with this quirky group for an evening of secrets revealed through the power of a good book.”

Zacarías, a Latina playwright, is one of the most produced playwrights in the nation. This production of her work coincides with National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs September 15 – October 16. The cast is made up of six actors from around the country, some of who are joining the IRT for the first time. Emily Berman, Sean Davis, Will Mobley, Adam Poss, Andrea San Miguel, and Cassia Thompson will bring to life these humorous and much-needed book club discussions for both our in-person and virtual audiences.
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Starting October 6 with our season opener, all IRT patrons attending public performances must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test (administered no more than 72 hours prior to the performance). This vaccine requirement will also apply to IRT artists, staff, and volunteer ushers. Masks will also be required in the building, regardless of vaccination status. Please visit irtlive.com/faq for the full information regarding this update. Our goal is that these are temporary measures, and we will continue to evaluate our policies in an effort to keep audience members, staff, and actors as safe as possible.

DETAILS

WHERE: Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington Street, OneAmerica Mainstage. Streaming online via irtlive.com.

RUN DATES: Live in-person October 6 – 31, 2021, various times. Streaming online October 18 – 31, 2021. The Book Club Play is approximately 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission. Tickets and performance schedule are available at IRTlive.com.

TICKETS: Tickets for live performances start at $25. Click to buy. Virtual tickets are $30. Click to buy.

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM:

EMILY BERMAN | Jen & Elsa
SEAN DAVIS | Rob & Sam
WILL MOBLEY | Will & Frank
ADAM POSS | Alex & Carl
ANDREA SAN MIGUEL | Ana
CASSIA THOMPSON | Lily & Mrs. Simpson

BENJAMIN HANNA | Director
JUNGHYUN GEORGIA LEE | Scenic Designer
ALEX JAEGER | Costume Designer
BETSY COOPRIDER-BERNSTEIN | Lighting Designer
SHARATH PATEL | Sound Designer
MIKE TUTAJ | Projections Designer
RICHARD J ROBERTS | Dramaturg
NATHAN GARRISON | Stage Manager
REBECCA ROEBER | Production Associate

SPECIAL EVENTS:
This production will have a filmed pre-show chat and post-show discussion available for viewing.

For more information contact Kerry Barmann, Marketing Communications Manager, at kbarmann@irtlive.com or 317.916.4824.

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ABOUT THE IRT
Founded in 1971, the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) is the largest professional not-for-profit theatre in the state and one of the leading regional theatres in the country. The mission of the Indiana Repertory Theatre is to produce top-quality, professional theatre and related activities, providing experiences that will engage, surprise, challenge, and entertain people throughout their lifetimes, helping us build a vital and vibrant community.
 

​Indiana Repertory Theatre announces mask, vaccine requirements for
2021-2022 Season
Patrons will need to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 PCR test starting October 6, 2021

Indianapolis, Ind.—In order to maintain a safe environment for all and stay true to its mission of producing live theatre, the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) will require patrons ages 12 and up to provide proof of a full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test in order to attend public performances beginning October 6, 2021. This policy is in addition to the current mask requirement for all patrons and staff regardless of vaccination status and age.
 
Patrons may show proof of full vaccination through the free Bindle app via smartphone, the physical vaccine card with a photo ID, or a digital photo of the vaccine card with a photo ID. The IRT will also accept proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test administered no more than 72 hours prior to the performance. Children ages 4 and older are allowed in the Theatre, and they must also have proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test, as well as wear masks.
 
In an effort to welcome families and share the joy of live theatre for this holiday family tradition, the only exception to this testing policy will be during the run of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Children 4 – 11 years of age are not required to obtain testing when accompanied by an adult who is fully vaccinated. Also, two performances of A Christmas Carol will be offered for fully vaccinated patrons only, regardless of age, on Sunday, December 12 at 6 pm and Tuesday, December 21 at 7:30 pm.
 
“When we planned our 2021-2022 Season, we had hoped to have fewer health and safety restrictions, but the recent surge in the number of COVID-19 cases has made us reconsider. In conjunction with our Board of Directors, we determined that requiring a vaccine for most patrons is the best choice for us to produce safely this season,” Managing Director Suzanne Sweeney said.  “We will continue to evaluate this policy as the season progresses.”
 
In addition to the mask and vaccination requirements, the IRT is implementing a number of other safety precautions around the Theatre. Bi-polar ionization has been added to the ventilation system, the HVAC system has been upgraded to MERV-13 filters, there will be continued and frequent sanitization of the space, and performances will have a smaller selection of concessions available. More information about the health and safety measures can be found at irtlive.com/faq.
 
“The safety of our artists, staff and audiences is our highest priority, and this policy will allow us to make our performances as safe as possible, while keeping them accessible for the greatest number of people,” Sweeney said. “With that, since our actors cannot perform while masked, it is essential that the rest of us do our part to keep them safe.”
 
With a commitment to the safety of all patrons, these decisions align the IRT with many other arts and live entertainment organizations in the city as the community works to create live entertainment after a year and a half of being virtual or shuttered. The IRT’s priority is patron, staff, and actor safety, and these temporary measures are to ensure that the IRT can continue its mission of producing high-quality, live theatre for the community and state.
 
To learn more about the upcoming in-person and virtual season, safety measures, and other frequently asked questions, please visit irtlive.com. For information regarding ticketing or virtual options, please contact the IRT Ticket Office at ticketoffice@irtlive.com or 317.635.5252.
 
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ABOUT THE IRT
Founded in 1971, the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) is the largest professional not-for-profit theatre in the state and one of the leading regional theatres in the country. The mission of the Indiana Repertory Theatre is to produce top-quality, professional theatre and related activities, providing experiences that will engage, surprise, challenge, and entertain people throughout their lifetimes, helping us build a vital and vibrant community.