God of Carnage

July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012
SAN DIEGO PREMIERE
Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre
Conrad Prebys Theatre Center

By Yasmina Reza
Translated by Christopher Hampton
Directed by Richard Seer
Scenic and Costume Design by Robert Morgan
Lighting Design by Chris Rynne
Sound Design by Paul Peterson
Stage Manager, Annette Yé

Two sets of parents gather in an upscale Brooklyn home to discuss a playground altercation between their sons.  At first civility is upheld, but as the conversation goes off track and the rum bottle opens, decorum flies right out the window and leads to a hilarious afternoon of name-calling, tantrums and tears.  Yasmina Reza’s Tony Award-winning comedy is a four-way prizefight that is not to be missed.
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Video
   
   
Meet the cast of the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage, running July 27 - Sept. 2 at The Old Globe.
   


Production Photos
(from left) Erika Rolfsrud as Veronica Novak, Caitlin Muelder as Annette Raleigh, T. Ryder Smith as Alan Raleigh and Lucas Caleb Rooney as Michael Novak in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
(from left) Erika Rolfsrud as Veronica Novak, Lucas Caleb Rooney as Michael Novak, T. Ryder Smith as Alan Raleigh and Caitlin Muelder as Annette Raleigh in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
(from left) Caitlin Muelder as Annette Raleigh, T. Ryder Smith as Alan Raleigh, Lucas Caleb Rooney as Michael Novak and Erika Rolfsrud as Veronica Novak in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
(from left) Lucas Caleb Rooney as Michael Novak and T. Ryder Smith as Alan Raleigh in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
Caitlin Muelder as Annette Raleigh and T. Ryder Smith as Alan Raleigh in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
Lucas Caleb Rooney as Michael Novak and Erika Rolfsrud as Veronica Novak in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
(from left) Caitlin Muelder as Annette Raleigh and Erika Rolfsrud as Veronica Novak in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
(from left) Lucas Caleb Rooney as Michael Novak and T. Ryder Smith as Alan Raleigh in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
Caitlin Muelder as Annette Raleigh in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
T. Ryder Smith as Alan Raleigh in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
Erika Rolfsrud as Veronica Novak in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.
Lucas Caleb Rooney as Michael Novak in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Henry DiRocco.


Publicity Photos
(from left) T. Ryder Smith will appear as Alan Raleigh, Caitlin Muelder as Annette Raleigh, Lucas Caleb Rooney as Michael Novak and Erika Rolfsrud as Veronica Novak in the San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer, July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Jeffrey Weiser.
Director Richard Seer (center) with the cast of God of Carnage: (from left) T. Ryder Smith, Caitlin Muelder, Lucas Caleb Rooney and Erika Rolfsrud. The San Diego Premiere of God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Richard Seer runs July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012 at The Old Globe. Photo by Jeffrey Weiser.
God of Carnage. Illustration courtesy of The Old Globe.
Tony Award-winning playwright Yasmina Reza. Reza's God of Carnage, translated by Christopher Hampton, runs at The Old Globe July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012. Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.
Christopher Hampton. Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage, translated by Hampton, runs at The Old Globe July 27 - Sept. 2, 2012. Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.
Richard Seer will direct Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage at The Old Globe, July 27 – Sept. 2, 2012. Photo by Nick Abadilla.


