Steppenwolf.org
A Dublin Carol
2007 Trinity Rep in Providence, Rhode Island & 2008 Steppenwolf theater, Chicago.
The play, which debuted at London’s Royal Court Theater in 2000.
  
 
Two years ago, he did Dublin Carol with Amy Morton at Trinity Rep in Providence, Rhode Island.
 
Billy taking time out to give interviews in 2007 at the Trinity Rep theater
Billy reprises the role of John, a man whose life was nearly destroyed by drinking, now holds down a steady job at a Dublin undertaker’s office. When his estranged daughter appears on Christmas Eve with disturbing news, it sets off a series of painful confessions that ultimately offer John a chance to escape the burdens of his past.
Thursday November 6, 2008 — Sunday December 28, 2008
Billy in rehearsals for a Dublin Carol 24th October 2008
Photographs by Mark Campbell
Yahoo News - 5 Extra Performances of A Dublin Carol have been announced
Newly added tickets are for performances Dec. 26-28, and are now on sale. It opens Nov. 16.
Five Performances Added to Steppenwolf's 'Dublin Carol', With William Petersen
Dublin Carol, featuring Stephen Louis Grush, William Petersen and Nicole Wiesner, runs Nov. 6-Dec. 28 in Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St., in Chicago.
Steppenwolf Blog - Posted 30th October
We rehearse spontaneity
by Stephen Louis Grush (Billy's Co-star in a Dublin Carol)
Dublin Carol - speaks to me as a simple play that has just as equally simple truths… There’s no knock down drag out theatrics and the main tensions of the piece live in the characters and their relationships which unravel through conversation. Unfortunately for us up there on the stage, sometimes the simplest of ideas are the hardest to offer to you, the audience. The intricacies of people’s relationships, and the subtleties of real conversation are some of the hardest to nail down…because, quite simply, if it’s not grounded in truth the audience can smell your bullshit from a mile away. I’m lucky, though, to be surrounded by such a group of people. Makes my job a little easier… Having a director with the tools and the knowledge that Amy does and knowing that there are a couple of actors like Billy and Nicole that have your back…we’re allowed to work on the smaller things…all the little details. At times it’s like surgery: the way Billy moves all his props around trying to figure out just exactly where all these inanimate things live in this world he’s created for himself. The focus of Amy’s notes and her vision of the play as a whole…it’s the details. We’re trying to find the truth here, right down to the brand of whiskey.
Melissa's Reminder - Like she really needs one!
Your next play at Steppenwolf is Dublin Carol on November 7 at 7:30 pm. The approximate running time is 1 hour and 20 minutes with no intermission. If you have a scheduling conflict or have lost your tickets, please call Audience Services at 312-335-1650 for assistance.
Production Sponsor of Dublin Carol:
Great Ways to Get Ready for Dublin Carol:
READ an interview from our Backstage magazine between William Petersen and Artistic Director Martha Lavey.LOOK at a photo gallery of the cast and crew in rehearsals for the play.READ a blog post from actor Stephen Louis Grush about starting work on Dublin Carol. |  |
7th November Opening night Pictures
Photographs by Mark Campbell
See Billy in action on Stage!
If you want to see a little of Billy in action at the Steppenwolf in A Dublin Carol here is a link with two videos of him in action on stage. I have to say it was a little strange hearing him use an Irish Accent
Thanks & credit to alice56
7th November - Melissa goes to see Billy in A Dublin Carol
Mellisa reports back to us on her night - A Dublin Carol
November 7, 2008 had finally arrived. I had my “Dublin Carol” tickets tucked safely away for about six weeks and I was ready to take them out and redeem them for my front row seats. I had read that the theater was smaller, seating about 299 people, so I was excited to not only be in the same room as William Petersen but as close as seating allowed. Well little did I know that my adventure would start even before the lights dimmed and the play started.
My Mom and I left for the Steppenwolf around 3:30pm. Even though I only live about 30 miles outside of Chicago, with rush hour traffic I wanted to make sure we got there on time. We finally arrived about 5pm but the lobby did not open until 5:30pm. (Guess I didn’t learn my lesson from waiting out in the cold for the Chicago History Museum event).
Luckily there is a common area where the box office is located just before the lobby doors, but inside. We spoke to a very nice lady in the box office area who told us the lobby doors would be opening shortly. I stood up against the wall and noticed a door about two feet to my right.
