Overtime Theater Presents THE DECORATOR

In May-June 2011, the Overtime Theater presents the world premiere of The Decorator, a new, original comedy written by Texas playwright Jeffrey Strausser and directed by Matthew Byron Cassi.

Set in an upscale metropolitan suburb, the play chronicles how Amanda Hartman, a vixen designer, has added a new meaning to "full service interior design." As a way to avenge the hurt from her husband's infidelity, Amanda convinces and cajoles other wives, disgruntled with their own Ward Cleaver-like husbands, to hire her to remodel their lives. Amanda has created the perfect scheme to grow her business, provide her clients their life makeovers, and feed her obsession for revenge. That is, until one of her clients gives her a dose of her own medicine....

After successfully directing The Happy Couple, which won three ATAC Globe awards for Best Original Script and Best Female Comedy Actors (Christie Beckham and Courtney Coston) for the Overtime Theater last year, Matthew Byron Cassi is excited to be back behind the Overtime curtain.

"I'm extremely excited about this show, as I've got an amazing cast and I get to show my dark and twisted side through this story!" Cassi said.

Jeffrey Strausser has previously published another play, Somewhere Else Dreams (Heuer Publishing), which is performed by high school theater groups. He is happy to see The Decorator get its premiere staging at the Overtime Theater. Strausser also has authored four textbooks for Barrons Educational Series used by high school and middle school students and is a published short story writer.

Cast:

Renee Garvens - Amanda Hartman, an Interior Designer and mother of teenage girls

Christie Beckham - Sarah Strickland, a client of Amanda's and also Todd's wife

Morgan Scharff - Barbara Terry, a client of Amanda's

Robert Jerdee - Todd Strickland, Sarah's husband and paramour of Amanda's

Cary Farrow IV - George Witherspoon, a delivery man for a high-end home furnishings store and supervisor of Eddie

Alexander Berkowitz - Eddie Witherspoon, a trainee delivery man for a high-end home furnishings store

Show Dates & Times: Performances are May 20 - June 18, 2011. 8 pm Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with one 3 pm Sunday matinee on June 5. No Friday show on June 3 (First Friday).

Ticket Prices: $12 general admission, and $9 for teachers, students, seniors 65+, active military, and SATCO members. Tickets can be purchased online at www.theovertimetheater.org.

Information: www.theovertimetheater.org and (210) 557-7562.

Location: The Overtime Theater, in the Blue Star Complex, 1414 S. Alamo, #103, San Antonio, TX 78210.

About the Overtime Theater

In business since 2007, the Overtime Theater is dedicated to providing innovative and accessible entertainment at an affordable price. The shows are all new, original works, or unconventional adaptations of old classics. The Overtime Theater specializes in world premieres of works never before seen on stage!

In just three years, the Overtime has produced over 30 new shows, including four original musicals: Sheer Bloody Lunacy!, Pirates Vs. Ninjas, The Brain That Wouldn't Die: A New Musical, and Dr. "S" Battles the Sex-Crazed Reefer Zombies: The Movie: The Musical. Other notable productions have included The Good Samaritan, Poet Faustus, Sob! Choke...LOVE!, Action Philosophers, and most recently, the world premieres in 2010-2011 of The Hard Bargain, The Happy Couple, The Life & Death of the Amazing Captain Piledriver, The Last Broadcast of Bailey & Long, Broken Record, and All Good Things. The Overtime Theater also collaborates with local visual artists, giving them a prominent local space in which to display their works in the Blue Star Complex.

The Overtime Theater is now a non-profit organization as determined by the IRS. This decision has been made to extend the Overtime's mission of "art for the people" to the greater community, including through low-cost workshops in acting, playwriting, comedy improv skills, and art by working professionals.

The OT Board of Directors and Operational Directors offer their expertise and talents as volunteers, and actors and the production crew are paid stipends through audience donations and grant funds. Our ticket prices are among the most competitive in the city, as we try to keep the costs down and the entertainment as accessible as possible. We are committed to building an audience with an appreciation for new, outside-the-box productions - an audience that will also support other local theaters and arts organizations.

The Overtime Theater Board of Directors and Operational Directors for 2011 are listed below. All serve in these roles as volunteers.

Overtime Theater Board of Directors: Robert Barron, Jr., Michael D. Burger, Matthew Byron Cassi, Belinda Harolds, Scott McDowell, Rigel Nunez, and James Venhaus.

Overtime Theater Operational Directors:
Christie Beckham - Executive Director
James Hartz - Artistic Director
Rigel Nunez - Technical Director
Morgan Scharff - Managing Director
Jon Gillespie - Development Director
Jules Vaquera - Company Captain