The Farnsworth Invention

By Aaron Sorkin
November 3 - 20, 2011
Directed by Jennifer Uphoff Gray 

In collaboration with the UW Madison Department of Theatre and Drama/University Theatre

Philo T. Farnsworth is a visionary. A farm boy from Idaho, he can look at the lines of a plowed field and imagine a device that can transmit pictures through the air. David Sarnoff is also a visionary. A Russian immigrant who rose from a telegraph operator to the head of RCA, Sarnoff can see the future of information and entertainment. These two men are at the center of a fascinating struggle over one of the greatest inventions of all time: the television.

Enjoy an electrifying evening from Aaron Sorkin, the Emmy and Academy Award-winning creator of The Social Network, The American President, A Few Good Men, and The West Wing. With 16 actors playing more than 70 roles, this epic story will forever change the way you look at media and the quest for “what’s next.”

The cast features American Players Theatre actor Michael Huftile as Sarnoff, Nicholas Harazin as Philo and members of the UW Madison MFA acting class.

Sponsored by:

Reviews

"Farnsworth is an indisputable success, a clear statement from Madison's growing professional company that Forward is ready to take some risks — and do some inventing — of its own." Click here for full review.
         ~ Lindsay Christians, 77 Square

"The Farnsworth Invention is a play compelling at many levels, and Forward’s production indicates that the company and its director have reached new and impressive stride."  Click here for full review.
        ~ Mike and Jean Muckian, Brava's Culturosity

"With The Farnsworth Invention Forward once again demonstrates an aptitude for selecting smart, engaging scripts and assembling the talent to deliver a theatrical experience to match. It’s a production that’s informative, entertaining, and fascinating." Click here for full review.
       ~ Christian Neuhaus, Dane101

"Three years before winning an Oscar for "The Social Network," Aaron Sorkin gave us "The Farnsworth Invention," a theatrical variation on the same theme. Focused on the beginning of television rather than the rise of Facebook, it's currently on stage courtesy of Madison's Forward Theater Company, in a bracing, must-see production that deserves an award of its own."  Click here for full review.
     ~ Mike Fischer, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Behind the Scenes

Wondering what’s going on behind-the-scenes? Click here to read the actors’ accounts of what's going on backstage at The Farnsworth Invention Blog.

Click this link to hear WPR's "University of the Air" episode on "The Farnsworth Invention!" Director Jennifer Uphoff Gray, Frank Honts, Nicholas Harazin and Liz Cassarino talk about the show and read a few scenes.

Click here to see Nick Berard's fantastic production photos.

 Photo by Zane Williams
Click here to meet actor Nicholas Harazin who plays Philo T. Farnsworth.  

Artistic Director Jen Uphoff Gray talks about why she's excited about The Farnsworth Invention.

In a performance titled, "An Evening of Invention and Imagination," at the recent Wisconsin Science Festival, Forward Theater Company's Jennifer Uphoff Gray gave a lecture on the intersection of science and art which included selected scenes from The Farnsworth Invention and several other science-based plays, including Michael Frayn's Copenhagen.  Click here to read the text of the lecture. 

Aaron Sorkin and His Thoughts on Writing The Farnsworth Invention
From TimeLine Theatre Company’s The Farnsworth Invention Study Guide
Aaron Sorkin discussing The Farnsworth Invention

Biography

Aaron Sorkin was born June 9, 1961, in Scarsdale, New York. He graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree in theater from Syracuse University. His plays include: Removing All Doubt, Hidden in this Picture, and A Few Good Men, for which he received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Playwright and later a Golden Globe nomination for his screenplay of the same title. Other screenplays include The American President, Malice, Enemy of the State, Excess Baggage, The Rock, and Charlie Wilson’s War. He is perhaps best known for his Emmy-award winning television series The West Wing. Other critically acclaimed television series include Sports Night and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. He recently won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film, The Social Network.

