Neil Simon's RUMORS Comes to Blackfriars Theatre

Blackfriars Theatre will present Neil Simon’s hilarious farce, Rumors, running December 11th – 28th. When the lights come up, it’s the night of the Brock’s 10th wedding anniversary: Mr. Brock is bleeding in the bedroom, Mrs. Brock is nowhere to be found, and as the dinner guests arrive, any attempt to “spin” what little they know of the truth results in knee-slapping, door-slamming chaos!  

As the director of this farcical treat, Blackfriars artistic director, Brynn Tyszka, has been looking forward to working on this piece for years. “Almost every theatre artist has a project they were supposed to start when Covid hit,” says Tyszka. “For me, that was Rumors, so I’ve been looking forward to directing it for almost 6 years! I love working with actors to mine every inch of a script for comedy, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group to accomplish that task with than the team on Blackfriars’ production of Rumors! Every rehearsal is an abdominal workout—we’re having the best time together, and it shows in the work that’s being done.”

Patrons might wonder about the choice of a Neil Simon farce for a holiday show, but Blackfriars leadership says it was all part of the plan. “We knew from previous seasons that our audiences were looking for light material during the holiday season … and we listen to our patrons,” says executive director, Mary Tiballi Hoffman. “Even though it’s not a play about the holidays, it’s a comedy that hinges on a diverse and kooky group of people who love each other gathering to celebrate an important event. Ultimately, it exudes that festive party vibe, and if you like to relax and have a good laugh amidst the chaos of the season, then you’ll feel right at home.”

Blackfriars Theatre provides an intimate theatre-going experience, with 126 seats in a wraparound configuration—audiences are never more than thirty feet from an actor on stage. December performances often sell out at Blackfriars Theatre, and because of the limited seating, it is always recommended that patrons purchase their tickets early to ensure availability. Audiences can see Neil Simon’s Rumors at Blackfriars Theatre from December 11th through the 28th.