Kitty Kitty Kitty Plays Trustus Black Box 1/4-14

Trustus Theatre is returning from the holidays with a new offering for late-night entertainment-seekers. In conjunction with their critically acclaimed production of Spring Awakening, Noah Haidle’s absurd and unexpectedly poignant comedy Kitty Kitty Kitty opens in the Trustus Black Box on Wednesday January 4th, at 7:30pm. The show runs through January 14th with Wednesday shows at 7:30pm, and Fridays and Saturdays at 11:15pm.

Under the direction of new Trustus Company Member Daniel Bumgardner (The Last Days of Judas Iscariot), Kitty Kitty Kitty promises to be a unique and hilarious late-night show. “The script and language move like an epic quest; the characters are all seeking to restore an imbalance felt in their lives,” said Bumgardner. “It's like a Rube Goldberg machine started by a seemingly insignificant discovery, which then leads to greater chaos further down the road, as more mistakes are made to correct the imbalance.”

This play introduces audiences to Kitty, a domestic cat, who is so bored and depressed from the lack of stimulation in his restrained life that the thought of being euthanized actually sounds like a good option.

However, the huge syringe that the strangely coddling, pet-owning Scientist shoves in Kitty’s hip is not filled with poison. Rather, its purpose is to withdraw some of Kitty’s cells for an experiment. The lab erupts as the scientist successfully creates a clone of Kitty – the aptly named Kitty Kitty.

Kitty instantly takes interest in Kitty Kitty. While teaching him to walk, communicate, and sexually stimulate he falls in love with his clone. Or is he falling in love with himself?

The two lovers are separated by the Scientist. What follows is Kitty’s expedition to find his lost love - leading him to escape his confines, create more clones (each one slower than the last), and test the bounds of forbidden love and unrequited love.

To bring this shocking comedy to life in the Trustus Black Box, Director Daniel Bumgardner assembled a talented cast of brave and playful actors who all play a cat at some point in the evening as well as their human counterparts. Critically acclaimed actor G. Scott Wild (Assassins, Swing ’39) will be playing the Scientist whose experiment launches the plot. Trustus Company member Bobby Bloom (Swing ’39, Hair) will be playing a raucous cat clone. Actors Ait Fetterolf, Jeremiah Redmond, Chess Schmidt, and Mimi Draft known for their work at USC and other local theatres round out the cast. Local musician Dylan Dickerson will be creating live music and sound throughout the performance every night.

While this tale is absurd and hilarious, there is also poignancy in watching actors portray the feline heroes. This is a credit to playwright Noah Haidle who is known for his fanciful and moving play Mr. Mamalade, which starred Dexter’s Michael C. Hall. Through the imaginative lens of Haidle, this bizarre comedy puts a spotlight on the human experience of love and loss by using feline characters.

“Folks should see this show with someone they love, have loved, or want to love,” said Director Bumgardner. “I hope folks who see this show walk out appreciating the resilience and triumph of a wounded soul - and if they are wounded themselves, I hope that it pushes them to fight for what they believe would heal them…or to fight against what is hurting them.”

Kitty Kitty Kitty opens Wednesday, January 4th at 7:30pm and runs through Saturday, January 14th, 2011. Shows on Wednesdays start at 7:30pm, and Fridays & Saturdays at 11:15pm, following the Main Stage performances of Spring Awakening. The doors and box office open thirty minutes prior to curtain, and all Black Box tickets are $15. Reservations can be made by calling the Trustus Box Office at (803) 254-9732.

Trustus Theatre is located at 520 Lady Street, behind the Gervais St. Publix. Parking is available on Lady Street and on Pulaski Street. The Black Box Theatre entrance is through the glass doors on the Huger St. side of the building.

For more information or reservations call the box office Tuesdays through Saturdays 1-6 pm at 803-254-9732. Visit www.trustus.org for all show information and season info.