Actor's Express Stages Play about Oscar Wilde, Opens 5/15

Actor's Express closes its 2010-11 Season with an acclaimed play about the legendary author Oscar Wilde.

In The Judas Kiss, Oscar Wilde is given a brief opportunity to escape London prior to his historic indecency trial. Rather than flee to exile, he chooses to stay and face the music, resulting in a prison sentence including hard labor. Following prison, he travels to Italy to reunite with his tempestuous lover, Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas. The reunion is tenuous and Wilde must decide if a new beginning is possible - even at the very end.

The Judas Kiss is written by David Hare, and is the third in his trilogy of of plays dealing with love and betrayal, including Amy's View and The Blue Room. All plays appeared on Broadway in 1998.

The cast is headed up by Actor's Express Artistic Director Freddie Ashley, who is making a return to the stage after a seven-year hiatus. Ashley was last seen onstage in the Actor's Express production of Burn This in 2004. Ashley is joined by Actor's Express audience favorite Clifton Guterman, who appeared in the AE hits Beautiful Thing and The Goat, or Who is Sylvia. Before returning to Atlanta last year, Guterman has enjoyed a career in New York and around the country, appearing at such theatres as Berkeley Rep, Arena Stage, California Shakespeare and Barrington Stage.

For Ashley and Guterman, the play represents a kind of homecoming. AE was home to Guterman's professional debut and the two have been close friends since their days as co-workers at the ALLIANCE THEATRE a decade ago. According to Ashley, "It is unfathomable that Clifton and I haven't yet collaborated on a project. We've always been kindred theatrical spirits, so it's nice to bring that to bear on a play together."

The cast also includes Atlanta veteran John Stephens (Theatre Gael). Cast members Chris Corporandy, Jillian Fratkin, Brody Wellmaker and Antonio Pareja are all new to the Actor's Express stage.

David Crowe directs the production. Crowe previously directed Actor's Express productions of Beautiful Thing and Jane Eyre, and has appeared onstage at the Express in such notable productions as The Laramie Project, Love! Valor! Compassion! and The Mystery of Irma Vep. Like Ashley and Guterman, Crowe is also "coming home." After serving as the Associate Artistic Director at the Express for a number of years, he relocated to Seattle to pursue a graduate degree in directing. When Ashley learned that Crowe had moved back to Georgia, he knew that no one else could direct this production. "David directed me in Jane Eyre and Clifton in Beautiful Thing. I think that there is going to be definite synergy in the room," Ashley said.

The rest of the creative team includes Phillip Male (Scenery), Joseph P. Monaghan III (Lighting and Sound), Elizabeth Rasmusson (Costumes), Lindsay Moore (Props) and Alicia Quirk (Stage Manager).

The Judas Kiss preview performances begin May 12. Opening Night is Sunday, May 15, and the production runs through June 11.

For more information, visit www.actors-express.com.

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