Garden Theatre to Present 33 VARIATIONS, 3/14-30

The Garden Theatre will present the Central Florida Premiere of the gripping Broadway drama 33 Variations, March 14 - 30, 2014, with shows Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. In addition, an Industry Night performance will be offered Monday, March 24 at 8pm.

33 Variations is sponsored by Pilars Martini and Insight Credit Union. The Garden Theatre's 2013-2014 Season is presented by CenturyLink. This show marks the tenth production by Beth Marshall Presents (BMP) at the Garden Theatre, and is under the direction of well-established director Aradhana Tiwari. Tiwari returns to directing at the Garden Theatre since The Diviners in 2011, Crimes of the Heart in 2010, and Driving Miss Daisy in 2009.

Written by the award-winning author of The Laramie Project, Moisés Kaufman, the Broadway drama 33 Variations follows Beethoven in his final years as he obsesses over creating 33 variations of a simple waltz. Present day, a musicologist dealing with ALS races to finish her research on the famed composer. Plagued by illness, but gifted with passion, their parallel journeys entwine as they learn to embrace the gift of time. Nominated for numerous Tony Awards, 33 Variations is accompanied throughout by a concert pianist performing one of the greatest sets of piano variations ever written.

The cast of 33 Variations includes several actors who have previously appeared on the Garden Theatre (GT) stage. Peg O'Keef is cast as Katherine, who last appeared on the GT stage in Parallel Lives. Becky Eck (Clara) has had numerous appearances on the Garden stage, most recently as Jane in Alice in Wonderland (BMP), Noises Off and Moonlight and Magnolias (Jester Theater Company), as well as PB&J Theatre Factory's SPORT, SNACK, and SLEIGH. Mike Deaven (Mike) was most recently on the GT stage in Beth Marshall Presents' Alice Lost in Wonderland, and prior to that played Orin in Children of a Lesser God (also BMP). Chris Gibson, who performed in BMP's L'Ange Avec Le Fleurs and Our Town at the Garden Theatre, will play the part of Beethoven. Audiences will remember Janine Papin (Gertie) as Mother Superior in TheatreWorks Florida's Nunsense at the Garden Theatre earlier this season. New to the GT stage, the part of Schindler will be played by Stephen Lima, a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC. While new to GT, Brett P. Carson (Diabelli) has appeared in previous BMP shows, most recently as the Bongo Beat in Beatnik.

Julian Bond, pianist and musical director for 33 Variations, will perform on piano throughout the show. Julian is originally from Winchester, England and began piano lessons at a very early age. He graduated from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama with an honors degree in Music Composition, including specialism in conducting, music production and film scoring. He has been the recipient of many awards, and in 2005 he was ranked as one of the country's top ten young film score composers by Turner Classic Movies. While in Orlando he enjoys working as a composer, pianist, producer, clinician, recording artist and musical director for several organizations including the Walt Disney Company.

Please note this show contains mild language and mild nudity.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $21 for students and seniors. Industry night pricing is $15. A 15% military discount is available by visiting the box office at 160 W Plant St. For tickets, visit gardentheatre.org or contact the Garden Theatre Box Office at 407-877-GRDN (4736).