Fondly, Collette Richland
While eating a quiet dinner at home, Mr. and Mrs. “Fritz” Fitzhubert (along with an uninvited guest) are summoned through a mysterious tiny door in their living room. On the other side, they find themselves in a phantasmagorical Alpen hotel where forgotten religions seep in through the cracks in the walls. Lost relatives, conniving employees, and chatty society ladies awaken their mysterious ancient selves and lead them on perilous hikes that will leave their lives forever altered.
Elevator Repair Service joins forces with playwright Sibyl Kempson to create a new original play, a co-production with New York Theatre Workshop. The World Premiere was at New York Theatre Workshop, Sept 11-Oct 24, 2015.
Fondly, Collette Richland was commissioned in part by the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, MN) and had preview performances there in May 2013. Support for preview performances was provided by the William and Nadine McGuire Commissioning Fund, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Producers’ Council members Leni and David Moore, Jr./The David & Leni Moore Family Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Developed with support from The Playwrights’ Center, and at New York Theatre Workshop, The Performing Garage, and Abrons Arts Center.
For more in-depth information about Fondly, Collette Richland, please visit NYTW’s The Brief.
This production is supported by funds from:
- National Endowment for the Arts
- New York State Council on the Arts
- Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council
- Robert Sterling Clark Foundation
- Edward T. Cone Foundation
- Barbara Bell Cummings Foundation
- Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
- The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation
- The Greenwall Foundation
- Lucille Lortel Foundation
- MAP Fund
- The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation New York Theater Program
- David and Leni Moore Family Foundation
- Princeton Atelier of the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University
- Scherman Foundation
- Sequoia Foundation for Achievement in the Arts and Education
- Shubert Foundation
- The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust
- The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation
- Tony Randall Theatrical Fund
and many individual contributors to ERS.
A witty, fastidiously wrought and thoroughly disorienting visual and aural universe in which the solid and the known keep melting at the edges.
—Ben Brantley, The New York Times
(Critic’s Pick)
John Collins’s richly layered, densely designed production rises to the whirling, morphing challenge of Kempson’s remarkable script. I haven’t been so bewildered yet so delighted in ages.
—David Cote, Time Out New York
(Critic’s Pick)
Press
The Huffington Post October 30, 2015
On the Culture Front: The Food Film Festival, Old Times, Fool for Love, and More
TimeOut New York September 28, 2015
Fondly, Collette Richland: 4 Stars
The New York Times September 28, 2015
Review: ‘Fondly, Collette Richland’ Offers Open-Eyed Dreaming
Walker Magazine April 30, 2013
The Plot Thickens: Elevator Repair Service’s "Fondly, Collette Richland"
Walker Magazine March 11, 2013
Sibyl Kempson: The Push and Pull of Playwrighting
Ensemble
- Father Mumbles / Hans-Pierre, Mike Iveson
- Mabrel Fitzhubert, Laurena Allan
- Colonel "Fritz" Fitzhubert / Peggy Gladys, Vin Knight
- Cat Butler / Clotilde, Susie Sokol (also played by Sarah Willis)
- Local Representative Wheatsun, Greig Sargeant
- Winnifr’d Bexell, Kate Benson (also played by Kate Scelsa)
- The Deposed & Dethroned Grand Queen Empress Queen Patrice / RMR, Lucy Taylor
- Collette Richland / Dora Fitzhubert, April Matthis
- Velede, Kaneza Schaal
- Miss Glynn Grills / Face of the Ghost of Jesus Christ, Maggie Hoffman (also played by Kristen Sieh)
- Joan Ham Hobhouse, Lindsay Hockaday
- Sailor Boy / The Krampus, Ben Williams
- Text by Sibyl Kempson
- Director John Collins
- Composter & Pianist Mike Iveson
- Set Designer and Additional Costumes David Zinn
- Assistant Set Designer Tim McMath
- Lighting Designer Mark Barton
- Sound Designer Ben Williams
- Associate Sound Designer and Sound Operator Gavin Price
- Original Music Mike Iveson
- Costume Designer Jacob A. Climer
- Additional Costumes David Zinn
- Property Designer Amanda Villalobos
- Assistant Property Design Matt Leabo
- Dance and Movement Coach Katherine Profeta
- Stage Manager Maurina Lioce
- Production Manager David Nelson
- Producer Ariana Smart Truman
- Associate Producer Lindsay Hockaday
Sarah Hughes served as stage manager and assistant director on this project 2012-2013.