The History: Sorkin’s Artistic License

It raises a question and it also raises a problem, which is that, as I said, my first, if not only, obligation is to entertain. A news organization has a much different responsibility. I might not be telling you the whole story. I might not be telling you a story in a manner that is properly sophisticated. I would hate for anyone to limit the scope of their education on a subject to me. And, frankly, every teacher I’ve ever had in my life would agree with what I’ve just said.
— Aaron Sorkin, in an interview with Terrence Smith, Newshour, PBS, Sept. 27, 2000

It is the prerogative of the playwright to adjust circumstances of history to make a good play that can be performed in a couple hours. In The Farnsworth Invention, there are numerous places where the story differs from the facts. Sarnoff and his family were not run out of their home by Cossacks, but Sarnoff did see Cossacks beating people in a crowd before he left the country. Various characters have been condensed or assigned different roles than they actually played. And the timeline is often compressed. Farnsworth’s light problem is exaggerated. Farnsworth’s alcohol consumption only became problematic later in his life. Pem was not a smoker. There are many details that Sorkin has altered for the purposes of the play. The most significant change, for which Sorkin has been criticized, is changing the outcome of the patent trial.

Historically, Farnsworth was awarded priority of invention on his television system patent and RCA paid royalties to Farnsworth. However, the lawsuit took up precious years of the time on his patent, and because his factory converted to making equipment for the government during World War II, Farnsworth had limited time to see the benefit of his patents before their 17-year term ran out.

In spite of these vital differences from the actual history, RCA and Sarnoff did try to prevent Farnsworth from working with competitors, and Zworykin did visit Farnsworth’s lab under false pretenses. Farnsworth was spent by the effort of creating the television, the legal battles, and the death of his son, and he suffered a nervous breakdown. Sarnoff did have a “get around Farnsworth team” and he engaged in battles with Armstrong not only over A.M. and F.M. radio, but also over color television. The struggle for television was certainly still one of an inventor with a small team against a corporation, and that struggle is captured by the play.

Love Stories

April 12 - 29, 2012
Three one act plays by George Bernard Shaw, Dorothy Parker, and Bertolt Brecht

   The Jewish Wife by Bertolt Brecht

   Here We Are by Dorothy Parker

   Village Wooing by George Bernard Shaw

Forward Theater presents an evening dedicated to love and relationships – stories of courtship, marriage, and the inevitable evolution of relationships over time. Follow one pair of actors as they embark on an unforgettable journey, through giddy infatuation, nervous beginnings, passionate longing, and tumultuous endings. Penned by three of the most celebrated writers of all time, these plays were conceived in different eras, but their themes are universal. Join us as FTC takes a fresh look at these classic works.

The cast will feature American Players Theatre actors James Ridge and Colleen Madden. Love Stories will be directed by Paula Suozzi, formerly of Milwaukee Shakespeare.

 Sponsored by:

A Thousand Words

WORLD PREMIERE
By Gwendolyn Rice
January 19 - February 5, 2012

In collaboration with Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

Script developed through Wisconsin Wrights
New Play Development Project

The art world is ecstatic when a box of stunning black and white photos from the ’30s is discovered amongst some long-lost possessions of Ernest Hemingway. A curator from the Metropolitan Museum of Art immediately lays claim to them, but so does a woman who might be the granddaughter of the photographer, Walker Evans. As the stories unfold, both in the 1930s and the present day, one question remains: What’s a picture worth?

The cast will feature American Players Theatre actress/Forward Theater advisory company member Sarah Day; UW Madison MFA alum Josh Aaron McCabe; and Milwaukee actors Molly Rhode, Stacy Hicks, Georgina McKee, and Libby Amato.

Production Photos

           
From left:  Josh Aaron McCabe, Molly Rhode, Stacy Hicks, Sarah Day, Georgina McKee and Libby Amato
Photos by Nick Berard, Click here for more photos.

Reviews

The alternating structure of A Thousand Words keeps things moving swiftly, propelling the action forward. Directed by Forward artistic director Jennifer Uphoff Gray, the production (which moves to Milwaukee Chamber Theatre after its Overture run) is entertaining, thought-provoking and a very welcome chance to see new work.  Read More.
                                                                       ~Jennifer A. Smith, The Isthmus

In A Thousand Words, playwright Rice knows that it's the stories behind the images, whether real or imagined, that fascinate us. In this often charming new play, the characters invite us to look again, reconsider, and perhaps discover something new.  Read More.
                                                                        ~Lindsay Christians, 77 Square

Raffle Quilt

In conjunction with the production, members of the Forward Theater family have created a raffle quilt. The Fons & Porter design, Granny’s Star, is a patchwork quilt reminiscent of 1930s patterns, in keeping with the time period and themes of the play. FTC's first board president Jane Elder, former FTC board member Karen Saunders, the playwright Gwendolyn Rice, and FTC supporter Evelyn Link stitched the piece, which will be raffled off at the end of the performance run. All proceeds will support Forward Theater’s education and outreach activities.

