R. Eric Thomas Stars in One-Man Show ALWAYS THE BRIDESMAID, 10/07-12

Popular Philadelphia performer R. Eric Thomas, host of The Moth (the acclaimed storytelling series and podcast), remounts Always the Bridesmaid, a solo play that takes on love, marriage equality and the next best thing performing October 7 and 12. A smash hit of the 2012 and 2014 GayFest!, Always the Bridesmaid has been re-written and re-staged to incorporate the recent Pennsylvania marriage equality vote and the quickening pace of civil rights over the last two years. Using his signature blend of humor and heartbreak, seen in the sold-out runs of Will You Accept This Friend Request? (2011 First Person Festival and Quince's Full House series), and Overexposed: A Slightly Awkward Peep Show, Thomas questions what the real definition of marriage is-what it means to the gay community, what it means to the individual and what it means to God.

The October 7th performance of Always the Bridesmaid is being presented as a double header with Philly favorite, The Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret, the only Martha Graham Cracker performance in the month of October. This production is also being offered as a celebration of National Coming Out Day, with its final presentation bookending Philadelphia's OutFest on October 12th, 2014.

Of the original run, Andrew Clark of Edge on the Net wrote "At just under an hour and a half, Always The Bridesmaid accomplished a combination of depth and entertainment that many performers strive for their entire careers." Of its' recent re-staging, Bill Chenevert, of Phillynow.com gushed "What could have been flip, cutesy and corny was anything but. It's a show that preaches the power of recalibrating expectations of ourselves and admits that, like Carrie Bradshaw's assistant Louise (Jennifer Hudson) says in the Sex and the City movie, he's here for everything that L-O-V-E promises."

In an 80-minute journey that is by-turns side-splitting and searing, the popular performer takes the audience on a journey that begins in the pew of a black church in Baltimore and ends at an altar, stopping along the way to tell hilarious tales of dating disasters, crises of faith and massive consumption of wedding cake. Our romantic hero, R. Eric Thomas, was recently seen in Simpatico Theatre Project's Second Stage production of MISSED CONNECTIONS and as the host of Songbird: The Search for Philly's Best Singer. Soon he will be appearing in the FringeArts presented production of White Rabbit, Red Rabbit and at the festival late night bar in Eleanor Baur: Baur Hour. Thomas is also no stranger to the L'Etage stage where he was most recently seen as the host of the popular First Person Arts story slams.

Always the Bridesmaid runs October 7th and 12th 2014 at L'Etage, located at 624 S 6th St in Philadelphia. Tickets are $15 and are available online at www.alwaysthebridesmaid.bpt.me

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