THE ONLY LIGHT IN RENO Opens Tonight at Georgia Ensemble Theatre

Georgia Ensemble Theatre (GET), North Fulton's only professional theatre company, will kick off 2014 with the world premiere comedy of Topher Payne's newest play, The Only Light in Reno. Georgia Ensemble Theatre audiences' favorite Atlanta playwright is back fast on the heels of his successes with Tokens of Affection and Swell Party at the Roswell professional theatre, with GET founding company member Shannon Eubanks directing. This show runs tonight, January 9-26, 2014, at the Theatre's home, the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell, GA. The production is generously sponsored by Macy's Foundation.

Playwright Topher Payne takes us to Reno, Nevada in August of 1960. It is 106 degrees outside. Filming on "The Misfits" is hopelessly behind schedule, with no end in sight. The Sierra Mountains are on fire, and Reno is in total blackout. Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift are playing board games with an accused murderess, and Marilyn Monroe is locked in the bathroom. The hilarious story of when Hollywood came to the Biggest Little City in the World, and everything went up in flames.

Georgia Ensemble Theatre Artistic Director Robert Farley is thrilled to be introducing the world premiere of THE ONLY LIGHT IN RENO which was commissioned by GET specifically for its loyal patrons. Farley states, "The creation of new plays and musicals is at the very core of Georgia Ensemble Theatre's long range goals. It has been and continues to be a great adventure to witness the growth and development of Atlanta's most prolific and successful playwright, Topher Payne." He continued, "There is always a special edge to creating something from scratch. Along with Topher, I'm excited to be working with such a great ensemble and outstanding Director Shannon Eubanks."

For her part, Ms. Eubanks is delighted to be working on this production. Accordingly she says, "The supposition that interesting and hilarious things might happen if five famous, outsized and at times antagonistic personalities had been cooped up in the only small space with power, in a city surrounded by flames, sets the perfect stage for laughs."

The Cast: The Only Light in Reno features the amazing ensemble cast of Rachel Sorsa (Twentieth Century and Don't Dress for Dinner at GET) as Marilyn Monroe, Kate Donadio (Swell Party at GET, Wolves at Actors' Express) as Elizabeth Taylor, Johnny Drago (Angry Fags at 7 Stages, Designing Women Live at The Process Theatre) as Montgomery Clift, Shelly McCook (Tokens of Affection, The Invisible Man, Deathtrap at GET) as Libby Holman, and Elizabeth Genge (The Stronger at Studio Theatre UCSB and Dancing at Lughnasa at Studio Theatre Pierce College) as Paula Strasberg.

Tickets: Ticket prices for The Only Light in Reno range from $25 to $35 (Senior/Student discounts available for select performances). "Recession-Buster" perimeter tickets may also be purchased for $10 or $15 based on availability. Tickets are available now online at www.get.org, or by calling the Box Office at 770-641-1260.