The quilt will be on display at Stitcher’s Crossing from December 15 – January 18. Starting January 19, the quilt will be on display at all performances of A Thousand Words. Raffle tickets will be available at Stitcher’s Crossing and at the performances or by calling our office.  They are $5 apiece, or five for $20.  The winner will be drawn on Sunday, February 5.  

Sponsored by:
                           

Behind the Scenes

The Play's Inspiration
Have you ever wondered where the idea for a new play comes from? For Gwendolyn Rice it came from a news story about some photographs that were discovered amongst some long-lost possessions of Ernest Hemingway. That article eventually led to A Thousand Words. Watch the video to hear Gwendolyn talking about her inspiration or click here to learn more about the three weeks Walker Evans spent with Ernest Hemingway in Havana in 1933.

Bringing the Play to Life
Artistic director and director of A Thousand Words Jennifer Uphoff Gray talks about her first
experience with the play more than 3 years ago, and why she’s excited about bringing the full
production to the stage now.

Lecture and Art Exhibits in Conjunction with A Thousand Words
Forward Theater Company has partnered with artists throughout Dane County to present a series of art exhibits complementing A Thousand Words which focuses on many types of art – from the stunning black and white photography of Walker Evans, to crude patchwork quilts from Kansas.

To engage in a broader conversation around these themes, FTC, in close collaboration with David Wells and the Terry Family Foundation, assembled several mixed media exhibits created by local artists, including professional photographers and quilters, and members of the Center for Photography in Madison, the Mad City Quilt Guild, and the Madison Contemporary Fiber Artists. The collection of photos, quilts, embroidery, weaving, and fabric collages will be on display at several galleries in Madison, through March 2012. In addition to these exhibits, the Wisconsin Historical Society will host a lecture complementing the themes in the play, discussing antique and modern quilts.

December 19, 2011 - March 4, 2012
Overture Gallery II, 201 State Street, 2nd floor
Photos and fiber art in the style of Walker Evans, inspired by the play A Thousand Words. Opening reception January 13, 6pm – 8pm

January 13 - March 4, 2012
Overture Hall Playhouse Gallery, 201 State Street, lower level
Mini quilts by the Mad City Quilt Guild, inspired by the play and the theme “A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words.” Opening reception January 13, 6pm – 8pm

January 14, 2012 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Wisconsin Historical Society Contemporary Takes on Classic Patterns: A Talk with Quilter Chris Lynn Kirsch Quilter, teacher, and author Chris Lynn Kirsch will discuss her original work in the exhibit New Quilts from Old Favorites. Hear Kirsch explain how the love for historic quilting patterns inspired her creation of vibrant, artful, decidedly modern quilts. Local playwright Gwendolyn Rice will also be on hand to discuss her play A Thousand Words, which features antique quilts and forgotten women fiber artists in its plot. Cost to attend is $10 per person. Register by Monday, January 9th. Call 264-6555, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or visit shop.wisconsinhistory.org to register.

Gwendolyn Rice's Blogs about A Thousand Words

Thoughts on Rehearsal of A Thousand Words, Posted 1-21-12

-As an actress, director, or stage manager, I remember rehearsals being very long. As the writer, they seem to go by very quickly.

-I think the most wonderful thing a playwright can experience is hearing a line said out loud that’s better than he/she heard it initially in her head. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does. .. wow. Read More.

