The Ruby Sunrise - ENSEMBLE THEATRE

Australian Premiere - The Ruby Sunrise
By Rinne Groff
From 8 October 14 November, 2009
Cast: Hollie Andrew, Paul Gleeson, Glenn Hazeldine, Catherine McGraffin, Amanda Muggleton, Jonathan Prescott, Matilda Ridgway
Director: Sandra Bates, Designer: Claire Moloney, Lighting Designer: Gavan Swift

A dramatic tale of ambition, dreams and the hope of a brand new age of communication.
Who was the real inventor of television, John Logie Baird, Vladimir Zworykin or Philo T. Farnsworth? What if it had been Ruby, a poor, self-educated girl who, in 1927 created the first working photo-cathode tube in her Aunt Lois's barn in Indiana but only her boyfriend Henry knew about it? Fast forward to 1952 and a television studio in the grip of the McCarthy-era's censorship and communist witch hunts where talented writer, Tad Rose, is looking for a new and exciting idea for a television play. When he meets script editor and bright spark, Lulu, daughter of Ruby, whose own ambition is to tell her mother's story - whatever it takes - all his dreams seem to have come true.
Playwright Rinne Groff was inspired to write The Ruby Sunrise by the story of Philo T. Farnsworth, the farm boy from Idaho who was amongst the first inventors to produce an electric television transmitter. Groff has made Farnsworth into a girl whose journey to escape an abusive home life leads her to enter the race to invent the first working television and escape her disadvantaged background. Matilda Ridgeway makes her professional debut in the role of Ruby. Amanda Muggleton returns to the Ensemble stage for only the second time in the dual roles of Rubys Aunt Lois and the actress Ethel Reed. Paul Gleeson and Hollie Andrew last worked together on the feature film Somersault and are reunited as a studio executive and television starlet. Glenn Hazeldine last appeared at the Ensemble in Tuesdays With Morrie and Jonathan Prescott played opposite Greta Scacchi in the Ensembles production of Mary Stuart in 2008. Catherine McGraffin has previously appeared in Trying, Charitable Intent and Death of a Salesman for Ensemble Theatre.
acclaimed new play a roller-coaster ride of surprises runs the gamut from powerful drama to side-splitting humour to compelling intrigue and then back again Theater Mirror

as inventive as anything youll see this side of Alan Ayckbourn or Tom Stoppard. clever and full of heart never less than entertaining. The Providence Phoenix

SEASON DETAILS:
VENUE: Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli, NSW, 2061
DATES: Previews: 8 14 October, opens 15 October, plays to 14 November, 2009




PERFORMANCES: Performance times vary
PRICES: $39 - $63 (booking charges may apply)




BOOKINGS: 02 9929 0644 or www.ensemble.com.au
FURTHER INFORMATION / INTERVIEWS / IMAGES please contact:
Merran Doyle 0419 999 607 / (02) 9905 4644 email: merran@merrandoyle.com.au

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• ENSEMBLE
• THEATRE
• Australian
• Premiere
• The
• Ruby
• Sunrise
• Rinne
• Groff
• Sandra
• Bates
• Hollie
• Andrew
• Paul
• Gleeson
• Glenn
• Hazeldine
• Catherine
• McGraffin
• Amanda
• Muggleton
• Jonathan
• Prescott
• Matilda
• Ridgway
• Claire
• Moloney
• Sydney

[CHAMTV09]

Loved this !! Act 2 was brilliant !