National Arts Centre English Theatre
Peter Hinton, Artistic Director
An NAC English Theatre Company/The Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre (Montreal) coproduction
"[Sam Shepard is] one of the most original, prolific and gifted dramatists at work today."
- The New Yorker
Ottawa, Ontario – The National Arts Centre English Theatre is thrilled to kick off 2009 with a production of Sam Shepard’s Pulitzer Prize winning play,
Buried Child , directed by NAC English
Theatre Artistic Director Peter Hinton, running in the NAC Theatre from January 6 through 24.
Set on a run-down farm in the Midwest U.S., the play revolves around the unannounced homecoming of a long lost grandson. Vincent brings his girlfriend home to meet his folks – the only problem is that the folks don’t know who he is and the Norman Rockwell-like exterior of his grandparents’ farmhouse belies the disintegration of the family within and the terrible secret they’re hiding.
Buried Child , the play that launched Shepard’s fame as a dramatist, and for which he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1979, remains as powerful, funny and scathing a commentary on the dysfunctional American family, as it was when it was first produced – a recent Broadway production was nominated for two Tony Awards.
He has been called the "elusive cowboy of American theatre," and is widely considered to be among America’s finest living playwrights. Few American playwrights have exerted as much influence on the contemporary stage as Sam Shepard. His plays are performed on and off
Broadway and in all the major regional American theatres and widely across Europe. He has written over 40 plays, and yet he is probably best known to the public for his many roles in film.
Sam Shepard truly is an icon of the modern theatre.

Director Peter Hinton is joined by an extraordinary cast featuring Clare Coulter, David Fox,
Adrienne Gould, Randy Hughson, Alex Ivanovici, John Koensgen, Christie Watson. Set and
Costume Design by Eo Sharp, Lighting Design by Robert Thomson, Sound Design by Troy
Slocum, Assistant Lighting Designer Michelle Ramsay, Assistant to the Director Elif Isikozlu.
The Stage Manager is Laurie Champagne and the Assistant Stage Manager is Todd Bricker.
“
I chose this play because Sam Shepard has a pulse on the American way of life
,” said Mr.
Hinton. “
He is a playwright that is able to speak about American culture from within it from a very insightful way . He also speaks challenging and critically of many of the myths that make up what is called the American Dream .”
Audience Advisory: Mature Themes.
"[Buried Child is a] mesmerizing Midwest Gothic comedy filled with the blackest of humor... a horrific yet hilarious journey into a world where blood is thicker than water -- and freely spilled.
- Michael Kuchwara, Associated Press.
Special Thanks to Ottawa Citizen, Media Partner of the Theatre5 Series
Buried Child plays from January 6 through 24, 2009 in the Theatre at the National Arts Centre
Pay-What-You-Can: Tuesday, January 6
Previews : Wednesday, January 7 & Thursday, January 8
Opening : Friday, January 9
At the Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre in Montreal from February 1 through 22, 2009
Hinterview : Saturday, January 10 at 1 p.m. in the Panorama Room
NAC English Theatre Artistic Director Peter Hinton will be interviewing
Eo Sharp, Robert Thomson and Troy Slocum, designers for Buried Child
Talkbacks : Wednesday, January 14 & 21
Thursday, January 15 & 22
Student Club: Friday, January 9
A club designed with students ages 16 – 22 in mind.
In the NAC Theatre: Evening performances Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday matinees are at 2 p.m. (no performances on Sunday or Monday)
Adults: $26 to $61 Previews: $35
Students: $14.25 to $31.75 Previews: $18.75
Groups of 10+ receive great discounts! For more information contact grp@nac-cna.ca or visit our webpage.
Tickets are available for purchase:
In person at the NAC Box Office
At all Ticketmaster outlets
By telephone from Ticketmaster, (613) 755-1111
Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca)
A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster

This performance is eligible for the Live Rush programme.
Students with a valid Live Rush (tm) membership card may buy up to 2 tickets per eligible performance at the discount price of only $11 per ticket. New this year! All unsold tickets for
Live Rush(tm) eligible performances will be made available to Live Rush(tm) members on the day before the performance starting at 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. on the day of the performance. This includes all available seats, including the best seats in the house.
Check out liverush.ca
for information on obtaining a Live Rush card.
For any information, please call:
Sean Fitzpatrick, Communications Officer, National Arts Centre English Theatre
613-947-7000 ext. 389; e-mail: sfitzpat@nac-cna.ca
Or visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca
-30-