The Quilts of Gee's Bend, Posted 1-8-12

In creating a play around the story of newly discovered photographs and the debate over who owns them, I found that it worked well with other themes I wanted to explore: the tension between unknown craftsmen, the art dealers who discover them, the public who clamor for their work, and the money that changes hands. The peculiar irony of “outsider,” “primitive,” or “folk” artists who are embraced by the conventional art world was illustrated poignantly for me a few years earlier, when the quilts of Gee’s Bend were featured at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and then the Whitney Museum in New York. As a quilter myself I was fascinated with the unusual patterns, fabrics, and techniques employed in these pieces, created by a group of African American women from Gee’s Bend, Alabama, one of the poorest communities in the country.  Read More.

You Wrote That?, Posted 1-5-12
For about a year now people have been asking me the same question: “How does it feel to have a play in Forward Theater’s 2011-2012 season?” And the truth is, it always felt a bit surreal. Read More.

The Audacity of Quilting, Posted 10-13-11
It is 11:30pm on a Friday night and I cannot sleep. This hardly ever happens to me. But tonight my mind is too full. Full of animated conversations I’ve had, phone calls, emails, dozens of work projects I’ve barely begun, laundry in piles at the foot of the bed that threaten to topple onto my children, burying them forever, and a nagging feeling I’m forgetting something important. . . I roll out of bed and pad down the stairs to the basement in my bare feet. I pull out a bag of fabric pieces and begin to put them in order. The tired is starting to make my head feel heavy, but I am so comforted by the sound of the sewing machine – the low hum of my Bernina, Quilter’s Edition – the smoothly moving parts of a device that is an efficient, hypnotic feat of engineering. Fast and sleek with a computer built right in, it is a powerful tool. If it was a techno gadget, it would be the latest iphone. If it was a car, it would be a Mazerati. Read More.

New Play Development Series

FTC is proud to give theater professionals throughout southern Wisconsin an artistic home. To that end, each season the company collaborates with playwrights to develop and showcase new work. This year, in addition to the regular season of three mainstage plays listed above, FTC will host two staged readings of original plays.

There will be an extended talk-back with the authors and creative teams of these works at the end of each performance. Audiences are encouraged to stay and give feedback that will be used to further develop the scripts.

No advance tickets will be sold, but a suggested donation will be collected at the door. 

Sponsored by:
            

Wisconsin Story Project 
Uncivil Disobedience
By Mike Lawler
March 9 -10, 2012
7:30 pm in the Rotunda Studio, Overture Center

Partially underwritten by the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission  

Photo Left: Firefighters at work in the aftermath of the bombing, UW-Madison Archives
Photo Middle: A view of Sterling Hall after the bomb, UW-Madison Archives
Photo Right: A sign put up outside Sterling Hall by members of the Physics Department in 1971
by Skot Weidemann, UW-Madison Archives 


When a bomb exploded just outside Sterling Hall in the early morning hours of August 24, 1970, it was a thunderous event in the history of Wisconsin. Intended to destroy the Army Mathematics Research Center, it caused enormous damage to the building and killed physics researcher Robert Fassnacht and injured three other people. While the AMRC was not affected by the blast, many people on both sides of the anti-war movement were.

The Wisconsin Story Project, in conjunction with the Oral History Project at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, has spent several years conducting interviews and collecting stories from people who were there – and those whose lives were profoundly changed by the aftermath. These stories form the basis of a theatrical piece exploring the impact of the bombing on campus, and also within the larger protest movement of the 60s and 70s.

Audiences can ponder the motivations and possible justifications of the people involved in the Army Math/Sterling Hall incident for themselves on March 9th and 10th. Due to limited seating in Rotunda Studio, reservations are strongly encouraged. A suggested donation of $12 per person will be collected at the door. To reserve your seats, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Oatesland
By Sam White
May 19, 2012
7:30 pm in the Rotunda Studio, Overture Center

Wisconsin Wrights winner Sam White drew on two decades of Army service to craft this play about a covert military intelligence team is stationed in Antarctica. As the soldiers carry out their mission -- to spy on a nearby Russian base, they become suspicious of their environment, their real purpose in the remote weather station, and of each other. In the long, tense hours of cold and isolation, at least one of soldiers believes he’s seen the ghost of Lawrence Oates, a member of a doomed polar expedition party in 1912. As the team argues about obedience and duty, they spiral out of control towards a dark and inescapable conclusion.