We stood talking and suddenly the door opened and this man came out, waved to the lady behind the box office glass, and headed outside. As he moved past us I looked at the side of his face and saw a familiar beard. He also had that “Grissom” walk. I grabbed my Mom’s arm, which caused her to jump, and in the calmest voice possible I said “That’s HIM, That’s William Petersen!”. By this time he walked out the doors and down the street so when Mom turned to look he was already gone. Not sure if that was him or not, Mom walked over to the box office window and asked the lady who the man was that just walked out (since he waved to her). She smiled and said “That was William Petersen”. Trying not to embarrass myself by jumping up and down, I took a deep breath and calmed down.
Well of course as soon as my heart rate returned to normal, I looked up and there he was walking back towards the doors to come inside. Unfortunately something caught his attention and he moved to walk down the street. By this time the lobby doors had opened and it was time to go in.
So I stood there feeling the warm air from the lobby and said to Mom “Go in, are you kidding? I’m standing right here until he comes back”. So Mom headed into the lobby while I stood in the cold doorway waiting for my chance to get a picture with William Petersen. I had my camera in hand standing right in the doorway waiting anxiously knowing that he (and anyone else who wanted to get in the theater) had to walk past me. I waited and waited and waited until an usher from the lobby must have noticed me because they came over and told me it was time to come inside. There went my chance for a picture. There went my chance to see him up close. By that time I would have been happy with just the chance to see his AWESOME blue eyes again but that was over……or so I thought.
|
 |
After getting on the elevator to head to the Upstairs Theater there was another lobby area with seating and huge posters of William Petersen on the walls. After taking a couple of pictures I sat down and waited until they opened the doors to the theater to begin seating. I watched all the people gather around when I glanced over to the elevator and there he was again. This time I did a double take because when I first looked over I didn’t expect to see William Petersen right in front of me and when I looked back quickly he looked straight at me! There they were. Those beautiful blue hypnotizing eyes looking right back at me and I couldn’t even think to move. He looked at me while he was walking, rubbed his beard, looked down and went through the back stage door. I have been kicking myself for not jumping up, running to him, and asking for a picture, but when you look into those blue eyes it just kind of stops you in your tracks.
The theater doors opened, we walked inside, and my surprises for the evening were not over yet. We had seats A10 and A11. Not only were we front and center but the stage was so close I could lean forward and touch it.
Once the play started and the actors were on the stage, including William Petersen, I was so close it was mesmerizing. The whole play takes place in John’s (WP) living room and I actually felt like I was IN the living room with them. I even felt the cool air come from the door when the actors left the room to go “outside”. And I can’t sayenough about William Petersen. His character is an alcoholic who’s struggling to reconnect with his estranged daughter and a wife he left, who is now dying. At the same time he is a mentor to a young man who works for him. The play was somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster. It would go from sad to serious to funny all within the same lines. William Petersen does and awesome job switching the emotional gears of his character. And it’s not just the lines he delivers flawlessly but his persona as well. His appearance and facial expressions convey not only what his character is trying to say, but what he is feeling. The ending leaves you to draw your own conclusions, yet gives you insight into a character that some of us may all know in real life. To watch William Petersen on CSI and the emotions that he displays on camera is intriguing but to see him act on stage in person in captivating. And even though I didn’t get a picture with him, just to see him up close and in person was enough…..although….. do you think it’s too early to line up for “Blackbird”?
Thank you to Melissa for a very good and often funny report on A Dublin Carol - I am sure all our members will enjoy reading it (Although somewhat green with envy, like me)
=============================
News Articles & Reviews
Life’s not a beach for in-demand Morton
16th November - Chicago Sun Times - by Hedi Weiss
As for working with Petersen: “He is very good at reminding himself of what has to be done for the theater rather than TV. I think he was a bit nervous about the initial go-around in this play, so he didn’t want it done first in Chicago. It’s tough for any actor to come back to the stage after being away for so long. There are all those questions: Can you still memorize? Do you still have the voice?”
Full article @ Chicago Sun Times
------------------------
16th November - Steppenwolf's "A Dublin Carol"; Death, drink and William Petersen
by Chris Jones
At this weekend's opening of Conor McPherson's anti-festive drama "Dublin Carol," three colossal entities battled for domination of the Steppenwolf stage. Death. Drink. And William Petersen. Since Petersen is probably the most interesting of the trio, I'll take 'em in reverse order. Petersen, the star of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," hadn't been out on stage for long Saturday night before a woman's voice rang from a neighboring row. "He looks like a completely different person," she said, as Petersen essayed McPherson's melancholy, alcoholic undertaker. One had to resist the urge to rise pretentiously from one's seat, screaming, "that's because he's an actor."