Cast and Creative Team

(click on image to download a high-resolution photo)
Caitlin Muelder (Annette Raleigh) has previously appeared at The Old Globe in Vincent in Brixton, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Paramour and Othello.  Her Broadway and Off Broadway credits include The Invention of Love (Lincoln Center Theater, Tony Award nominee for Best Play) and Engaged (Theatre for a New Audience).  Her regional credits include the West Coast premiere of Ten Cent Night (The Victory Theatre Center), Pains of Youth (Tooth & Nail Theatre), Heartbreak House (Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre), The Tempest (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Real Hush-Hush (Merrimack Repertory Theatre), The Glass Menagerie (Charlotte Repertory Theatre, Best Supporting Actress, The Charlotte Observer), Closer (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Best Supporting Actress, Cincinnati Reader), her one-woman show Amelia Earhart/Solitaire (Edinburgh International Festival and Knox College) and the U.S. premiere of Anna Karenina (Harbach Theatre), among others.  Her television and film credits include “L2 Living” (pilot), “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Law & Order,” “The Education of Max Bickford,” “Don’t Make Me Sick,” Brooke Beckman: Haunted MD, Gordon Complex, Thanksgiving Seconds, Going In, If You Could Say It in Words, Fallen Angel and Woods.  Muelder’s improv and comedy credits include Art is About to Happen, Meg and Caitlin Go on Dates and Swinko, Swinko Little Star (Upright Citizens Brigade Los Angeles), The Lesser of Two Biebers (The Second City Hollywood) and The Caitlin Muelder Show and The Ann Coulter Christmas Special (Funny or Die and YouTube).  Muelder is a graduate of the Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program (Shiley Award), Knox College (Riddell Award, Colton Prize, Young Alumni Achievement Award) and Upright Citizens Brigade. 
Erika Rolfsrud (Veronica Novak) is thrilled to be back home at The Old Globe and to be working with Rick Seer.  She has performed at the Globe in Sea of Tranquility, The Seagull, Cymbeline, Henry IV, Dancing at Lughnasa, Macbeth and The Gate of Heaven.  Her credits include the Broadway productions of The Coast of Utopia, Exit the King and Rabbit Hole.  Her Off Broadway credits include Electra in a One-Piece, Dally with the Devil, Misalliance, The Cocktail Party, The Glory of Living, How I Learned to Drive, Love’s Fire, Trout Stanley, O Pioneers! and We Play for the Gods.  Regionally, Rolfsrud has appeared in The Little Dog Laughed (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Kevin Kline Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play), the world premiere of Ken Ludwig’s The Game’s Afoot (Cleveland Play House), Black Pearl Sings (Ford’s Theatre), Rabbit Hole and The Dazzle (Hartford Stage), Rabbit Hole (Pittsburgh Public Theater), I Capture the Castle (The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), Outrage (The Wilma Theater), Bad Dates (Arizona Theatre Company), Jumpers (A Contemporary Theatre), Utah Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Shakespeare Company and Idaho Shakespeare Festival.  She was featured in the film Alone and has been seen on television in “Law & Order,” “All My Children,” “Third Watch,” “As the World Turns” and “NYC 22.”  She received an M.F.A. from the Old Globe/USD Graduate Theatre Program. 
Lucas Caleb Rooney (Michael Novak) has appeared in the Globe productions Death of a Salesman, All My Sons, Compleat Female Stage Beauty and Twelfth Night.  He has appeared on Broadway in The Country Girl with Morgan Freeman and Frances McDormand, directed by Mike Nichols, and Henry IV with Kevin Kline and Ethan Hawke, directed by Jack O’Brien.  His Off Broadway credits include Measure for Measure (Shakespeare in the Park), The Orphans’ Home Cycle (Signature Theatre Company), Yellow Face (The Public Theater), Creation (Theatre 315), Polish Play (Katharsis Theater Company), She Stoops to Conquer (Irish Repertory Theatre) and Mimesophobia (The Beckett Theatre).  Regionally he has appeared in The Orphan’s Home Cycle and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hartford Stage), Yellow Face (Mark Taper Forum), The Tempest (Franklin Stage Company), A Streetcar Named Desire (Cleveland Play House) and Dirty Blonde (Pittsburgh Public Theater).  Rooney’s television credits include “Boardwalk Empire,” “Person of Interest,” “Cold Case,” “CSI: Miami,” “Journeyman,” “Law & Order,” “Kidnapped” and “Six Degrees.”  He has appeared in the films The Miracle of Belle Isle, On Broadway and One Last Thing.  He received an M.F.A. from the Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program.  Rooney is the co-founder of an organization that does theater with street kids in Madagascar.   
