Posted by: thepinetree on 03/09/2014 11:51 PM
Updated by: thepinetree on 03/09/2014 11:54 PM
Expires: 01/01/2019 12:00 AM
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Murphys Creek Theatre’s 2014 Season Opens This Month
Murphys, CA...20 years ago Murphys Creek Theatre performed their first production in the Black Bart Playhouse. Over the past two decades the organization has grown and expanded while still maintaining it’s community roots. The theatre boasts two venues – the Black Bart Playhouse in downtown Murphys and the beautiful outdoor amphitheater down San Domino Road. The company has expanded their education program, community involvement, and continues to present quality live theatre in the Sierras. Murphys Creek Theatre is thrilled to launch the 20th anniversary season. The season includes 5 popular and favorite selections from the theatre’s past productions and introduce 2 exciting special events...
The 2014 season will be split between 3 shows at the Black Bart Playhouse, 580 S. Algiers St. in Murphys, and 2 shows at the Cornelia B. Stevenot Memorial Amphitheater, 2690 San Domingo Rd., also in Murphys. The season begins with a revival of the first play MCT ever produced. The fast paced farce, “Rumors”, by Neil Simon, will be showing at the Black Bart Playhouse in Murphys. Moving to the amphitheater for the summer, MCT's season continues with one of Shakespeare's best loved comedies, “Twelfth Night”. The third offering in the season is the irreverent spoof of the world’s greatest tragedy, “I Hate Hamlet”. Moving back into the playhouse for the fall, MCT is reviving one of its most successful shows, “Escanaba in da Moonlight”. Closing the 20th season will be a unique staging of Charles Dickens Classic Christmas tale, “A Christmas Carol”.
Opening March 21st at the Black Bart Playhouse in Murphys will be Neil Simon’s hilarious farce, “Rumors” directed by Graham Scott Green. At a large, tastefully appointed Sneden's Landing townhouse, the Deputy Mayor of New York has just shot himself. Though only a flesh wound, four couples are about to experience a severe attack of Farce. Gathering for their tenth wedding anniversary, the host lies bleeding in the other room and his wife is nowhere in sight. His lawyer, Ken and wife Chris must get "the story" straight before the other guests arrive. As the confusions and mis-communications mount, the evening spins off into classic farcical hilarity. Many of the original cast members will return for this face paced and delightfully witty exploration of gossip and misdirection. “Rumors” will run through April 19th at the Black Bart Playhouse.
In June MCT will be moving to its outdoor venue, The Cornelia B. Stevenot Memorial Amphitheater, for the “Theatre under the Stars” program, opening with one of William Shakespeare’s most popular comedies, “Twelfth Night” directed by Tara Kayton. This summer’s production of this Shakespearean comedy will take place in Havana, Cuba. Unforgettable characters filled with unrequited love will make their way through dark humor, Catholic guilt, liquor, and cigar filled Havana Nights. While the lovelorn Duke Orsino plots to win the heart of the mourning Olivia, an alliance of servants and hangers-on scheme against the high handedness of Olivia’s steward, the pompous Malvolio. When Orsino engages the cross-dressed Viola, who has disguised herself as a young man under the name Cesario, to plead with Olivia on his behalf, a bittersweet and hilarious chain of events follows. “Twelfth Night” will play Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm from June 13th through July 20th.
The second show of the summer is the well-known and very, very funny spoof of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, “I Hate Hamlet”, by Paul Rudnick, directed by Graham Scott Green. A young and successful television actor relocates to New York, where he rents a marvelous, gothic apartment. With his television career in limbo, the actor is offered the opportunity to play Hamlet onstage, but there's one problem: He hates Hamlet. His dilemma deepens with the entrance of John Barrymore's ghost, who arrives intoxicated and in full costume to the apartment that once was his. The contrast between the two actors, the towering, dissipated Barrymore whose Hamlet was the greatest of his time, and Andrew Rally, hot young television star, leads to a wildly funny duel over women, art, success, duty, television, and yes, the apartment. “I Hate Hamlet” plays Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm from August 1st through September 6th.
In September, MCT moves back indoors to the Playhouse with one of the most successful productions of our history was, “Escanaba in da Moonlight”, by Jeff Daniels, directed by Graham Scott Green. When the Soady clan reunites for the opening day of deer season at the family's Upper Peninsula camp, thirty-five-year-old Reuben Soady brings with him the infamous reputation of being the oldest Soady in the history of the Soadys never to bag a buck. In a hunting story to beat all hunting stories, “Escanaba in da Moonlight” spins a hilarious tale of humor, horror and heart as Reuben goes to any and all lengths to remove himself from the wrong end of the family record book. Escanaba runs from September 19th through October 12th.
Closing their 20th year will be a unique staging of Charles Dickens classic tale of salvation, “A Christmas Carol”, directed by Tara Kayton. Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption. “A Christmas Carol” plays Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday matinees from November 28th through December 20th. Special walk about town performances will be available for this production on a first come first serve basis.
In addition to the 5 plays presented in the 2014 season, Murphys Creek Theatre continues its renowned educational program, “The Mirror Project” from June 23rd – July 21st. In addition to the Mirror Project MCT is pleased to present two very special events this year, “The Mirror Project Alumni Show” on July 6th, and as a special Halloween treat this year, “The Rocky Horror Show Show”, one night concert only on Halloween, October 31st.
The most exciting news of the year is the addition of Tara Kayton to the MCT staff as Producer of the 2014 season. Tara Kayton directed 2012’s production of The Imaginary Invalid and last season’s critically acclaimed production of, The Santaland Diaries”. Tara holds an MFA in theatre management from the Yale School of Drama, a BA from San Diego State University, and is an alumnus of the British American Drama Academy, Oxford University Program. She has worked
at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Huntington
Theatre in Boston, and Birdland Jazz Club in NYC. At Yale, Tara was the Company
Manager for Yale Repertory Theatre, the Managing Director of the Yale Cabaret, and
the Producer of the Yale Summer Cabaret Shakespeare Festival. Recently, she was the
associate producer of One Year Lease Theatre Company’s summer residency in Greece
and comes to MCT from Marin Theatre Company. MCT is pleased and excited to have such an experienced and talented artist joining the team.
Join Murphys Creek Theatre for the 20th season and celebrate the future of live theatre arts in Murphys. Tickets for the 2014 season including our incredible savings on special season subscription packages are available now by calling (209) 728-8422 or online at www.murphyscreektheatre.org.
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