The Full article which is interesting to read, & can be found following the link below
Chicago Tribune.com
------------------------
20th November - Another review @ The Chicago Reader
by Albert Williams
A show this dark might be a hard sell at the box office without a name actor. The Steppenwolf staging has one: William Petersen of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, making his first onstage appearance here in ten years. The young actor-athlete—remembered for viscerally exciting performances in such productions as In the Belly of the Beast, The Tooth of Crime, and Once in Doubt—has become a jowly graybeard, but lost none of his chops. Petersen’s deep connection to the text and compact, economic movement perfectly convey a man whose cautious demeanor hides an endless inner struggle.
Full Article @ Chicago reader
21st November - A Dublin Carol to be extended yet again,
but must end on the 4th January!
Thanks again to billypetersen.co,
24th November - Chicago Stage Review
by Venus Zarris
William Petersen plays John, the mostly recovering alcoholic undertaker. This is a meaty role and Petersen renders it with skill but there is noticeable trepidation as if he doesn’t fully allow himself to immerse in the character. Stephen Louis Grush plays Mark, his young assistant. Grush is convincing and likeable.
For the full article follow the link below;
Chicago Stage Review
2nd December Billy Joins the Steppenwolf list of Ensemble
William Petersen, the longtime star of the TV drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and now an actor re-dedicated to Chicago theater, is becoming the 42nd member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company's storied acting ensemble. "I've known many of these Steppenwolf guys for 30 years," the Evanston-born Petersen said Monday afternoon. "The place feels like home for me. I was very honored to be asked."
Petersen said that he hopes to be on stage at Steppenwolf at some point during the 2009-10 season. "There are a lot of guys there now and we're all around the same stage," he said, lightly, of the competition for a slot. "I just want to be on the stage telling stories."
Source Chicagotribune.com - credit billypetersen.com
11th Decenber - Jorja Fox goes to visit Billy at the Steppenwolf to watch A Dublin Carol
It was reported by a fan of William Petersen @ billypetersen.com, that Jorja Fox went to visit Billy at the Steppenwolf theater & watched the play some time last week.
Link to fan reviews on the billypetersen.com site which also includes 3 recent pictures of him; billypetersen.com
Steppenwolf Holiday Luncheon 12th December 2008
Ensemble member William Petersen, Artistic director Martha Lavey, Board chairman Doug Brown Executive director David Hawkenson share a champagne toast to the Steppenwolf at the annual luncheon earlier this week.
Source - The Steppenwolf theater official site
4th January 2009 - Billy's performance for this show has now ended
His next performance on stage will be @ The Victory Gardens theater Chicago - July 3rd - August 9th 2009
The Victory Gardens Theater.org
3rd February 2009 - Billy is to appear at the Steppenwolf Theater again next season!
The "CSI" star William Petersen will be doing Samuel Beckett at the Steppenwolf Theatre next season—he'll be playing a Hamm.
Petersen joined the ensemble in 2008. His appearance—alongside Rondi Reed, Francis Guinan and Ian Barford—as the tyrannical character Hamm in Frank Galati's production of the absurdist allegory "Endgame" (April 1-June 6, 2010) is among several intriguing highlights of Steppenwolf's 2009-10 season, officially announced on Tuesday. "That kind of cast makes the show a pleasure," says artistic director Martha Lavey.
Source Chicagotribune.co. - Credit billypetersen.com
 
Written in French, and then translated into English, by Beckett, "Endgame"
was given its first London performance at the Royal Court Theatre, in 1957.
The book is available @ Amazon.com
In the down stairs Theater
Thu. April 1, 2010 — Sun. June 6, 2010
The End Game @ The Steppenwolf Theater
Directed by ensemble member Frank Gallati
Featuring ensemble members Ian Barford, Francis Guinan, William Petersen and Rondi Reed, In the downstairs theater.
Overview of the play.
Beckett’s absurd comic masterpiece follows Hamm, a blind man unable to stand, and his servant Clov, who is unable to sit, as they pass their days in a tiny house by the sea—if the sea still exists. Pestered by Hamm’s parents, they move through their daily rituals, awaiting the end of everything. A powerful all-ensemble cast anchors this profound exploration of the stories we construct to make sense of our lives.
==========
I will update as i receive any further information on Billy's future involvement as an Ensemble member of the Steppenwolf Theater!
Most of the news and information on this page is Credited billypetersen.com, The Steppenwolf Theater site & Melissa!
|
Share this
