St. Augustine, FL—A Classic Theatre opens its 2011-12 season with Joan Didion’s powerful memoir of love and loss, The Year of Magical Thinking.  The production features Anne Kraft in the role of the author and is directed by Christine Fogarty.  Performances are at 7:30 pm on September 23, 24, 30 and October 1 with matinees at 2:00 pm on September 25 and October 2. The play will be presented at Flagler College’s Gamache-Koger Theatre located in the Ringhaver Student Center.  The Theatre is located at 50 Sevilla Street, St. Augustine, FL. 

 

Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends. These were the first words written by the author after the sudden death of her husband and the beginning of her quest to understand the meaning of her loss, and to apply “magical thinking” (assigning significance and symbolism to objects and events) in this touching memoir.   Didion’s essays have appeared in Life, Esquire, The Saturday Evening Post and The New York Times.  Her novels include Play It As It Lays and The Book of Common Prayer.

 

During her career, St. Augustine native Anne Kraft spent 25 years as a professional actor in New York. Anne was the recipient of the “Best Actress Award” for her appearance as Blanche in Theatre Jacksonville’s production of A Streetcar Named Desire and her regional and national credits include appearances in To Kill A Mockingbird, Brighton Beach Memoirs and Rumors.  Co-founder of St. Augustine’s Limelight Theatre, Anne Kraft is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild.

 

Director Christine Fogarty received her BA in Theatre from Flagler College and her MFA in Acting from the University of Florida. She recently appeared in ACT’s production of The Day They Shot John Lennon and directed ACT’s production of It’s A Wonderful Life.