   |
CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK PRESENTS TENNESSEE
WILLIAMS’ (CINCINNATI) – The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s 46th season continues with one of America’s greatest dramas by one of its greatest playwrights, Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Legendary director Marshall W. Mason will helm the Playhouse’s production of the show, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, with a run that begins previews on October 18 and continues through November 18 in the Robert S. Marx Theatre. An explosive portrait of a family, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof centers on the 65th birthday celebration of “Big Daddy” Pollitt, the very wealthy patriarch of a large Mississippi plantation. Very little is what it seems in Big Daddy’s house. Though he’s been told his health is fine, in reality, Big Daddy is dying of cancer. His eldest son Gooper and daughter-in-law Mae are plotting secretly to secure their place in the family will. Meanwhile, since the premature end of his football glory days and the recent death of a friend, Big Daddy’s favorite son Brick finds solace only in a whiskey bottle. As Brick’s sensuous wife Maggie struggles to win back her husband and to preserve their piece of the family fortune, she becomes engaged in the battle of a “cat on a hot tin roof” whose only victory is “staying on as long as she can.”Maggie’s ability to maintain her balance is tested in this maze of avarice, hypocrisy and hidden desire. In this monumental play, the past collides with the present when family feuding and deeply held secrets reach a boiling point. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof originally opened on Broadway in 1955 at New York’s Morosco Theatre, where it ran for nearly 700 performances. It earned that year’s Pulitzer Prize for Drama, securing its place among America’s greatest dramas of all time. The show has enjoyed three subsequent Broadway revivals, most recently in 2003, and was immortalized on film in 1958 with Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman and Burl Ives in its legendary starring roles. This production is informed by the work of directors Elia Kazan and Michael Kahn, as well as conversations that Mr. Mason had with playwright Tennessee Williams about the show. The Playhouse cast includes Joneal Joplin (Doctor Baugh), Jason Kuykendall (Brick), John Lepard (Gooper), Michael McCarty (Big Daddy), Edwin McDonough (Reverend Tooker), Mary Proctor (Mae), Molly Schaffer (Maggie) and Jo Twiss (Big Mama). Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is directed by Marshall W. Mason, who also directed the Playhouse’s 2001 production of Talley's Folly. Mr. Mason received a special millennium Mr. Abbott Award in 1999 as one of the most influential directors of the 20th century. His 12 productions on Broadway earned four Tony Awards and five Tony nominations for Best Director. Mr. Mason was the founding artistic director of Circle Repertory Company, named by The New York Times as “the chief provider of new American plays.” Renowned for his historic collaborations with playwright Lanford Wilson, Mr. Mason received five Obie Awards for his original New York productions of Mr. Wilson’s The Hot L Baltimore, The Mound Builders and Serenading Louie, as well as Tennessee Williams’ Battle of Angels. In March, Heinemann Press will publish his long-awaited book Creating Life Onstage: A Director's Approach to Working with Actors. Other members of the show’s production team include David Potts (Set Designer), David R. Zyla (Costume Designer), Phil Monat (Lighting Designer), Peter Kater (Composer) and Rand Mitchell (Assistant Director). The first stage manager is Andrea L. Shell and the second stage manager is Bruce E. Coyle. Prices for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof range from $35.50-$48.50, depending on day and seat location. All tickets are $32.50 for the preview performances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 18 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 19. The official opening night is Thursday, October 20 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 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof are on sale now. 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. Tickets also are available online at www.cincyplay.com. 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. |
|
Meet the Artists 2 p.m. Sunday, October 23 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 Sponsors: Design Sponsor: Fine Arts Fund Partner: The 2005-2006 Marx Theatre Series is presented by The Marx Season Design Sponsor is the ### |
