Summerland

By ARLITIA JONES

Not Currently Playing

Old Shelterhouse

Directed by MICHAEL EVAN HANEY

Stand between two worlds. Based on mesmerizing true events, Summerland tells the riveting tale of William H. Mumler, a spirit photographer with a talent for taking haunting images of the dead. Set in 1869, the story follows Mumler’s meteoric rise and fall, from his wildly successful studio business, which boasted Mary Todd Lincoln as a client, to his indictment for fraud. Did Mumler really capture the visits of loved ones from beyond the grave? Or were his living subjects the victims of unspeakable deception meant to prey upon their longing to believe? Summerland is a gripping and suspenseful world premiere in which the camera provides an invitation to the truth between two worlds.

ADVISORY: Summerland is appropriate for adult and teenage audiences. It contains minimal adult language, but the play's supernatural themes may be too spooky for younger audiences.

RUNNING TIME: The show runs approximately 2 hours and 5 minutes, including one intermission.

Whitney Maris Brown

Mrs. Mumler

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Billy Finn

Joseph Tooker

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Michael Rothhaar

William H. Mumler

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Arlitia Jones

Playwright

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Michael Evan Haney

Director/Associate Artist

Michael Evan Haney

Mr. Haney’s Cincinnati Playhouse credits include Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, A Delicate Ship, Double Indemnity, Speaking in Tongues, As You Like It, Over the Tavern, The Understudy, The History of Invulnerability, Sleuth, Blackbird, Love Song, Around the World in 80 Days, Crime and Punishment, Reckless, Witness for the Prosecution, The Clean House, A Christmas Carol (1993-2016), Bad Dates, A Picasso, Hiding Behind Comets, The Drawer Boy, The Syringa Tree, Proof, The Mystery of Irma Vep and The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Now one of the Playhouse’s associate artists, Mr. Haney served as associate artistic director from 2002-2012. His productions have garnered more than 40 CEA and Acclaim awards, including seven best play and nine best directing awards, and he received the Rick Steiner Award for Excellence. Off-Broadway, he directed Around the World in 80 Days at the Irish Repertory Theatre. Mr. Haney’s international credits include the English Theatres of Vienna and Frankfurt and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Regional productions include Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days (Open Eye Theatre in Minneapolis, starring his wife, Amy Warner); Around the World in 80 Days (Westport Country Playhouse); All My Sons (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); The Drawer Boy (Actors Theatre of Louisville); Double Indemnity, The Heidi Chronicles and Souvenir, for which he earned a Kevin Kline Award for best production and direction (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis); Grounded, An Iliad, Tribes, Freud’s Last Session, End Days, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Souvenir, Permanent Collection, Blue/Orange, Underneath the Lintel, Bed Among the Lentils, Syncopation, The Countess and Private Eyes (Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati); The Underpants (Capital Repertory Theatre); The Mystery of Irma Vep (Meadow Brook Theatre); The Machine (with Ed Asner, Mark Taper Forum and Asolo Theatre Company); Comedy of Errors and Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting (Sacramento Theatre Company); Bad Dates (Kansas City Repertory Theatre); The Potting Shed (Washington Stage Guild); Comedy of Errors (Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival); Charley’s Aunt (Wayside Theatre); King of Dominoes (Passage Theatre Company); Scotland Road (Pacific Resident Theatre, Drama-Logue Award for direction); and As the Wind Rocks the Wagon (a one-woman show written and performed by his wife, Amy Warner) in more than 100 venues including Lincoln Center Theater and The National Archives, as well as on video. As artistic director of the Allenberry Playhouse, Mr. Haney directed more than 30 plays, including Bus Stop, Shirley Valentine, Love Letters (with Shirley Jones), Crimes of the Heart, The Secret Garden and Gypsy. Mr. Haney and Ms. Warner appeared as Cate Blanchett's in-laws in the movie Carol and now live in Minnesota.

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Paul Shortt

Set Designer

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Bill Black

Costume Designer

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Kirk Bookman

Lighting Designer

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Matthew M. Nielson

Sound Designer

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Stephanie Klapper

Casting Director

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Brooke Redler

Stage Manager

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GALLERY

Michael Rothhaar (William H. Mumler) with Whitney Maris Brown (Mrs. Mumler) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Billy Finn (Joseph Tooker) with Michael Rothhaar (William H. Mumler) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Whitney Maris Brown (Mrs. Mumler) and Billy Finn (Joseph Tooker) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Billy Finn (Joseph Tooker) and Michael Rothhaar (William H. Mumler) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Whitney Maris Brown (Mrs. Mumler) and Billy Finn (Joseph Tooker) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Whitney Maris Brown (Mrs. Mumler) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Billy Finn (Joseph Tooker) with Michael Rothhaar (William H. Mumler) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Billy Finn (Joseph Tooker) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Whitney Maris Brown (Mrs. Mumler) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Billy Finn (Joseph Tooker) with Michael Rothhaar (William H. Mumler) in the world premiere production of Summerland by Arlitia Jones. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

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