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CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK PRESENTS THERESA REBECK’S IRRESISTIBLE COMEDY BAD DATES, JANUARY 25-FEBRUARY 25 (CINCINNATI) – Cincinnati native Theresa Rebeck gets a Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut with the regional premiere of her hilarious new play, Bad Dates. The show begins previews in the Playhouse’s Robert S. Marx Theatre beginning January 25 and it continues through February 25. Bad Dates is an irresistible comedy for anyone who likes to laugh and loves a killer pair of Chanel pumps! Haley Walker — a former Texan transplanted to New York City, a divorced mom to a teenage daughter and a successful restaurant manager — finally has resolved to re-enter the terrifying world of adult dating. But ending up with the right date, it seems, is as difficult as choosing the right pair of shoes for the occasion. As Haley prepares for, and then recovers from, one positively dreadful date after another, she recounts the hilarious stories of her life, revealing the universal traumas associated with searching for the perfect mate. Haley is no stranger to adversity. She earned her manager role at the restaurant by starting there as a waitress — and then proving herself the only person capable of running it once the owner ended up in prison for using the place as a money laundering front for the Romanian mafia. Finally settled and beginning to feel independent once again, Haley decides it’s time to try dating. But in this arena, her luck isn’t as good. Her dates range from a man who can’t stop talking about his cholesterol and is clearly still in love with his ex-girlfriend to a Columbia law professor who won’t stop flirting with the waiter. But Haley’s plucky confidence also hides a troubling secret regarding her meteoric success at work. It’s a secret that ultimately catches up with her and brings events full circle. Playwright Theresa Rebeck is a Cincinnati native. Her plays have been produced off-Broadway and regionally and include The Butterfly Collection, View of the Dome, The Family of Man, Loose Knits and Spike Heels as well as Omnium Gatherum, which premiered as part of the Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She is also well known for her writing for television, including shows such as Dream On, Brooklyn Bridge, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, Third Watch and Law and Order, for which she also served as a producer. The role of Haley is portrayed by Judith Hawking. Ms. Hawking previously appeared at the Playhouse as Lilith in the 2003 world premiere production of Carson Kreitzer’s The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Her Broadway appearances include Ivanov and Voices In The Dark. Off-Broadway, Ms. Hawking has appeared in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Julius Caesar and Police Boys at Playwrights Horizons, Love of The Nightingale at SoHo Repertory Theatre, Hunting Morels at Manhattan Class Company and, most recently, in Dear Vienna at the McGinn Cazale Theater. Cincinnati actress Annie Fitzpatrick is the understudy for Haley. Bad Dates is directed by Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Michael Evan Haney. Other production team members include Hugh Landwehr (set designer), Martha Hally (costume designer), Phil Monat (lighting designer) and Andrew Hopson (sound designer). The first stage manager is Andrea L. Shell. The second stage manager is Jenifer Morrow. Prices for Bad Dates range from $34-$46, depending on day and seat location. All tickets are $31 for the preview performances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 25 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 26. The official opening night is Thursday, January 27 at 8:00 p.m. Any unreserved tickets are half-price every day when purchased 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 Bad Dates 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 can be purchased on the Playhouse web site at www.cincyplay.com. The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is currently in its 45th season as one of the nation’s leading professional regional theatres. Last summer, the Playhouse was honored with the 2004 Regional Theatre Tony Award®. One of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry, it recognizes a nonprofit professional regional theatre company that has displayed a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theatre nationally. Artists fly to and from Cincinnati on Delta Connection Comair, the Playhouse’s official airline. 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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Special Performances Meet the Artists Audio Described Performance Signed Performance Playhouse Perspectives Dining Options Sponsors The 2004-2005 Marx Theatre Series is presented by The Marx Season Design Sponsor is the ### |