VENUS IN FUR to Open Rep Stage's 2014-15 Season, 10/1

Rep Stage, the regional theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), opens its 22nd season with David Ives' "Venus in Fur", directed by Joseph Ritsch, Rep Stage's co-producing artistic director.

When a young actress arrives several hours late to her audition for a play based on a 19th-century erotic novel, the playwright-director is less than impressed. But the actress's masterful performance flips the script on the demanding creator's expectations and turns the session into an electrifying battle of the sexes. The award-winning "Venus in Fur" is a laugh-out-loud game of cat and mouse that blurs the lines of fantasy and reality.

"Venus in Fur" opens October 1, 2014, with a limited run through October 19 in the Studio Theatre of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center (HVPA) on the campus of HCC. For tickets and additional information, visit www.repstage.org or call the box office at 443-518-1500. Press performance is Friday, October 3 at 8 p.m. For photos and press reservations, contact Mike Scrivener in the Office of Public Relations and Marketing at 443-518-3133 or mscrivener@howardcc.edu.

David Ives' "Venus in Fur" opened on Broadway in 2011 at The Manhattan Theatre Club after premiering at Classic Stage Company in 2010. Both productions were directed by Walter Bobbie. Nina Arianda, who portrayed Vanda in both productions, won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance on Broadway. The Broadway production also received a nomination for Best Play. The Rep Stage production features Kathryn Tkel (Vanda), who was seen most recently in Everyman Theatre's stunning production of "By The Way, Meet Vera Stark". Elan Zafir (Thomas), who was seen most recently in Signature Theatre's critically acclaimed "Tender Napalm". Both are graduates from the MFA program at The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Academy for Classical Acting.

CAST:

Thomas: Elan Zafir*

Vonda: Kathryn Tkel*

ARTISTIC TEAM:

Book: David Ives

Director: Joseph Ritsch

Set Designer: Daniel Ettinger**

Light Design: Joseph Walls

Sound Design: William D'Eugenio

Costume Designer: David Burdick

Properties Designer: Mollie Singer

Stage Manager: Keri Shultz*

Assistant Stage Manager: Jeane Compton

* Members Actor's Equity Association

** Member of United Scenic Artists, IATSE

ABOUT REP STAGE - Rep Stage, a professional regional theatre in residence at Howard Community College, is celebrating its 22nd season. The company is a member of the League of Washington Theatre, the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and Theatre Communications Group. Rep Stage is recognized by Theatre Washington as professional DC Metro area theatre company and is eligible to be nominated for the Helen Hayes Awards. Performances are made possible by Howard Arts Council, Howard County Government, and the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the Stage of Maryland and National Endowment of the Arts, as well as through generous individual contributions. Rep Stage is proud to be a partner of Howard County Tourism and promotion. Rep Stage's Artistic Leadership is helmed by Co-Producing Artistic Directors Suzanne Beal and Joseph Ritsch.