THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG to Open Alabama Shakespeare Festival's Season

Alabama Shakespeare Festival will present the smash-hit comedy The Play That Goes Wrong, running Oct. 1 - 25 on the Festival Stage, directed by ASF Artistic Director Quin Gresham. Entertainment Weekly calls The Play That Goes Wrong “nonstop pandemonium,” and Variety hails the farce as “Comic gold!”

Amateur British theatre troupe The Cornley Drama Society has taken over ASF. It's opening night of the mystery The Murder at Haversham Manor, and everything is going wrong. The leading lady can't stay awake, the corpse can't stay dead, and the set is barely staying upright. The show must go on, but will the actors and crew (and audience) survive?

Gresham explains why he chose this comedy for ASF's season opener. “The Play That Goes Wrong is a gleeful celebration of live theatre in all its unpredictable glory. It reminds us why we love theatre — because anything can happen. Every performance is a one-of-a-kind experience, created right here, right now, with these actors, this audience, and all the wonderful surprises that make live theatre so special.”

The talented ensemble is filled with actors making their ASF debuts. Michael Bahsil-Cook (Trevor) hails from Atlanta, where he recently performed in Young John Lewis for Theatrical Outfit. In addition to stage work, New Orleans native Brooks Braselman (Dennis) has done voiceover work on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Squidbillies and starred with John Malkovich in the film Supercon. Kathryn Brunner (Sandra) lists Elle in Legally Blonde as one of her favorite theatre credits and has played that role four times. Topher Embrey (Robert) has performed at numerous Shakespeare festivals across the country and played Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet Off-Broadway. James Evans (Chris) recently performed in House of McQueen at The Mansion at Hudson Yards and The Rat Trap at New York City Center.                                                               

Stage credits for Meadow Nguy (Annie) include Interstellar Cinderella at NYCCT and Ella in Cinderella at North Shore Music Theatre, and TV and film appearances include The Blacklist; The Artist's Wife, Law and Order SVU, Madam Secretary, and Hunters. Michael Raver (Max) has extensive Off-Broadway credits: Vieux Carré, The Seagull, The Persians, Death Comes for The War Poets, Fire on Babylon, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar. Todd Denning is the only cast member who has previously performed at ASF, as Ross in Macbeth and assistant fight director for Sherwood and Hamlet. Now, Denning does triple-duty as Jonathan, assistant fight choreographer, and fight captain. And swings Jack Kalan and AJ Sloane are excited to make their ASF debuts after performing on stages around the country.  

Don't Miss a Birmingham News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...