“This is quite simply, a sterling example of why we keep going…THIS IS OUR YOUTH is as good as theater gets.” —NY Daily News.
“Lonergan, whose ear for the way his characters speak is pitch-perfect, is no less attuned to the simmering potential in their silent hearts.” —Variety
“It’s sheer relief to celebrate the return of a rambunctious and witty play about wayward teenagers and post-adolescents that doesn’t turn youthful travails into plastic rap…THIS IS OUR YOUTH—by turns caustic, cruel and compassionate—is the real real world.” —NY Times.
About the Play
by Kenneth Lonergan
Oscar nominated author of “You Can Count on Me” and “Lobby Hero”
This is Our Youth runs approximately two hours.
“This is Our Youth” follows three wayward young people as they navigate 1982 New York, recreating their broken homes in both their dysfunctional friendships and their bungled attempts at finding love.
19-year old Warren has just stolen $15,000 from his oppressive father. He goes to his bullying friend Dennis, a 20-something who provides drugs and culture to their group of friends, to hide both himself and the money. But when Dennis convinces Warren to use the money to make a major drug score, and to romance Jessica, the girl Warren pines for, events quickly spin out of control in Kenneth Lonergan’s dark comedy about coming of age in Reagan-era NYC.
“This is Our Youth” is a living snapshot of the moment when young people first find themselves on the threshold of adulthood—far more sophisticated than their parents realize, and far less effectual than they themselves can possibly imagine.
About The Cast
Sam Bertken as Warren
Sam Bertken (Warren) is, like, REALLY pumped to be returning to Custom Made to perform as Warren in THIS IS OUR YOUTH, a character who, happily in not all respects, reminds him of his high school persona. Sam previously appeared as the boy who’d never grow up in last year’s PETER/WENDY. Other Bay Area performance credits include Samuel Peaches’ Peripatetic Players’ AESOP AMUCK &: O BEST BELOVED (Meekins, Winner of 2013 Best of SF Fringe), foolsFury’s FAULTED (Mitch), Dragon Theatre’s BECKY’S NEW CAR (Chris) and SF Theatre Pub’s TAMING OF THE SHREW (Tranio).
David Raymond plays Dennis
David Raymond (Dennis) is ecstatic to be making his Custom Made Theatre Co. debut! Bay Area credits include The Graduate (6th Street Playhouse), Jerusalem (San Francisco Playhouse), The Importance of Being Earnest and TBA Award Winner for Outstanding Production Moby Dick: Rehearsed (Stanford Repertory Theater). Chicago credits include work with Redtwist Theatre, Brightside Theatre, Theatre-Hikes, and Theatre Seven of Chicago. He is an NHSI Cherub alumnus and recipient of the 2013 Evelyn M. Draper Prize for Excellence in Acting Performance (Stanford University). He would like to thank all the Dennises and Warrens of his youth.
Katie Robbins as Jessica
Katie Robbins (Jessica) is so excited to be back at Custom Made after playing Angie/Dull Gret in Top Girls last season for which she earned a TBA Award nomination for featured actress in a play. Other past roles include: Linda in Blood Brothers (Altarena Playhouse), Luisa in The Fantasticks, and Ilse in Spring Awakening at Altadena Playhouse, Woodcutter and others in Blood Wedding at The Breadbox, Julie in the world premiere of Brad Ericsson’s American Dream at NCTC, Sara Crewe in A Little Princess at Berkeley Playhouse, Jen/Young Sonia in Sonia Flew at Virago Theatre Company and Little Women at DMT. Katierobbins.com
About the Playwright
Kenneth Lonergan is the author of the award-winning play Lobby Hero (Playwrights Horizons, John Houseman Theatre, Drama Desk Best Play Nominee, Outer Critics Circle Best Play and John Gassner Playwrighting Nominee, included in the 2000-2001 Best Plays Annual), The Waverly Gallery (Williamstown Theatre Festival, Promenade; 2001 Pulitzer Prize Runner-up), and This Is Our Youth (Drama Desk Best Play Nominee). Lobby Hero (Olivier Award Nominee for Best Play) and This Is Out Youth have also received productions on London’s West End. He co-wrote the film Gangs of New York which garnered a WGA and Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. His film You Can Count On Me, which he wrote and directed, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Screenplay.
Hot off of Broadway!
2015 Tony-nominated play!
Sept 18-Oct17
Wed 7:30; Thurs-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm
Custom Made Theatre
533 Sutter St @ Powell
Union Square
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