The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, City Theatre, June 10 - July 4

Paul Rudnick's play is cleverer and better crafted than you might suspect, given all the no-neck scandal over his playful recasting of biblical stories in goofy, unabashedly gay terms. The company plays the first act hysterically over the top, with flamingly naughty versions of the creation story and of the tale of Moses and the pharaoh, and almost -- almost -- a lesbian immaculate conception.

Adam and Eve become Adam and Steve, for example. In the paradise created progressively by that disengaged female stage manager ("Cue third day!"), they find one another dressed only in green jockstraps with fig leaves, and they explore the unexplained deights of the body like a couple of unsupervised kindergartners. The stage manager calls a timely blackout when the boys check out one another's little things, but we do get an eyebrow-raising simulacrum of anal intercourse.

Adam (Austin Rausch) follows his tempted curiosity out of the garden, plunging them all into the harsh world. Two women, firmly attached to one another, turn up -- Jane and Mabel (cf., Cain and Able, though the only close resemblance is in the names).Through their comic trials, flouncing Adam and sweet-natured Mabel (Chrissy Shackleford) intuit something more, something spiritual, but they're never quite able to express it. Neither matter-of-fact Steve (Marco Bazan) nor grumpy Jane (Katie Blacksmith)is buying that idea. Adam catches his breath, stunned with the happiness of the present moment and yearning to celebrate and to express thanks to someone - something. God? "Not in my house," returns Steve, his mouth tight and dismissive.

Click to read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Upcoming: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, City Theatre, August 20 - September 13

Received directly:

The City Theatre
closes the 2009 summer theatre season with

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

based on C.S. Lewis’ favorite classic adventure

August 20 – September 13 Thursday – Saturday 8:00 p.m. Sunday 5:30 p.m.

NARNIA…a land frozen in eternal winter…a country waiting to be set free.

This wonderful adaptation based on the children’s novel by C. S. Lewis is the story of four children, Susan, Lucy, Edmond and Peter who escape the London blitz of World War II, when they are sent to live with their uncle in the countryside. Lucy’s discovery of a magic wardrobe in her uncle’s home, leads her and her siblings into a world where “it is always winter, but never Christmas”, the land known as Narnia.

Here the children discover strange wonders: centaurs, talking beavers, fairies, and a fawn-like creature known as Tumnus, who befriends the children.

But Narnia is a land of contrasts as well. There is evil, in the person of the ambitious and calculating White Witch who battles to rule all of Narnia, and goodness and nobility, embodied in the powerful Lion King Aslan, who opposes her and her diabolic schemes. This story of love, faith, courage and giving, with its triumph of good over evil, is a profound celebration of life and inspiration, captivating young and old for decades.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the first in a seven-book series by C. S. Lewis called The Chronicles of Narnia. Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis was born in 1898 in Belfast, Ireland. He was a professor of Medieval and Renaissance English at Oxford. He wrote books on religion and philosophy, but is most famous for this remarkable series, that has captured the imagination of children and adults worldwide. Many will be familiar with the series through the recently released Walt Disney Productions and Walden Media films, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and Prince Caspian.

The production is directed by Bridget Farias with additional staging by Andy Berkovsky and set design by Daniel LeFave and costumes by Jessi Brill. It features the company of Derek Vandi (Aslan), Samantha Brewer (White Witch), Chad Duda (Peter), Laura Ray (Susan), Raphael Jaquette (Edmund), Shannyn Rose Cowart (Lucy), Bobby DiPasquale (Mr. Beaver), Fiona Rene (Mrs. Beaver), Austin Rausch (Mr. Tunmus), Dario Konjicija (Fenris Ulf), Marques Deleeon (Dwarf), Justin McKnight (Elf), D.H. Thompson (Father Christmas/Professor), and Molly McKee, Monique Borses, Nikki Maldonado, Annabel Stephan, Matthew Haynes, and Cameron McKnight (Wood Creatures/Ensemble).

This production is recommended for all ages and fun live theatre entertainment for the entire family.

TICKETS AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Reservations 512-524-2870 or info@citytheatreaustin.org
General Seating $15 - $20. Guaranteed Reserve Seats$25. Kids under ten $10. Thursdays all seats $10. Group and senior discounts are available.


The City Theatre. 3823 Airport Blvd. – east corner of Airport Blvd. and 38 ½ Street.
Visit our website www.citytheatreaustin.org

Upcoming: Christmas Belles, City Theatre, December 4 - 21

Received October 21:

City Theatre announces Christmas Belles Dec 4 – 21

CHRISTMAS BELLES - YULETIDE JOY WITH HOLIDAY FAMILY FUN…TEXAS STYLE. STAGE COMEDY PREMIER IN AUSTIN

It’s an exciting honor to be premiering a playwright’s first words onstage in Austin. Christmas Belles will open The City Theatre’s Company’s holiday season running December 4 through December 21.

A soon to be classic southern comedy is authored by Texas residents Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten, a trio of talented writers.

CTC welcomes the Futrelle sisters and it’s Christmas-time in Fayro, Texas. Frankie, Twink, and Honey Raye are not exactly in a festive mood.

Frankie is overdue with her second set of twins, Twink is bitter about a recent jilting which finds her behind bars, and Honey Raye is trying to keep the Tabernacle of the Lamb’s Christmas Pageant from spiraling out of control. Things are not looking promising: the former director is ruthless in her attempts to take over the show, the celebrity Santa is passing a kidney stone, the cast is dropping like flies to food poisoning from the recent pancake supper and a long-kept family secret is revealed.

And on top of everything, the pageant will be shown live on cable access television for the first time ever.

In true Futrelle fashion, the feuding sisters pull together in order to present a Christmas program the citizens of Fayro will never forget.

Christmas Belles will bring joy to your world!

Christmas Belles playwrights have impressive backgrounds: Jessie Jones co-authored the play Dearly Departed, as well as its screen adaptation, Kingdom Come; Nicholas Hope won the Texas New Playwrights’ Festival for his first play, A Friend Of The Family and was Director of Casting for ABC Television; and Jamie Wooten has written and produced nearly four hundred episodes of network television, including four seasons of the classic series, The Golden Girls. All three were born and raised in the South and write about the South they know best.

Produced by The City Theatre Company, the comedy will be directed by Daniel Lefave featuring the cast of Sharon Elmore, Nicole Weber, Bobby DiPasquale, Louise Martin, Rae Peterson, Rosemary Holly, Terri Bennett, Jen Coy, Michael Schnick, Daniel Sawtelle, and Shane Cleveland.

TICKET AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
December 4 - 21, 2008 Thursday – Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Sunday 5:30 p.m.
The City Theatre, 3823 Airport Blvd. – east between Manor Road and 38 ½ St.
Reservations 512-524-2870 or info@citytheatreaustin.org.
General Seating Tickets $15-20, Guaranteed Reserved Seating $25, Students $12, Thursdays pay what you can. Website: www.citytheatreaustin.org.