[ This Just In! ]

For Immediate Release
Date: February 12, 2004

Salvage Vanguard Launches Career of Yet Another Playwright: Kathryn Walat's Know Dog Opens June 4

AUSTIN, TX--Yesterday, Salvage Vanguard Theater began rehearsals for its newest production, Know Dog by Kathryn Walat, who joins a long line of playwrights for whom Salvage Vanguard Theater produced their very first professional productions.

"When we were choosing this season, our tenth," says SVT Artistic Director Jason Neulander, "we wanted to be sure to continue our tradition of launching playwrights' careers. It had been years since we produced a writer who we did not know personally. Kate [Walat]'s work is outstanding. We're confident that she is going to make a national impact."

Kathryn Walat joins the ranks of Dan Dietz, Ruth E. Margraff, Lisa D'Amour, Julia Edwards, and David Bucci, as playwrights who received their first professional productions from Salvage Vanguard Theater and then went on to successful national careers.

Walat is based in New York. She received her MFA in Playwriting from Yale in 2003. She completed her undergraduate work at Brown University in 1996.

"It's fun to get exposure to a different part of the country," says Walat. "Austin seems like the a great theater town to do work in. In New York, productions aren't given the time to develop. I'm interested to see what comes out of a five-week rehearsal process here in Austin."

Know Dog tells the story of Alice, a young housewife, whose husband is never around, though his dog Stanley is always around. While her step-nephew Hank falls in love with her, she falls in love with Stanley. The entire play takes place in a back yard throughout a hot summer.

Know Dog was developed at Yale and received a workshop at the Hangar Theater in Cincinnati.

"After a couple of workshops of the play," continues Walat, "I'm excited to be taking step that every young writer needs: a full production of my work. I'm excited that Salvage Vanguard is the company to take that chance."

Know Dog runs June 4 through 26, Thursday through Sunday, at the Off Center (2211-A Hidalgo Street). All performances are at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $15 ($12 for students, seniors, and ACoT members). Thursdays and Sundays are "Starving Artist Nite"--half off with a canned food donation. For tickets and information call (512) 474-SVT-6 or click HERE.

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