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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COMPELLING DRAMA OF MICE AND MEN OPENS CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK’S 47TH SEASON, SEPTEMBER 5-OCTOBER 6 (CINCINNATI) – Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck’s compelling drama of friendship, loyalty and the power of dreams, will launch the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s 47th season. The show begins previews in the Playhouse’s Robert S. Marx Theatre beginning September 5 and continues through October 6. Of Mice and Men features the haunting story of George and Lennie, Depression-era migrant workers who have only each other and their shared struggle for the American dream. The two men travel together, with George looking after the sweet but childlike Lennie, whose inability to understand the power of his own brute strength and the fear it can cause in others has frequently placed the two men in dangerous situations. When George and Lennie find employment at a Northern California ranch, they plan to save enough money to buy a place of their own. The two find most of the ranch men to be friendly and welcoming, but they also find early trouble from Curley — the son of the ranch boss — and Curley’s restless and flirtatious wife. One evening, as George relents to Lennie’s pleas to tell him the story of how their life will be, he is overheard by Candy, an older man who cleans the bunkhouses. Candy tells George that he’s managed to save more than $300 and that he would be happy to give the money to him if it means a place to call home and a security he fears he’ll soon lose on the ranch. But George’s best-laid plans set into motion a chain of events that threaten the future hopes of all three men. At the same time, Lennie’s simple innocence places him in yet another perilous circumstance, this time with tragic consequences that even George cannot overcome. Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck adapted Of Mice and Men from his own best-selling novella, originally published in 1937. The play premiered on Broadway in November of that same year. Steinbeck drew heavily from his own experiences working in California’s Salinas Valley as a ranch-hand and straw-boss, and many of the characters in the story are composites of real people he worked with on the ranches. The cast for Of Mice and Men includes Kenneth Albers (The Boss), Brendan Averett (Lennie), Anne Bowles (Curley’s Wife), Peter Bretz (Slim), Kevin Crowley (Whit), Marc Aden Gray (George), Dane Knell (Candy), Christian Kohn (Carlson), Vincent Nappo (Curley) and Michael Anthony Williams (Crooks). Of Mice and Men is directed by Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Edward Stern. Other members of the production team include Paul Shortt (Set Designer), Kristine A. Kearney (Costume Designer), James Sale (Lighting Designer) and Chuck Hatcher (Sound Designer). The production stage manager is Jenifer Morrow and the stage manager is Suann Pollock. Prices for Of Mice and Men range from $37.50-$50.50, depending on day and seat location. All tickets are $34.50 for the preview performances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 5 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 6. The official opening night is Thursday, September 7 at 8:00 p.m. Any unreserved tickets are half-price every day when purchased at the Playhouse between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the day of the show (for performances Tuesday through Saturday) and from 12 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs and complete wheelchair access are available. Tickets to Of Mice and Men are on sale now to subscribers to the Playhouse’s 2006-2007 season. Tickets will go on sale to the general public through the Playhouse web site at www.cincyplay.com beginning August 18 and by phone and in person through the box office beginning August 21. Tickets purchased between August 18 and August 25 to performances in the first week of the show’s run are half off the regular price. Some restrictions apply. For more information, call the Playhouse box office at 513/421-3888 or toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at 800/582-3208. Call 513/345-2248 for TDD accessibility. For single tickets purchased by telephone through the Playhouse box office, there is a $3 convenience fee per call. Artists fly to and from Cincinnati on Delta Connection Comair. The Playhouse is supported, in part, by the generosity of the tens of thousands of individuals and businesses that give to the Fine Arts Fund. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the City of Cincinnati. |
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Meet the Artists 2 p.m. Sunday, September 10 Audio Described Performance Signed Performance Playhouse Perspectives Dining Options Karlo's Bistro at the Playhouse offers full-service dining prior to most evening performances. Dinners include salad, entrée and dessert. Reservations are required by noon on the day of the show. The price is $21, which does not include gratuity. Karlo's Casual Fare offers busy theatre patrons an alternative light, quick bite prior to the show. Options include salads, sandwiches, soups, pasta and desserts. No reservations are required. Sponsors Production Sponsor: Fine Arts Fund Partner: The 2006-2007 Marx Theatre Series is presented by The Marx Season Design Sponsor is ### |
