Cygnet Theatre to Produce Staged-Reading of Stephen Metcalfe's "Tragedy of the Commons"!

Cygnet Theatre is proud to present the San Diego premiere staged-reading of acclaimed writer Stephen Metcalfe's Tragedy of The Commons. The cast will include Jim Winker, Manny Fernandes, Monique Gaffney, Francis Gercke, Veronica Murphy and Tim West and will be directed by Stephen Metcalfe. Tragedy of The Commons will be presented ONE NIGHT ONLY at Cygnet's Old Town Theatre on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 7:30pm. A wine and appetizer meet-and-greet will precede the reading, and a talk-back with the cast and playwright, Stephen Metcalfe, will immediately follow the reading.

Dakin Adams, a retired school teacher, spends his days writing and sending his thoughts - his blogs - out into the void that is the internet. His wife, Macy, walks the dogs and gardens. It would seem the only thing they have in common anymore is their home and their memories and their love of "the view"- the pacific ocean as seen from the back deck of the house. But now their neighbor is selling and the new owner is coming in to tear down and rebuild - build "up" - and the view - and the fragile relationship of two people - is in ever increasing jeopardy.

Stephen Metcalfe is an accomplished writer of stage, television and screen. His first produced screenplay was Jacknife, based on his Off-Broadway play Strange Snow. The film starred Robert DeNiro and Ed Harris and was directed by British stage and screen veteran, David Jones. He adapted screenplays for Paramount's Cousins (with Ted Danson and Isabella Rossellini) and Pretty Woman (with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, directed by Gary Marshall.) Other well-know works include Arachnophobia (directed by Frank Marshall), It Could Happen to You (with Nicholas Cage and Bridget Fonda), The Air Up There (with Kevin Bacon) and Mr. Holland's Opus (with Richard Dryfuss). His plays, which have been produced in New York and in regional theaters throughout the United States, include Loves & Hours, Vikings, Strange Snow, Sorrows and Sons, Pilgrims, Half a Lifetime, Emily, White Linen, The Incredibly Famous Willy Rivers, White Man Dancing and The Gift Teller. He is an Associate Artist at The Old Globe Theatre and is a member of the Playwright's Unit at The Manhattan Theatre Club in New York.

"We were incredibly excited when Stephen Reached out to Cygnet," said Associate Artistic Director Francis Gercke. "We have been looking to collaborate with playwrights of his caliber and reputation and bring some original works to our stage. We are thrilled to be asked to present Stephen's latest draft of this play to its very first audience." Gercke and Metcalfe met several times to discuss Tragedy of The Commons, as well as casting ideas and an agreeable date to stage a reading. In February 2010, Metcalfe's Tragedy will receive a three-day workshop at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Directed by Stephen Metcalfe, the cast of Tragedy of The Commons will include many familiar faces from Cygnet's current and past seasons. Associate Artistic Director Francis Gercke will take on the role of Spencer Common. Gercke has directed several Cygnet productions including the current production of Man from Nebraska and appeared on Cygnet's stage in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Number and Love Song. Resident Artist Manny Fernandes, who has appeared in Mauritius, A Christmas Carol, Communicating Doors and Bug will play Alan Common. Monique Gaffney will play Diane Gerard. Monique has appeared on the Cygnet stage several times including her award-winning performance in Yellowman and her current performance in Man from Nebraska. She will also appear in Cygnet's upcoming production of The Piano Lesson. Resident Artist Veronica Murphy, who previously appeared in It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, My Fair Lady and The Matchmaker, will play Macy Common. Tim West, previously was seen in It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Communicating Doors and The Invention of Love,will play Carl Mendelson.

Tragedy of The Commons will also feature Jim Winker in the lead role of Dakin Common. Jim Winker has appeared as an actor at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, South Coast Repertory, The American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, San Diego Repertory Theatre, the Guthrie Theatre, Hartford Stage, the Actors' Theatre of Louisville, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz and the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego where he is an associate artist. His one man show, Anthem for the Doomed Youth: The Poetry and Letters of Wilfred Owen was performed at the Mark Taper Forum literary cabaret and at The American Conservatory Theatre.