Company Of Fools Theatre presents STRIKING 12

Company of Fools' 22nd season of theatre continues in December with a production of Striking 12 - an un-holiday holiday musical by Brendan Millburn, Rachel Sheinkin and Valeria Vigoda. Directed by Company of Fools' Interim Artistic Director Ilana Becker with music direction by R.L. Rowsey and Grant Carey, this magical New Year's themed concert-theatre hybrid will run Dec. 14-30, 2017, at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey, followed by a special New Year's Eve fundraiser performance and celebration on Dec. 31.

The cast of Company of Fools' Striking 12 features Samantha Blain (Hit the Lights! Theatre Co.), Grant Carey (The Spot's A New Brain), Chris Carwithen (COF's Life Sucks, A Year with Frog and Toad), DeAnne Stewart (Seph, Mighty Real) and Joel Oramas (Irving Berlin's I Love a Piano) as our rock-musician storytellers. The production features scenic design by resident designer Joe Lavigne, lighting design by Mike Inwood (Small Mouth Sounds), sound design by Alex Dietz-Kest (Afterglow), costume design by Maria Gerhardt (COF's Life Sucks), and stage management by K.O. Ogilvie.

Inspired in part by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match Girl," Striking 12 spins the story of an overworked New Yorker who has resolved to spend New Year's Eve alone, when an unexpected visitor brings much-needed hope and cheer. This uniquely musical urban fairytale, co-written by Tony Award-winning book writer Rachel Sheinkin (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), springs to life through an eclectic score by Valerie Vigoda and Brendon Milburn of the indie band GrooveLily, that combines rock, jazz, pop, and showtunes to weave three stories and settings-contemporary New York City, 19th century Denmark, and the Liberty Theatre right here in Hailey-into one magical, rock-tastic holiday event.

Praised by the New York Times as "Thoroughly winning ... more artfully crafted and engaging than virtually all the standard-mold musicals coming our way these days," Striking 12 is not your typical holiday musical - while family-friendly, it's an honest and playful response to the notion that the holidays can sometimes be isolating and filled with overly-optimistic expectations. Striking 12 is recommended for ages 10 and up.

"I'm thrilled to share my personal holiday tradition and one of my favorite shows with the Wood River Valley," said Ilana Becker, Interim Artistic Director at Company of Fools. "Striking 12 is a perfectly structured, charmingly funny, interwoven rock concert-theatre hybrid about what it is to open up and find your people, your safe spaces, your community, in a sometimes lonely, often messy world."

Striking 12 was presented at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's Festival of New Musicals in 2004, and developed at TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, California. The Original New York City production of Striking 12 was produced by Nancy Nagel Gibbs and Greg Schaffert. It was originally presented by Prince Music Theatre, Philadelphia, and subsequently produced at The Old Globe, San Diego, California.

Striking 12 is generously sponsored by Arrow R Storage.

ABOUT COMPANY OF FOOLS
Since 1996, Company of Fools (COF) has produced high quality plays, musicals and new work along with substantial arts-in-education programming in Sun Valley, Idaho. A member of The Theatre Communications Group and an Actors Equity Small Professional Theatre, COF has always put an emphasis on the connection between theatre and community, a commitment to excellence in acting and design, and the signature intimacy of its home, the Liberty Theatre. COF has been recognized for its significant contributions to the arts, receiving the Idaho Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2004 and being honored as Arts Advocate of the Year by the Sun Valley/Ketchum and Hailey Chambers of Commerce in 2009. Founding members Denise Simone and John Glenn are both individual recipients of the Idaho Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts - Simone in 2014 and Glenn in 2016. In 2013, COF merged with the Sun Valley Center for the Arts - a multifaceted organization that runs museum-quality art galleries and presents educational programs, music, dance, and film screenings in venues around the Wood River Valley - to become what is now the largest arts institution in the state of Idaho.

COF's 22nd season sponsors are The Shubert Foundation, Barbara & Stanley Zax, Kenneth Lewis, Priscilla Pittiglio, Mary Ann & John Underwood, Arrow R Storage, the Carr Foundation, Linda & Bob Edwards, Scott Miley Roofing, and media sponsor The Weekly Sun.

TICKET INFORMATION

Prices do not include taxes or processing fee

· $35 for members of The Center

· $40 for nonmembers

· $35 for seniors (62 and over)

· $15 for students (with student ID)

· $35 for members of a group (8 or more)

· New for the 2017-2018 season: $22 for "Second Night 22" adult tickets on Friday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m.

· Special New Year's Eve Fundraiser Performance: $65 adults, $25 students

These ticket prices do not include the "Pay What You Feel" first preview, 10 for $10, or Educator Night.

Tickets may be purchased online at sunvalleycenter.org, by phone at 208.578.9122 or at the Liberty Theatre box office starting one hour before curtain. Company of Fools' box office is located at the Liberty Theatre, 110 N. Main Street in Hailey, with hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. All seats are reserved, except for the "Pay What You Feel" preview.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Thursday, Dec. 14 7 p.m. "Pay What You Feel" Night
Friday, Dec. 15 7 p.m. Second Night 22 ($22 Tickets)
Saturday, Dec. 16 7 p.m. Educator Night
Wednesday, Dec. 20 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 21 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 22 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 23 2 p.m. Matinee Chat Back/Backstage Tour
Saturday, Dec. 23 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 26 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 27 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 28 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 29 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 30 7 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 31 8 p.m. New Year's Eve Celebration

"BEYOND THE CURTAIN" SPECIAL PERFORMANCES

Learn, explore, and have fun with Company of Fools. Take advantage of these interesting ways to engage with theatre and the current performance on a deeper level:

"Pay What You Feel" Night - Thursday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m.

Join us for the first performance of Striking 12 and literally pay whatever you'd like! Tickets go on sale at the Liberty Theatre box office one hour before the performance. There are no reserved seats. Simply buy your ticket, find a seat and enjoy the show. If you'd prefer to reserve your seats, you may also purchase your tickets at full price for this performance.

Second Night 22 ($22 Tickets) - Friday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m.

New for 2017-2018 in honor of COF's 22nd season: All tickets are just $22 for the second performance of every run!

Educator Night - Saturday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m.

$15 tickets are available to currently employed educators and school administrators for this designated night. These tickets may be purchased in advance. Limit two per person. Immediately following the performance, stay for a thought-provoking and fun discussion with the artists of Striking 12.

Post-Show Chat Back / Backstage Tour - Saturday, Dec 23, 3 p.m.

Immediately following the performance, stay for a thought-provoking and fun discussion with the artists of Striking 12 and enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour with COF's resident scenic designer Joe Lavigne to learn about the design elements that went into creating the show.

10 for $10

Starting one hour before every performance (except "Pay What You Feel" Night), 10 seats are sold at the box office for $10 each. These tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis; limit two per person.

 

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