SCR Presents SIDEWAYS, 11/5-21

Teachers cast spells, cows wander the halls and pigtails speak in the deliriously funny opener of SCR's Theatre for Young Audiences season: Sideways Stories from Wayside School, which runs Nov. 5-21 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.
 
The play, adapted by John Olive from Louis Sachar's popular Wayside School book series, opens with the students of the 30th floor turning the tables on the meanest teacher in the land, Mrs. Gorf, a witch who transforms misbehaving students into apples. Though their new teacher is nicer, their troubles are only just beginning. They must survive stinky new classmates, pigtails that cry out to be pulled, tornadoes and math.
 
Anne Justine D'Zmura, a professor at Cal State Long Beach whose SCR credits include The Little Prince, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales and The BFG (Big Friendly Giant), is directing the production.
 
Larry Bates (SCR's Fences, Mr. Marmalade) plays evil teacher Mrs. Gorf and a host of other roles; Jennifer Parsons (Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business, A Christmas Carol) plays the sweet and wacky Mrs. Jewls; SCR newcomer David Vegh plays Louis the yard teacher. Portraying the students are Jennifer Chu (A Christmas Carol), SCR newcomer Joshua Nathan, Amy Tolsky (The BFG, The Wind in the Willows), Greg Watanabe (The Happy Ones) and Erika Whalen (Junie B. Jones).
 
The production's creative ensemble consists of Sibyl Wickersheimer (Set Design), Tom Ontiveros (Lighting Design), Nephelie Andonyadis (Costume Design), Kimberly Egan (Sound Design) and Kathryn Davies (Stage Manager).
 
OC Family is SCR's Theatre for Young Audiences Media Partner. Target is the Corporate Honorary Producer for this show.
 
About TYA: SCR's Theatre for Young Audiences(TYA)presents three professional productions each season designed especially for children and their families.  In addition to the public performances, TYA hosts more than 10,000 students from elementary schools annually in an effort to introduce the next generation to the magic of live theater. 
 
TICKETS to Sideways Stories from Wayside School can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.  Performances begin on Nov. 5 and continue through Nov. 21. Ticket prices range from $18 to $30.  Low-priced previews are available from Nov. 5-12.
 
LOCATION:  South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Folino Theater Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available off Anton Blvd. on Park Center Drive.
 
ABOUT SCR: Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, under the artistic direction of David Emmes and Martin Benson, is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theaters in the United States.  Founded in 1964, SCR is committed to theater that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its education and outreach programs.  While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theater, SCR is renowned for its extensive new play development program, including the Pacific Playwrights Festival.  Of SCR's more than 445 productions, 117 have been world premieres with subsequent stagings achieving enormous success across America and around the world.  SCR-developed works have garnered eight Pulitzer Prize nominations with Margaret Edson's Wit winning the prize in 1999 and David Lindsay-Abaire's Rabbit Hole in 2007.  Located in Costa Mesa, California, in 2002 SCR opened the Folino Theater Center, an expanded three-theater complex that includes the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio.