Thinking Cap Theatre has become known for introducing South Florida audiences to bold, exciting new works, including the regional premieres of Young Jean Lee’s Straight White Men and Jen Silverman’s Collective Rage. TCT maintains its reputation for cutting-edge theatre with the regional premiere of Dance Nation, Clare Barron’s celebrated new comedy about adolescent competitive dancers.

Dance Nation enjoyed its world premiere at NYC’s Playwrights Horizons in May 2018 followed by its U.K. premiere at the Almeida in London. With its finger-on-the-pulse-of- now themes, smart writing, and fierce, fearless style, Dance Nation captures the essence of the TCT brand and is, therefore, the perfect piece to kick off the company’s 9th Season. Dance Nation’s accolades include the American Playwriting Foundation’s 2015 Relentless Award (http://www.americanplaywritingfoundation.org/the-relentless- award) and the 2017 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize (http://blackburnprize.org).

Set in Liverpool, Ohio, Dance Nation centers on an army of pre-teen dancers with their eyes (mostly) on the prize: winning. Their mighty leader, Dance Teacher Pat (played by Carbonell Award Winner John Manzelli) shares a passion for dance that rivals that of Dance Moms’ Abby Lee Miller. Dance Teacher Pat is “making the future with dance!” If the troupe’s new routine “World on Fire” is good enough, victory (and an audacious 4- foot trophy) will be theirs at the Boogie Down Grand Prix in . . . Tampa Bay, FL! Thought-provoking, moving, and uproariously funny, Dance Nation is a play about budding dreams, growing up, and finding one’s soul in the heat of it all.

The cast of TCT’s Dance Nation includes some of the regions finest actors, including

John Manzelli, Elena Maria Garcia, Jeanine Gangloff-Levy, Beverly Blanchette, Jim Gibbons, Bree-Anna Obst, Carol Sussman, Emma Rose Magner, Elizabeth Price and Jordan Patriarca.

Thinking Cap Theatre’s production of DANCE NATION will be directed and designed by Nicole Stodard along with scenic artist Alyiece Moretto-Watkins; lighting designer Cody Basham; and choreographer Kevin Black.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Friday, January 25, 8pm Saturday, January 26, 8pm Sunday, January 27, 3pm Sunday, January 27, 8pm

Thursday, January 31, 8pm Friday, February 1, 8pm Saturday, February 2, 8pm Sunday, February 3, 3pm

Thursday, February 7, 8pm Friday, February 8, 8pm Saturday, February 9, 8pm Sunday, February 10, 3pm (Closing)

RUNNING TIME: 1 hr 45 minutes + intermission

Tickets are $40 General Admission. http://dancenation.brownpapertickets.com