Next year’s season will feature landmark plays performed by strong casts
By Jim Flint for Ashland.news
Rogue Theater Company’s 2025 season promises a vibrant lineup of plays, featuring top-tier directors and actors from television, film, regional theater and Broadway.
The season announcement was made at reveal parties for major donors on Saturday, Nov. 16, hosted by Dick and Elaine Sweet of Ashland.
Artistic Director Jessica Sage says audiences can expect an exhilarating range of productions — from sharp-witted comedy to searing drama.
In the lineup are John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning “Doubt: A Parable,” a reading of Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” David Lindsay-Abaire’s “Ripcord,” and Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.”
Kraft workshops kick off season
RTC opens the season Feb. 8-9 with its annual Barry Kraft Shakespeare series. This year Kraft will lead audiences through “Julius Caesar” and “As You Like It,” offering unique perspectives on those classics. Both plays are in Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 90th anniversary season lineup next year.
Participants can join the workshops in person, via Zoom, or watch recordings at their convenience. Kraft, Sage’s husband, is a noted Shakespeare scholar. In 30 seasons at OSF, he served as dramaturg on nearly 50 Shakespeare productions. He has acted in 86 full productions of all 38 of The Bard’s plays, at OSF and other regional theaters.
Sage has assembled impressive casts of seasoned actors for RTC’s new season.
“Casting is an integral and vital part of my process,” she said. “We are fortunate to have an abundance of talented artists eager to work with us.”
As she reads plays for consideration, certain actors come to mind for specific roles.
“At RTC, we foster a collaborative environment where both actors and directors are encouraged to suggest plays for consideration, works they are passionate about,” Sage said. “For instance, when Robynn Rodriguez expressed interest in directing ‘Waiting for Godot,’ I said ‘yes’ immediately.”
Following is the lineup of 2025 productions:
March 13-31: “Doubt: A Parable,” directed by John Sipes and featuring Gina Daniels, Rainbow Dickerson, Daniel Molina and Vilma Silva.
The play is a powerful exploration of faith, morality and ambiguity, as a strict nun becomes suspicious of a priest’s relationship with a young student, sparking a clash of convictions that challenges the certainty of truth and the consequences of doubt.
“I’m drawn to the play because it challenges us to question our assumptions and face the discomfort of not knowing,” Sage said. “It will leave the audience with lingering questions, sparking reflection — exactly what I strive for in the work we do at RTC.”
April 3-May 4: “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” directed by Domenique Lozano and featuring Tony DeBruno, Alejandra Escalante, Jeffrey King, Lili Fuller, Daniel Molina, Jamie Newcomb, Barret O’Brien, and Ellen D. Willams.
“Cat” is an intense exploration of truth, desire and repression within a wealthy Southern family, as secrets, lies and unfulfilled dreams create emotional and psychological tensions.
“I have a particular affinity for Tennessee Williams’ plays,” Sage said, “particularly because of his rich, complicated female characters. His women are flawed and deeply human. ‘Cat’ especially resonates with me for its raw portrayal of family dynamics.”
July 16-Aug. 3: “Ripcord,” directed by Henry Woronicz and starring Mark Bedard, Eileen DeSandre, Barret O’Brien, Jamie Ann Romero and Stephen Michael Spencer, with one cast member yet to be announced.
Playwright Lindsay-Abaire’s breakthrough play, “Fuddy Meers,” was performed at OSF several years ago. His “Ripcord” is a sharp, heartfelt comedy about two seemingly incompatible older women in a retirement home who engage in a high-stakes game of one-upmanship, ultimately revealing unexpected layers of friendship, resilience and vulnerability.
Oct. 15-Nov. 2: “Waiting for Godot,” directed by Robynn Rodriguez and featuring Tasso Feldman, Jonathan Haugen, Ray Porter and Derrick Weeden.
Often described as a tragicomedy, “Waiting for Godot” follows two main characters who wait endlessly for the mysterious figure. Their interactions are marked by humor, absurdity and a sense of existential bleakness.
“In Beckett’s work, I see time as both a binding and isolating force,” Sage said. “My goal is to make the audience feel the weight and beauty of our shared vulnerability, and to reflect on Beckett’s message that even in isolation, connection is possible.”
All performances are at 1 p.m. at the Richard L. Hay Center at Grizzly Peak Winery, 1600 E. Nevada St., Ashland.
For more information about the season, member benefits, how to become an RTC member, or to purchase tickets, go to roguetheatercompany.com.
Freelance writer Jim Flint is a retired newspaper publisher and editor. Email him at [email protected].
