Trinity Rep continues Season 51: The Necessity of Human Connection with Will Eno’s “Middletown, directed by Curt Columbus. “Middletown” runs January 22 through February 22 in Trinity Rep’s Dowling Theater. Tickets and subscriptions are on sale now at www.trinityrep.com, by calling 351-4242 or at the theater’s box office at 201 Washington St., Providence. 

“Welcome to the little town of Middletown. Ordinary place, ordinary time. But aren’t they all? No, they are not all,” opens celebrated playwright Will Eno’s acclaimed 2010 play. Wry, bittersweet and achingly beautiful, “Middletown” takes a microscope to small-town American living, revealing universal themes of love, birth, death, loneliness, elation, forgiveness, disappointment and redemption. Showcasing an ensemble cast, including seven member of the resident acting company, this production is directed by Curt Columbus.

“As contemporary human beings living in a global marketplace with 24/7 mediated access, it’s nearly impossible for us to connect, with each other…and yet it’s also positively essential,” Columbus articulates as the central question posed in “Middletown.” “How do we connect with other people on a profound level in a world where media and the Internet work daily and energetically to isolate us from each other? Will Eno poetically unpacks this modern isolation and shows us that there are ways for us to reach out and make connections to each other, and to the eternal—and that’s what’s exciting about this play.”

The cast features Trinity Rep resident acting company members Angela Brazil, Janice Duclos, Rebecca Gibel, Mauro Hantman, Fred Sullivan Jr., Rachel Warren and Joe Wilson Jr. with Brown/Trinity Rep actor Lee Osorio and Brown/Trinity Rep MFA alum Justin Blanchard, and guest Tracy Allard.

Bringing Eno’s version of the universal yet specifically New England town of “Middletown” to life include designers Alison Carrier (costumes), Josh Epstein (lights), Peter Sasha Hurowitz (sound) and Deb O (sets) with stage manager Kristen Gibbs.

Continuing Trinity Rep’s tradition of offering affordable tickets for all, the theater will have discounted previews of “Middletown” from January 22-24. Friday, January 23rd is a Pay What You Can (PWYC) performance. Tickets go on sale at 6:30 p.m. that evening, and are limited to one per person.

Trinity Rep’s 2014-2015 season is sponsored by NBC 10, with supporting sponsors Cox Media, Ocean State Job Lot, Rhode Island Monthly, RISCA and the theater’s official airline, Southwest Airlines.

The State Theater of Rhode Island, Trinity Repertory Company is now in its 51st season. Since its founding in 1963, Trinity Repertory Company has been one of the most respected regional theaters in the country. Featuring the last permanent resident acting company in America, Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works for an estimated annual audience of approximately 145,000. In its 50-year history, the theater has produced 62 world premieres, mounted national and international tours, and, through its MFA program, trained hundreds of new actors and directors.

This season marks the 47th year of Project Discovery, Trinity Rep’s pioneering educational outreach program. Last season, Trinity Rep’s educational programs reached over 16,000 Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut students through matinees as well as in-school residencies and workshops. Brown University/Trinity Rep offers professional training for actors and directors in a three-year MFA program. 

Subscriptions and tickets are available for the remainder of Trinity Rep’s 2014-2015 Season, which includes “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams, “A Flea in Her Ear” by Georges Feydeau and the world premiere of “Melancholy Play: a new chamber musical” by Sarah Ruhl with music by Todd Almond. For more information, call the box office at 351-4242 or visit Trinity Rep’s website at www.trinityrep.com.