NOISES OFF to Run at Austin Playhouse, 4/26-5/26

Enjoyed by millions of people worldwide since it premiered in 1982 and hailed as one of the greatest comedies ever written, Noises Off, this award-winning backstage farce serves up a riotous double bill - a play within a play. Hurtling along at breakneck speed it follows the backstage antics of a touring theatre company as they stumble their way through troubled rehearsals, a dreadful first night, and a disastrous final performance.

In his plot for Noises Off, Frayn plays on the concept of a play within a play, in this case a dreadful sex-farce titled Nothing On. Each of the three acts of Noises Off contains a performance of the first act of Nothing On.

Act One is set at the final dress rehearsal, with the cast still fumbling with entrances and exits, missed cues, misspoken lines, and bothersome props, most notably several plates of sardines. Act Two portrays a Wednesday matinee performance one month later. In this act, the play is seen from backstage, providing a view that reveals the deteriorating personal relationships among the cast. In Act Three, we see a performance near the end of the ten-week run, when personal friction has continued to increase. The actors attempt to cover up a series of mishaps but only compound the problems.

Starring David Stahl as Lloyd, Bernadette Nason as Dotty, David Stokey* as Garry, Huck Huckaby as Frederick, Kimberly Barrow as Brooke, Hildreth England as Belinda, Tom Parker as Selsdon, Zach Thompson as Tim, and Jessica Hughes as Poppy. *Brian Coughlin will perform the role of Garry May 17 - 19.

Noises Off will be produced in Austin Playhouse's temporary space at Highland Mall. The South Entrance (by the IBC bank) is closest to the theatre. Proceed down the escalator and turn right. Austin Playhouse will be on your right by the water feature. Detailed directions are available on our website: http://austinplayhouse.com/season/tempfac.html

Direction by Don Toner, costume design by Diana Huckaby, set design by Patrick Crowley, lighting design by Don Day, and sound design by The Gunn Bros.

Austin Playhouse presents Noises Off by Michael Frayn, directed by Don Toner, April 26 - May 26, 2013, running Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. at Austin Playhouse at Highland Mall, 6001 Airport Blvd., Austin, TX. For more information, visit www.austinplayhouse.com.

Tickets: $28 Thursday/Friday, $30 Saturday/Sunday; $37 Opening Night with champagne reception: Friday, April 26. Box office 512.476.0084 or online. All student tickets are half-price.

Austin Playhouse is a professional theatre currently performing its 13th season. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Don Toner and Associate Artistic Director Lara Toner, Austin Playhouse has grown from a three-play season on the campus of Concordia University, to a year-round operation producing an average of eight plays a year. Austin Playhouse is currently building its own two-performance venue space in the heart of the new Mueller Redevelopment Town Center, adjacent to the new Austin Children's Museum.

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