FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 4, 2005
Contact: Christa Skiles
Public Relations Director
513-345-2242, ext. 232

PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK'S THOMPSON SHELTERHOUSE SEASON TAKES A COMEDIC TURN WITH STEVE MARTIN'S THE UNDERPANTS, APRIL 2-MAY 8

(CINCINNATI) – Laughter ensues as the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park continues its 2004-2005 Thompson Shelterhouse season with Steve Martin’s riotous adaptation of a classic German comedy, The Underpants. A hilarious send-up of sex, scandal and instant celebrity, The Underpants begins public previews on April 2 and continues through May 8.

Theo Maske, a conservative government administrator in 1910 Dusseldorf, is horrified that he will lose his job when his pretty young wife Louise’s underpants accidentally fall down as she is watching the King’s Parade. As it turns out, the episode does garner attention: from the poet Versati and the barber Cohen, both of whom show up on the Maske doorstep to rent an available room. Of course, neither man is as interested in the room as he is in seducing Louise. But Theo is oblivious to their true intentions and sees only the potential financial windfall — he offers to divide the room in half and allow both men to share it.

Theo has shown little romantic interest in his wife over the course of their year-long marriage. Egged on by her meddling upstairs neighbor Gertrude, Louise decides that taking a lover might not be such a bad idea, and both women realize it may be rather easy to accomplish under the present circumstances. The romantic mis-entanglements that result continue to a fever pitch and a side-splitting conclusion in this bold and bawdy comedy filled with Steve Martin’s famous flashes of wit.

The Underpants was born at off-Broadway’s Classic Stage Company in 2002 as part of the theatre’s “Re-Imagining the Classics” season. Artistic Director Barry Edelstein approached Steve Martin directly about adapting the 1911 comedy by Carl Sternheim.

Although predominately known for his roles in film and television, Steve Martin is no stranger to writing or to the theatre. He has written some of his most memorable motion picture roles, including The Jerk, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, The Man with Two Brains, L.A. Story, Roxanne (Best Actor Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and Best Screenplay Award from the Writers Guild of America) and Bowfinger. In the fall of 1993, Mr. Martin’s first original play Picasso at the Lapin Agile was presented by Steppenwolf Theatre Company and had subsequent runs in Boston and Los Angeles and then off-Broadway. Mr. Martin is also the author of the novellas Shopgirl, soon to be released as a motion picture, and The Pleasure of My Company, as well as the comic collections Cruel Shoes and Pure Drivel.

The cast for The Underpants includes Thomas Carson (The Crucible, A Flea in Her Ear) as Klinglehoff, Remi Sandri (The Mystery of Irma Vep) as Frank Versati and the King, Carol Schultz (Ah, Wilderness!, The Little Foxes) as Gertrude Deuter and Kurt Zischke (Barbara's Blue Kitchen) as Theo Maske. Making their Playhouse debuts are Charles Goad as Benjamin Cohen and Molly Wright Stuart as Louise Maske.

The play is directed by Kenneth Albers. Additional production team members include Michael Ganio (set designer), Susan Tsu (costume designer), Robert Jared (lighting designer) and John Tanner (composer/sound designer). The stage manager is Andrea L. Shell.

Tickets to The Underpants are on sale now. Prices range from $40-$48, depending on day and seat location. All tickets are $33 for the preview performances at 9 p.m. Saturday, April 2; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, April 3; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 5; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 6. The official opening night is Thursday, April 7 at 8 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.

For tickets to The Underpants or 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.

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.

Meet the Artists
These free programs allow audiences to interact with cast members and others associated with the production following the show.

2 p.m. Sunday, April 10
2 p.m. Sunday, April 17
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20
8 p.m. Thursday, April 28

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 at least 24 hours in advance. The price is $21. 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:
RiverPoint Capital Management

Production Design Sponsor:
The Geiler Company

Fine Arts Fund Partners:
Cincinnati Bell and Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc.

The 2004-2005 Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre Series is presented by
Heidelberg Distributing Co.

The Marx Season Design Sponsor is
The Sheakley Group of Companies.

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