A Noise Within Presents THE DOCTOR'S DILEMMA by George Bernard Shaw, 10/20-11/25

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed classical repertory theatre company, continues its 2012-13 season in its state-of-the-art Pasadena home with The Doctor's Dilemma, a rarely performed comic and incisive indictment of both the medical profession and the artistic sensibility by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Dámaso Rodriguez, the show runs from Saturday, October 20 through Sunday, November 25 with previews beginning on Saturday, October 13. There will be a "Pay What You Can" performance on Thursday, October 18.

A compelling and profoundly engaging fusion of comedy, tragedy and romance that defies categorization, The Doctor's Dilemma, set in 1906, focuses on Sir Colenso Ridgeon, a fashionable and egotistical surgeon who has discovered a new TB inoculation and must decide who should be saved: a kindly colleague who serves the poor or an extremely talented but unscrupulous young artist with a beautiful and alluring young wife whom the doctor allows to cloud his moral judgment?

Although written more than a century ago, the sublime dramatic premise of The Doctor's Dilemma has uncanny relevance to today's health care debate. "The play is very funny while creating a dual platform for discussion about the power of a doctor to 'play God,' and the consequences of an artist living without regard to others," Rodriguez explains. "The physician in the play is placed in the position to decide which of two patients, both without means to pay for their own care, will live or die. It will likely prompt audiences to examine the motives of the medical profession, insurance companies, and how we came as a society to accept a health care system still driven in large part by financial gain."

The cast features Geoff Elliott (Sir Colenso Ridgeon), Deborah Strang (Emmy), Apollo Dukakis (Sir Patrick Cullen), Freddy Douglas (Cutler Walpole), Robertson Dean (Sir Ralph Bloomfield-Bonington), Jason Dechert (Louis Dubedat), Rafael Goldstein (Redpenny) and Jules Willcox (Jennifer Dubedat).

Led by Producing Artistic Directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, A Noise Within is the only year-round classical repertory company in Southern California and one of only a handful in the entire country dedicated solely to producing classical dramatic literature in the
repertory tradition of rotating productions with a resident company of professional artists. Founded 21 years ago, ANW quickly established itself as one of the region's key theatre companies, attracting fiercely loyal audiences and consistently high praise from the media for its productions and as a key force in arts education. The company has presented more than 140 plays from the classics of world literature, each season producing works from authors ranging from Shakespeare and Molière to Ibsen, O'Neill and Shaw to Miller and Williams. A Noise Within completed its milestone 2011-12 Season and 20th Anniversary in its permanent new home, a 33,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art venue in Pasadena, in May 2012. Media sponsors for A Noise Within's 2012-13 Season are Pasadena Star-News and KPCC 89.3 FM.

Preview performances of The Doctor's Dilemma begin on Saturday, October 13 at 8PM and continue Wednesday, October 17 through Friday, October 19 at 8PM. Opening Night is Saturday, October 20 at 8PM.

Regular 8PM performances are on Saturday, October 28, Friday, November 2, Thursday, Nov 8, Friday, November 9, Saturday, November 17, and Sunday, November 24. The evening performance on  Sunday, November 11 is at 7PM.

Matinees on Sunday, October 21, Saturday, October 27, Sunday, October 28, Sunday, November 11, Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 25 are at 2PM.

A Noise Within is located on the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Sierra Madre Villa Avenue at 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107. Single tickets currently range from $40 - $52. "Pay What You Can" tickets for the Thursday, October 18 performance, which allow patrons to pay what they can afford, are sold at the box office the day of the performance for cash only on a first-come, first-served basis based on availability, with a limit of two per person. Contact the A Noise Within box office in-person, via phone at 626-356-3100, or online at www.anoisewithin.org for updated pricing and seating availability.

Photo Credit: Craig Schwartz