Orlando opens at Brewery Nønic August 28th

Local cast brings outdoor theater adaptation of ‘theatrical, wild, fantastical’ Virginia Woolf novel to life 

A cast of local actors will bring Orlando, by Sarah Ruhl, adapted from the novel by Virginia Woolf, to life in the open air at Menomonie’s Brewery Nønic on the evenings of August 28, 29, and 30. 

An adaptation of the “longest and most charming love letter in literature” that Woolf wrote for her lover, Vita Sackville-West, Orlando is a theatrical, wild, fantastical trip through space, time, and gender. 

Orlando’s adventures begin as a young man, when he serves as courtier to Queen Elizabeth. Through many centuries, he becomes a 20th-century woman trying to make sense of her existence. The play uses a chorus of actors playing multiple parts to bring Orlando’s transformation to life. 

“The outdoor space at the brewery presents such a beautiful and unique staging area for shows that feature the natural world,” said director Samantha Newport. “It’s one thing to use stagecraft to create the semblance of trees, and quite another to have actors leaning on and sitting beneath actual trees. For a show like Orlando whose protagonist is frequently found in and expressing a deep love of nature, along with Sarah Ruhl’s whimsical writing style…well, the brewery was a perfect fit.” 

Tickets are $10 and are available at the brewery taproom or online HERE.

• When: 7:30pm, Friday-Sunday, August 28-30. Happy hour before each show will be 6 to 7:30pm. Yard/seating area will open to the public at 7pm. 

• Where: Brewery Nønic, 621 4th Street W., Menomonie. 

• What to bring: Performances will be outside in the brewery backyard. We recommend bringing your own lawn chair, but limited seating will be available first-come, first-served. Tents will be provided in case of rain. 

ORLANDO (RUHL) is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of SamuelFrench, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com. 

Media release.