Carnegie Theatre Series Presents UNDER A RED MOON, 11/2 - 11/18
By: BWW News Desk Oct. 23, 2012
The first production of a chilling new play by an Emmy nominated writer, the first Carnegie performance by two Broadway actors, and the first Cincinnati collaboration with Dayton's premier theatre company all conspire together this fall in the Otto M. Budig Theatre with bloody excellent results.
The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center (The Carnegie) proudly continues its 2012-13 Theatre Series with the chilling world premiere of Michael Slade's UNDER A RED MOON. Co-produced with Dayton's Human Race Theatre Company (HRTC), UNDER A RED MOON is inspired by the true events of Britain's notorious "Acid Bath Murderer." UNDER A RED MOON plays in The Carnegie's Otto M. Budig Theatre November 2 - 18, 2012, under the direction of award-winning off-Broadway and regional theatre director Margarett Perry. Tickets are $17 - $23 and are available online at www.thecarnegie.com or by calling The Carnegie Box Office at (859) 957-1940 (open Tu – Fr, noon – 5 p.m.).
UNDER A RED MOON is presented by Anonymous and John & Francie Williams.
Witness a chilling psychological thriller inspired by the true events of Britain's notorious 1949 "Acid Bath Murderer." Confessed serial killer John George Haigh awaits trial in prison as Dr. Ruth Covington arrives to determine his mental state for the court. While he welcomes their one-on-one encounter, Haigh won't give up his secrets too easily, knowing full well that it's the hangman's noose if he is found sane.
A hair-raising encounter in the mold of "Silence of the Lambs", UNDER A RED MOON receives its world premiere production at both The Carnegie and Dayton's Human Race Theatre Company.
The Carnegie partners with Dayton's Human Race Theatre Company for the inaugural production of UNDER A RED MOON, marking the first co-production between the two companies and the first time any Greater Cincinnati theatre company has joined forces with the award-winning Dayton organization.
"We're very excited to be able to work with The Carnegie on UNDER A RED MOON," says Human Race Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore. "We share a similar mission and I've long admired their willingness to do daring work. We've been looking for a show on which we could collaborate for years, and when Michael presented us with this script, all the pieces just fell into place." The co-production opportunity allows both companies to present this brand new work to their audiences while sharing expenses and combining resources.
UNDER A RED MOON will play at HRTC October 18 – 27, 2012, and the entire production (including cast, set, lighting design, costumes, props and sound) will transfer to The Carnegie for the local November 2 – 18, 2012 run.
Now in its fifth season as a theatre producer, The Carnegie has forged previous co-productions with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, New Edgecliff Theatre, Northern Kentucky University's Department of Theatre and Dance, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra.
UNDER A RED MOON is culled from the dynamic mind of Emmy and Writers Guild Award nominee Michael Slade, whose plays and musicals have been produced at leading theatres in New York and across the country. Better known perhaps for his extensive writing for young and family audiences (from which UNDER A RED MOON is a wide departure), Slade has spent much of his career writing for television, including ABC's "One Life to Live" and NBC's "Another World," "Passions" and "Days of Our Lives."
His theatrical characters having been inhabited by actors including Kathleen Turner and Colleen Dewhurst, Slade works for the first time with Broadway veteran actors Bradford Cover* (John George Haigh) and Dee Pelletier* (Dr. Ruth Covington). Cover's stage credits include the Broadway production of A THOUSAND CLOWNS and myriad off-Broadway appearances, and he has also made memorable appearances on television's "The Good Wife," "Law and Order" and "All My Children." Pelletier is herself no stranger to Broadway or sound stages, having played Ivy in the Pulitzer Prize and multiple Tony Award winning play AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY and appearing in "Girls," "Law and Order" and "Third Watch." Pelletier was also recently seen as Tanja in Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's critically acclaimed production of BEHIND THE EYE. Greater Cincinnati actor Daniel C. Britt completes the cast of three making his Carnegie debut in the role of Ralph Gow, having worked locally at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and New Edgecliff Theatre, among others.
UNDER A RED MOON marks the Carnegie debut of director Margarett Perry, who directed previous HRTC productions including GOD OF CARNAGE. Previously the Producing Artistic Director of New York City's Access Theatre and an Artistic Fellow at The Lark Play Development Center, Perry's award-winning off-Broadway directing career has included productions of CLEAN ALTERNATIVES, CALL ME WALDO and MOTHER TONGUE.
Full biographies of the playwright and director follow this release.
*Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
It wasn't simply historical fascination that drew UNDER A RED MOON playwright Michael Slade to write about London's notorious "Acid Bath Murders."
Several years ago, Slade was approached by a New York theatrical producer who wished to share an unforgettable story of an unwitting brush with death. It was 1949 when as a recent college graduate Jessica visited London with her best friend, Patsy. During their stay at the respectable Onslow Court Hotel, the two friends made the acquaintance of a charming older man, who expressed great interest in the girls' lives and recommended the best sites to visit and concerts to attend. The stranger quickly earned the girls' confidence, and a date was made for a day trip to the country. When family commitments forced Jessica and Patsy to cancel the outing with their new friend, a note was written and left for him, expressing deepest apologies and a desire to reschedule, though the girls knew that they were departing for Paris the very next day.
It was several weeks later when Jessica and Patsy picked up a newspaper to find a picture of the man whom they'd disappointed with a caption below: "ACID BATH MURDERER CONFESSES."
Needless to say, this hair-raising story formed the foundation for UNDER A RED MOON, relating the impetus for the real-life capture of the notorious Acid Bath Murderer and the dramatized psychological interview which is the action of the play.
On Friday, November 2 at 6:00pm, The Carnegie will host an opening night dinner in The Carnegie Galleries to precede the performance. Tickets are $40 per person, and includes a themed gourmet dinner by Jeff Thomas Catering, wine dessert and gratuity.
Reservations may be made by calling The Carnegie Box Office at (859) 957-1940 (open Tue – Fri, noon – 5 p.m.).
Tickets to The Carnegie's production of UNDER A RED MOON are $17 - $23 and may be purchased online at www.thecarnegie.com or by calling The Carnegie Box Office at (859) 957-1940 (open Tue – Fri, noon – 5 p.m.).
UNDER A RED MOON will include nine performances:
Friday, November 2, 7:30pm*; Saturday, November 3, 7:30pm; Sunday, November 4, 3:00pm; Friday, November 9, 7:30pm†; Saturday, November 10, 7:30pm; Sunday, November 11, 3:00pm; Thursday, November 15, 7:30pm; Saturday, November 17, 7:30pm; Sunday, November 18, 3:00pm.
*Performance includes closed captioning and American Sign Language interpretation
†Performance includes closed captioning only
Please note that there will not be a performance on Friday, November 16.
Single Ticket Pricing includes: $23 Adults; $21 Carnegie and Enjoy The Arts Members; $21 Groups of 8 or More; $17 Students
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