Press Information

First tolerant author and adoring fan, then teacher and pupil, and finally friends of a deeply passionate and passionately reserved nature, Sassoon and Owen discover in each other a shared commitment to telling the unpopular truth about the "Great War." This fragilely built communion is ultimately torn apart when both betray their pacifist convictions to return to the front in fruitless attempts to confront private ghosts of fear and nihilistic desire. At Craiglockhart, Sassoon wrote most of the poems that would later make up Counter-Attack and Other Poems (1918). Owen published only five poems in his lifetime, but was the author of "Dulce et Decorum Est," and "Anthem for Doomed Youth," two of the English-speaking world's best-known pieces of antiwar literature.

Not About Heroes is directed by Jon Kretzu, and stars Grant Byington as Sassoon and Jeff Szusterman as Wilfred Owen.

JON KRETZU, DIRECTOR.

Jon is the associate artistic director at Artists Repertory Theatre, where he has directed Present Laughter, A Question of Mercy, Indiscretions, Keely and Du (1995 Drammy Award: Best Director), Love! Valour! Compassion!, Breaking the Code, Chaps!, The Sea, The Normal Heart, The Destiny of Me, Buried Child, The Artificial Jungle, Three Tall Women(USIA International Tour) and Abundance. Jon has been the dramaturg for Portland Repertory Theater, has served as a guest director and professor at a number of West Coast and Midwest universities, and has worked as an acting coach in Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland.

GRANT BYINGTON plays Siegfried Sassoon.

This is Grant Byington's second portrayal as a poet. In 1998, he played Dennis Jensen in The Monogamist with CoHo Productions. An accomplished poet himself, Byington won poetry fellowships and scholarships to the University of Montana's renowned creative writing program. where he studied with Pulitzer Prize-winner Richard Hugo. Locally, Grant has been seen in many productions, most notably at Artists Repertory Theatre (including roles in Love! Valour! Compassion!, Breaking The Code, Chaps!, and The Normal Heart). He has also appeared with Cygnet Productions in the "old bookstore days," having been seen in two evenings of short stories with Verbatim, and Mac Wellman's 7 Blowjobs. He is delighted to be working with Cygnet again.

JEFF SZUSTERMAN plays Wilfred Owen.

Jeff recently moved to Portland from New Zealand, where he had been acting professionally for four years. Favorite roles include Danny in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, George S. Aronowitz in Duck Variations, David Wills in Taking Sides, Feder in Pains of Youth, the Husbands in The Visit and Harry Costea in Tzigane' among others. This is his premier production in Portland.

Thursday through Sunday, October 27 - November 19, 2000; 8:00 p.m. Thurs./Sat , 7:00 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $15.00, $12 seniors and students
Location: Russell Street Theatre, 116 NE Russell Street, Portland, OR
Reservations: call 503.493.4077
For more information:
Louanne Moldovan, Artistic Director, Cygnet, louanne@vinton.com
Photos: Large (847K), Smaller, Cropped

About Cygnet:

Cygnet Theatre, a literary cabaret, turns literature into entertaining, thought-provoking theatre by staging world classics, little-known literary gems and original work in an intimate setting. The company carefully selects works to produce, looking for literature with a broad appeal that is culturally inclusive and has a contemporary resonance. Cygnet works collaboratively on all aspects of its productions, from the selection of the featured work through the artistic process in staging the show. The result is high quality productions that are elegant yet spare, focusing on the text and inviting the audience to open its imagination and engage intellectually, socially and emotionally.