T. Ryder Smith (Alan Raleigh) has appeared previously at The Old Globe in Cornelia, In This Corner and Lincolnesque (Craig Noel Award, Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play).  On Broadway, he has been seen in War Horse (original American company) and Equus opposite Daniel Radcliffe.  His other New York work includes Sarah Ruhl’s Passion Play and Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Playwrights Horizons), Glen Berger’s Underneath the Lintel (Drama Desk Award nomination, Outstanding Solo Performance) and the world premieres of plays by Richard Foreman, Anne Washburn and David Greenspan, among others.  His regional theater work includes the premiere productions of Doug Wright’s Creditors (La Jolla Playhouse), Jeffrey Hatcher’s Compleat Female Stage Beauty (Contemporary American Theater Festival), Tanya Barfield’s Of Equal Measure (Center Theater Group, L.A.) and Charles Mee’s Big Love (Humana Festival of New American Plays), as well as Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, a collaboration between Cleveland Play House and Cleveland Orchestra, and the site-specific Waiting for Godot (in New Orleans) (Classical Theatre of Harlem).  Smith’s film and television credits include appearances on “Damages,” “Blue Bloods,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Nurse Jackie”and, on PBS, Becoming Helen Keller and the upcoming Souls on Fire: The Abolitionists.  Smith supplies voices for the television series “The Venture Brothers,” the video game Bioshock, many audiobooks and the annual Bloomsday readings of James Joyce’s Ulysses on WBAI Radio. 
  Yasmina Reza (Playwright) is a French playwright and novelist based in Paris whose works have all been multi-award-winning, critical and popular international successes, produced worldwide and translated into 35 languages.  She has written seven plays: Conversations After a Burial, The Passage of Winter, Art, The Unexpected Man, Life (x) 3, A Spanish Play, God of Carnage and How You Talk the Game.  She has also written six novels: Hammerklavier, Une Desolation (Desolation), Adam Haberberg, Dans la Luge d'Arthur Schopenhauer, Nulle Part and L'Aube, le Soir ou la Nuit (Dawn Dusk or Night).  The 2011 film version of God of Carnage was directed by Roman Polanski and starred Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz.  Her other films include Le Pique-Nique de Lulu Kreutz directed by Didier Martiny and Chicas, written and directed by Reza.
  Christopher Hampton (Translator)has garnered three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, four Evening Standard Awards and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for his plays, musicals and translations.  Prizes for his film and television work include an Academy Award, two BAFTAs, a Writers Guild of America Award, the Prix Italia and a Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.  His plays for the Royal Court Theatre include Treats, Savages, The Philanthropist, Uncle Vanya, Total Eclipse, Marya and When Did You Last See My Mother?  His other plays include Embers, Three Sisters, Art, Sunset Boulevard, The Talking Cure, Alice’s Adventures Under Ground, White Chameleon, Tales from Hollywood, Don Juan Comes Back from the War, Tales from the Vienna Woods, An Enemy of the People, The Wild Duck, Hedda Gabler, Life (x) 3, Tartuffe, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Unexpected Man and Conversations After a Burial.  Hampton’s plays have been performed at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Almeida Theatre, Royal National Theatre and both on the West End and Broadway.  His television credits include The Ginger Tree, Hotel du Lac, “The History Man,” and Able’s Will.  He has written the screenplays for A Dangerous Method, Atonement, Imagining Argentina, The Quiet American, The Secret Agent, Mary Reilly, Carrington, Total Eclipse, Dangerous Liaisons, Wolf at the Door, The Good Father, The Honorary Consul, Tales from the Vienna Woods and A Doll’s House.
  Richard Seer (Director) is an award-winning director and actor and has directed and/or performed on Broadway, Off Broadway, on film and television and in over 70 productions at regional theaters in this country and Great Britain, including The Kennedy Center, Goodman Theatre, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Huntington Theatre Company, Playwrights Theater, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Studio Arena Theater, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Sybil Thorndike Theatre in England.  He originated the role of Young Charlie in the 1978 Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Hugh Leonard’s Da and received the Theatre World Award for his performance.  At The Old Globe, he has directed productions of Life of Riley, The Last Romance, The Price, Romeo and Juliet, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Trying, Fiction, Blue/Orange (San Diego Critics Circle Award), All My Sons, Da and Old Wicked Songs (Patté Award).  Recent directing assignments also include Third (Huntington Theatre Company) and Bill W. and Dr. Bob and Sonia Flew (San Jose Repertory Theatre).  He received his M.F.A. in directing from Boston University, where he was awarded the prestigious Kahn Directing Award in 1985.  In 1990, Seer was invited to return to Boston University’s School for the Arts as an Associate Professor of Acting and Directing.  He has been Director of the Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program since 1993.  In 2010, he was awarded the Craig Noel Distinguished Professorship.
