TRU Capote Comes To Life At Florida Rep

Infamous Writer, Truman Capote, Comes to Life in Florida Rep's Studio Theatre Series

Florida Repertory Theatre announced the opening of Tru in the Florida Rep Studio Theatre, a devastatingly funny glimpse into the mind of America's icon, Truman Capote. Playing Feb. 22-Mar 17, Tru is a fascinating one-man tour-de-force starring Florida Rep favorite, Mark Chambers, as the controversial author of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "In Cold Blood."

"This is one of the best one person plays I've ever come across," said Producing Artistic Director, Robert Cacioppo, "it is a beautifully written play that is both delicately touching and hilariously funny all at the same time. Capote was larger than life, and with Chambers in the title role, this production will be talked about for years to come. Do not miss it."

It is Christmas Eve 1975, and alone in his New York apartment, the writer seethes after being shunned by his elite Manhattan social circle for publishing an excerpt of his long-awaited and sordid, tell-all novel, "Answered Prayers", in Esquire Magazine. Over the course of the evening, Capote regales audiences with stories from his star-studded past, his humble beginnings in the deep south, and laments his current misfortunes. Adapted from Capote’s work and taken from his own words, this devastating and witty play is a truthful, biographical portrait of a conflicted, complex and colorful man.

Mark Chambers, a Florida Rep ensemble member since 2006, stars in the title role, and brings Capote to vivid life in Jay Presson Allen's play. Seen most recently in It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play and Rumors, Chambers is a San Fransisco based actor whose other Florida Rep credits include King o' the Moon, August: Osage County, Boeing-Boeing, Breaking Legs, A Funny Thing...Forum, Scapino!, Enchanted April, and Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror. He has appeared extensively on film, with regional theatres across the country, and is also no stranger to one-person shows, having appeared numerous times in The Santaland Diaries at the Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainseville, and has won awards for his portrayal of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf in Doug Wright's Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play, I am My Own Wife.

Florida Rep Associate Director, Jason Parrish, directs the production, and was seen most recently in Bedroom Farce, and as Crumpet the Elf in The Santaland Diaries. His directing work in Southwest Florida includes work with the Off-Broadway Palm, Sanibel's Strauss Theatre and extensive work with Florida Rep's Children's Theatre Series and Intern Showcase programming. A company member with Florida Rep since 2005, Parrish's work with other theatres includes Actors' Playhouse (Miami), Riverside Theatre (Vero Beach), Theatre by the Sea (Rhode Island), and the New York Philharmonic.

Parrish and Chambers are joined by an expert creative team including set designer, Chris Simpson (The Year of Magical Thinking), resident costume designer, Roberta Malcolm (Bedroom Farce), lighting and sound designer, Kate Smith (The Santaland Diaries), and resident stage manager, Amy L. Massari (God of Carnage).

Tru by Jay Presson Allen plays in Florida Rep's Studio Theatre Feb. 22 - Mar. 17 with discounted previews on Feb. 22 and 23. Regular performances are Tues. - Sat. at 8pm, with matinees on Wed., Sun., and selected Saturdays at 2pm with a 7pm twilight performance on Sun., Feb. 26.

Seating in the Studio Theatre is limited, and many performances are already sold out, so call or click today. Tru contains adult language and content, and is not appropriate for children.

Single tickets are now on sale through the box office at 239-332-4488, online at www.floridarep.org, and are priced at $40 and $20 for discounted previews. Subscriptions for the 2011-2012 Season offer the best savings, and packages start as low as $100 for 5 shows.

Tru is sponsored by Black Tie Tuxedos, and Florida Rep's Studio Theatre Series is sponsored by the Southwest Florida Reading Festival.

Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the Historic Arcade Theatre on Bay Street between Jackson & Hendry with convenient free parking in the Fort Myers River District, and the The Florida Rep Studio is down the hall.

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