Photo Flash: 'Gods of Autumn' Opens 8/20 at Hot Summer Nights

Tony Award-nominated writer Jack Murphy's new play Gods of Autumn, makes its world premiere at Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy tonight Wednesday August 20, 2008; starring Tony Award-winning Broadway actor Jarrod Emick (Damn Yankees, Ring of Fire, The Boy from Oz) and Jessica Phillips (Next to Normal, The Scarlett Pimpernel, Jesus Christ Superstar).

"Gods of Autumn is a play about how three very different people, who never would have met in the course of their normal lives, are thrown together to face their own mortality. But it's really not so much a story of how we die as it is a story about how we live," describe press notes.

Murphy (The Civil War, Swing!) not only wrote Gods of Autumn, the lyricist and writer will direct the show during its run at The Kennedy Theatre.  Aside from Emick (Jimmy) and Phillips (Mary/Bernadette), the cast also features North Carolina actors Dorothy Brown (Evelyn), Gilly Conklin (Evelyn's Mom/Nurse), Holden Hansen (The Other Part), K Sridhar (Calcutta Voice) and Hilary Russo (Southern Voice).

Murphy also leads a production crew that includes Christine Rapp (Production Stage Manager), Curtis Jones (Technical Director), Brian L. Hunt (Sound Designer), Thomas Mauney (Lighting Designer), Robin Hughes (Properties Master) Casey Watkins (Costume Designer) and James Dadosky (Production Assistants).

Gods of Autumn brings Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy to a close with the summer series' final run August 20 - 31.  All performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM, with Sunday matinees at 3 PM.  Patrons are invited to enjoy beverages and desserts at intermission as guests of Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy and their generous sponsors.

Tickets are now on sale now through Ticketmaster by calling 919-834-4000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com, or by visiting the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts Box Office on Wilmington Street in Raleigh. Individual tickets are just $27.50.  Senior, Student and Military discounts (with Valid ID) are available for $17.50 on Friday, Saturday and Sundays. Group discounts are also available by calling 919-828-3726.  For additional information, please visit the Theatre's website: www.hotsummernightsatthekennedy.org.

Photos by Katherine Kennedy