The Black Rider - Productions

Productions

In 2004, UK producers Cultural Industry, Londons Barbican Arts Centre, American Conservatory Theater, and the Sydney Festival, Australia, teamed together with director Robert Wilson and Musician Tom Waits, to bring the world the English spoken version of The Black Rider. Based heavily on the 1990 Thalia theatre production, and even containing some members of the original cast, it toured the world starting in London. The part of Pegleg was played by singer Marianne Faithfull, while Wilhelm was played by actor Matt McGrath. The remaining cast included Mary Margaret O'Hara, Soňa Červená, Richard Strange, Nigel Richards, Dean Robinson, Jack Willis, Janet Henfrey, Monica Tahal, Gabriella Santinelli and Jake Thornton.

The band, The Magic Bullets, was headed by Bent Clausen, and featured the talents of David Coulter, Thomas Bloch, Terry Edwards, Caroline Hall, Jack Pinter Rory McFarlane and Kate St. John.

The show opened in May 2004 at Londons Barbican Arts Centre, and then transferred to San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater later that year. In early 2005, the production headlined the Sydney Festival. However, due to ill health, Marianne Faithfull was forced to withdraw from the production and understudy Nigel Richards filled the part.

In 2006, Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre re-staged the production, bringing the cast together for one final time. Several members of the original cast were unavailable, most notably Marianne Faithfull, whose role was filled by Vance Avery. The cast was also joined by John Vickery.

November Theatre's production went onto tour Canada in 2004–2005 with presentations at Theatre Network in Edmonton, Ground Zero Theatre and the Calgary Opera, Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon, Yukon Arts Centre in Whitehorse, Intrepid Theatre in Victoria and the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in Vancouver. The production went onto win 6 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards in Edmonton and 6 Betty Mitchell Awards in Calgary including "Best Production" and "Best Direction" in both major centres. In 2006 the production was presented at the Magnetic North Theatre Festival in St. John's Newfoundland. The production was remounted in Vancouver in January 2008 at the Arts Club Theatre, Granville Island stage, co-presented as part of the annual PuSh Festival. November Theatre produced its final showing at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto in the fall of 2008.

The play was staged in the Hungarian National Theater during the Budapest Spring Festival in 2009.

The play was also staged by Estonian theater called "VAT Teater" in 2011. It took place in Tallinn, which is a European Capital of Culture for 2011.