RhinoLeap’s 10th Anniversary season continues with Broadway hit

ASHEBORO — RhinoLeap Productions announces the third production of its 10th Anniversary Season: “What the Constitution Means to Me” written by Heidi Schreck.

Venue history

It will be performed in the Math & Science Center at Randolph Community College in Asheboro.

During the pandemic, when theaters remained closed, RhinoLeap began producing work in non-traditional spaces: A textile mill, a warehouse, a tennis court, etc.

Many of the people who came to those performances had never attended any

of RhinoLeap’s previous productions. Some said it was because “they never felt invited” into traditional theaters — that theaters feel too formal or exclusive. Others said they were drawn by the unique experience RhinoLeap’s “found spaces” offered — even if they had seen the plays before in other cities, they had never seen them presented in the ways RhinoLeap envisioned.

In response to those perspectives, RhinoLeap continues to produce outside of actual theaters with “What the Constitution Means to Me.”

 Play author, history

This boundary-breaking and hopeful play was named Best of the Year by the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Time Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, The New Yorker and more. It is based on the true story of a 15-year-old Heidi Schreck who earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debates across the country. Now an adult, she resurrects her teenage self to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

“What the Constitution Means to Me” played an extended, sold-out run on Broadway in 2019 and was nominated for two Tony Awards. A filmed version of the play premiered on Amazon Prime Video and was nominated for a Critics Choice Award, a PGA Award and DGA Award.

Heidi Schreck’s other plays “Grand Concourse,” “Creature” and “There Are No More Big Secrets” have also been produced all over the country. Most recently, she created a new translation of Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” for the Broadway production at Lincoln Center.

Her screenwriting credits include “Billions,” “Nurse Jackie” and “Dispatches from Elsewhere.” She is the recipient of three Obie Awards, a Drama Desk Award and a Theatre World Award, as well as the Horton Foote Playwriting Award and the Hull-Warriner Award from the Dramatists Guild. Schreck was awarded Smithsonian Magazine’s 2019 American Ingenuity Award for her work in the Performing Arts.

Dates, actors, more info

RhinoLeap’s production of “What the Constitution Means to Me” will run seven times in the July 12 to July 20 window, including twice on Thursday, July 17. Performances will be presented in the Math & Science Center at Randolph Community College located at 629 Industrial Park Ave in Asheboro, NC. The production is directed by Kira Geiger and will feature Stephanie Linas in the lead role.

Stephanie Linas is a New York-based actor, writer and teacher. As an actor, her work spans from theater to film to national commercials. Her favorite credits include “Ancient History” (Guild Hall), “Othello” (Hudson Classical Theater Company), “Pixar in Real Life” (Disney +) and “Happy Birthday to Me” (Amazon). Stephanie’s writing includes an award-winning political dramedy series called “Downtown” and an anthology of short films called “Central Park Stories.” She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

The supporting members of the cast include RhinoLeap’s Artistic Director Patrick Osteen and three teenagers performing the same role in rotating performances throughout the run: Lera Foust, Samantha de la Vega and Vanessa Perez Vences. The production is designed by Emily Doll, Tara Raczenski and Noah Welby.

Tickets for the production are $30 and are available at rhinoleap.com or in-person at the Brightside Gallery located at 170 Worth Street, Asheboro.

The production is made possible in part by the support of Four Saints Brewing Company.

The final two performances of the run will feature live Spanish translation during the performances. Live translation of this production is made possible through the support of the Z. Smith Reyn- olds Foundation.

About RhinoLeap Productions

RhinoLeap’s mission is to demonstrate the power of the arts to transform rural communities. We must reflect those communities with the productions we present and strike a balance between asking meaningful questions and our desire to entertain. We must create education programs anchored in truth and tell stories that encompass all ethnic, religious, and gender identities. RhinoLeap Productions was founded in 2015. Since then, we have produced 33 productions and have performed and/ or taught in 17 counties across North Carolina. Our creations include live theater, dance, and music as well as radio and shortform documentaries.