INTIMATE APPAREL Comes to Asolo Rep in February

Asolo Repertory Theatre is set to unfurl the intricate tapestry of forbidden romance in INTIMATE APPAREL, a searing, sensual, and powerful story, by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage and directed by Austene Van. Previews begin on February 28, opens on March 1 and runs through April 18, 2024, in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

Set in 1905 New York City, INTIMATE APPAREL, follows Esther, a Black seamstress seeking love and companionship. Esther spends her days sewing corsets for other women but hasn't found love for herself. When she receives a letter from a Barbadian man working on the Panama Canal, Esther kindles an exchange that leads to marriage with a stranger, even while her heart is drawn to a Jewish shop owner who's promised to another woman.

“It's brilliantly written and it's relevant still,” said Van, Director of INTIMATE APPAREL. “I cry every time I read it because I can relate to almost everyone who's desiring an honest type of love that has trust and communication. A love where you can just be you. We're still fighting for those things today, society is still telling us: you can't love that person, you can't do this, you can't be this, you can't, can't, can't. This play is going to be relevant until we learn that we can love who we want to love.”

Van has a three-decade career as an actor, director, and choreographer, and is recognized for her "quietly powerful" and "innovative" contributions. Van loves the idea that we as human beings have more in common than differences and she is committed to social justice, education and building her community. Awards include the 2013-2014 McKnight Fellowship and an IVEY for Trouble in Mind. As a director, Van has led impactful productions at Yellow Tree Theatre, Skylight Music Theatre, Ordway's McKnight Theater, and more.

Nottage's lyrical and heart-wrenching play is a modern classic exploring the power of human connection. A Brooklyn-based playwright renowned for works like Crumbs from the Table of Joy, Nottage's diverse portfolio includes Las Meninas, premiered at San Jose Repertory in 2002. Her plays have graced Off-Broadway and various regional theaters, earning her numerous awards, including the AT&T Onstage award.

The leading role of Esther is Aneisa J. Hicks, and she is making her debut appearance on the Asolo Rep stage. Her most recent credits include POTUS (Steppenwolf Theatre- u/s Chris), POTUS (Hippodrome Theatre- Chris), The Ripple, The Wave that carried me home (Goodman Theatre/ Berkeley Repertory Theatre- Helen), Hurricane Diane (Theater Wit-Beth), and The Mountaintop (TheatreSquared- Camae). Rounding out the cast are Sasha Andreev (Mr. Marks), Curtis Bannister (George), Trezure B. Coles (Mayme), Regina Marie Williams (Mrs. Dickson), and Adelin Phelps (Mrs. Van Buren).

The creative team features Austene Van (Director), Drayton Alexander (Dramaturg), Jeff Lowe Bailey (Sound Designer and Original Compositions), Alexa Burn (Assistant Stage Manager), Summer Dawn Wallace (Intimacy Coordinator), Patricia Delorey (Voice & Dialect Coach), Alan C. Edwards (Lighting Designer), Michelle Hart (Hair/Wig & Make-up Design), Michael Hoover (Scenic Design), Matthew J. LeFebvre (Costume Design), Matthew T. Parker (Projection Design), Jacqueline Singleton She/Her (Stage Manager), and DeWanda Smith Soeder (Cultural Competency Coordinator).

Prepare to be woven into the enchanting tapestry of INTIMATE APPAREL and witness the story unravel before you from February 28 to April 18, 2024. Previews are February 28-29, with opening night March 1, 2024. Visit asolorep.org for a full performance schedule. Tickets start at $35 and are available now in person at Asolo Rep's Box Office at 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, by phone at 941.351.8000 or 800.361.8388, or online at asolorep.org