Williams Street Rep Stages BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, Now thru 5/11

Williams Street Repertory (WSR), winner of four BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards, will end their 2013/14 Season with comedy: Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. Directed by Regina Belt-Daniels, the charmingly engaging production opens tonight, May 2 at 8:00 pm, and runs for select dates and times through May 11 at Raue Center For The Arts in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds in every sense of the word. He's a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer and she's a free spirit always looking for the latest kick. Their new apartment is her most recent find-too expensive with bad plumbing and in need of a paint job. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie's loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic Velasco, where everything that can go wrong, does. Paul just doesn't understand Corie, as she sees it. He's too staid, too boring and she just wants him to be a little more spontaneous.

Regina Belt-Daniels is back for her second directing endeavor with WSR. Her most recent directing credit with the company was I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change during WSR's 2011/12 Season. A transplant from upstate New York, Regina has been a Crystal Lake resident for 34 years. Her career intheater has followed the road of stage managing, producing, set building, acting and directing, while also teaching Communication Disorders class for the Special Education District of McHenry County for 28 years and serving as Reading Recovery Specialist for District 47 for five years. Regina serves on the Raue Board for Directors as the Vice-President. She also served on the TownSquare Players Board for 30 years and has had four childrens' plays published with writing partner Mary Fetzner. She has directed 12 shows at the Woodstock Opera House and other shows at ECC and MCC.

Playing the adoring newlyweds, Paul and Corie Bratter, are David Lowenthal and Amanda Flahive respectively. Making up the rest of the cast are a mix of WSR core ensemble members and veterans: Mark Mahallak as Victor Velasco, Shannon Mayhall as Ethel Banks (Corie's mother), Ryan McNerney as the Delivery Man (Cliff) and Rob Scharlow as the Telephone Repair Man.

Behind the scenes, the production crew includes, Pat Henderson (Stage Manager), Richard Kuranda (Founding Artistic Director), Mike Vandercook (Director of Production), John Dwyer (Production Coordinator/Sound Supervisor/Sound Designer), Steven Spera (Technical Manager/Lighting Supervisor/Lighting Designer), Bill Schmiel (Scenic Designer), Jeremy Floyd (Costume Designer) and Heather Olcott (Production Assistant/Props Master).

Tickets start at $25 and group pricing is available! Tickets can be purchased online at www.wsrep.org, www.rauecenter.org, or via the Box Office at 815.356.9212 or 26 N. Williams Street in downtown Crystal Lake.

Williams Street Repertory (WSR) is a 501(c)3 non-profit theatre company in-house at Raue Center For The Arts dedicated to sustaining an artistic process of innovative and emotionally charged work, telling diverse stories with an ever growing company of well-respected local, regional and national artists. The company has attracted tremendous support and has since grown by leaps and bound. Richard Kuranda serves as the founding artistic director of WSR with Michael Vandercook as the director of production. WSR is most proud of their four BroadwayWorld.com awards for the first show of their third season, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. For additional information, visit wsrep.org.

Raue Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 12 years, they have provided quality programming - striving to make it pertinent, available and affordable to all. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor-Lucile Raue-Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians and artists. Named on the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the finest examples of restored art and decor in the nation. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic, downtown Crystal Lake, is a gathering place for our region's citizens and has become a true destination. For additional information, visit rauecenter.org.