  Robert Morgan (Scenic and Costume Design) is an Old Globe Associate Artist and has designed the Globe productions of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Life of Riley, Measure for Measure, Hamlet, Moonlight and Magnolias, Vincent in Brixton, Bus Stop, Love & Hours and Imaginary Friends, among others.  He has designed the Broadway productions of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, The Full Monty, Imaginary Friends, I’m Not Rappaport and Sherlock’s Last Case.  His Off Broadway credits include Pride’s Crossing and Saturn Returns (Lincoln Center Theater) and The Loves of Anatol (Circle in the Square Theatre).  His television credits include American Playhouse, The Skin of Our Teeth and A Christmas Carol.  He has designed internationally for the West End and Maria Theresa’s Schönbrunn Palace Theater in Vienna.  His regional credits include Ahmanson Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, American Players Theatre, The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Guthrie Theater, Huntington Theatre Company, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, McCarter Theatre Center, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Portland Center Stage, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Studio Arena Theater and Williamstown Theatre Festival.  He has received two Drama Desk nominations, 12 Drama-Logue Awards and has exhibited at Prague Quadrennial.  He is the former Director of Boston University’s Theatre Arts Division, School for the Arts.
  Chris Rynne (Lighting Design) has designed several shows for The Old Globe including Life of Riley, Plaid Tidings – A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid, The Last Romance, Boeing-Boeing, I Do! I Do!, the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre Opening Gala, The Price, Sight Unseen, The American Plan, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Two Trains Running, Lincolnesque (San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award), Pig Farm, Trying, Vincent in Brixton (San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award), The Lady with All the Answers, The Food Chain, Two Sisters and a Piano, Blue/Orange, Time Flies, Knowing Cairo, Beyond Therapy and The Santaland Diaries, and he is the Associate Lighting Designer for Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  Rynne has also designed productions for The Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program including The Winter's Tale, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, All in the Timing, The Winter's Tale, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Macbeth and Getting Married.  His other credits include San Diego Opera, South Coast Repertory, Madison Opera, Pasadena Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Cygnet Theatre Company, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Houston Grand Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Diversionary Theatre and Starlight Musical Theatre.
  Paul Peterson (Sound Design) has designed over 95 productions at The Old Globe, including Nobody Loves You, Anna Christie, Odyssey, Engaging Shaw, Life of Riley, Plaid Tidings – A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid, Welcome to Arroyo’s, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Broadway Bound, The Last Romance, Boeing-Boeing, Alive and Well, Lost in Yonkers, I Do! I Do!, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Cornelia, The Price, Kingdom, Six Degrees of Separation, Since Africa, The Women, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Bell, Book and Candle, Two Trains Running, Hold Please, Restoration Comedy, Pig Farm, Moonlight and Magnolias, Vincent in Brixton, Lucky Duck, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow, Blue/Orange, Time Flies, Pentecost, Compleat Female Stage Beauty, The Boswell Sisters and Crumbs from the Table of Joy.  His regional credits include designs for Milwaukee Repertory Theater, San Jose Repertory Theatre, CENTERSTAGE, La Jolla Playhouse, Sledgehammer Theatre (Associate Artist), Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company, San Diego Repertory Theatre, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Malashock Dance, University of San Diego, San Diego State University and Freud Playhouse at UCLA.  Peterson received his B.F.A. in Drama with an emphasis in Technical Design from San Diego State University.
  Annette Yé (Stage Manager) was the Stage Manager for The Old Globe’s Anna Christie, Groundswell and the 2010 production of Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas!  Her other Globe credits include Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (‘11), Boeing-Boeing, The First Wives Club, Opus, Dancing in the Dark, Hay Fever and the Summer Shakespeare Festivals 2008 and 2010-2012.  Yé’s regional credits include Peter and the Starcatchers, Tobacco Road and ¡Salsalandia! (La Jolla Playhouse).  Her other credits include 9 Parts of Desire (Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company), Honky Tonk Angels, Baby and No Way to Treat a Lady (North Coast Repertory Theatre) and Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit (Theatre in Old Town).