Photo Flash: Maryland Ensemble's END DAYS

Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) is proud to present the regional premiere of END DAYS by Deborah Zoe Laufer. As the Mayan calendar predicted 2012 is ushering in End Days, a hilarious and touching comedy that centers around the eccentric Stein family and also features Jesus, Stephen Hawking and a Jewish teenager permanently attired as late 1970's Elvis. END DAYS runs from February 2nd to February 26th every Thursday through Sunday on the MET stage except February 5th (Super Bowl). The first Thursday performance is a preview ($5 tickets at the door/no reservations), the first Friday is the opening, preceded by a reception sponsored by the Greene Turtle, and the first Saturday will feature a cast meet and greet with the audience following the performance. On Sunday, February 12th, the 2pm matinee will be immediately followed by a Q&A with the cast and the director. Tickets to END DAYS may be purchased online at www.marylandensemble.org, by phone at (301) 694-4744 or in person at the MET box office.

In END DAYS, sixteen year old Rachel Stein is having a bad year. Her father hasn't changed out of his pajamas since 9/11. Her mother has begun a close, personal relationship with Jesus. Her new neighbor, a sixteen-year-old Elvis impersonator, has fallen for her hard. And the Apocalypse is coming Wednesday. Her only hope is that Stephen Hawking will save them all.

Awarded the American Theatre Critics Association Steinberg citation, END DAYS was also published as one of the best plays of 2008 by Smith and Kraus, and one of the best regional plays of 2008 Burns Mantle Yearbook.

Deborah Zoe Laufer is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where she was also a Playwright-in-Residence. Deborah is a 2009 recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, a 2010 recipient of a Lilly Award, and a twotime recipient of the LeCompte du Nouy grant from The Lincoln Center Foundation.

END DAYS is directed by MET's artistic director Tad Janes. Janes explains why the MET ensemble gravitated towards this play, "Our ensemble felt most passionately that this play was fun, funny, poignant, interesting,entertaining, had something to say and would please our audiences. In essence, our ensemble felt this was a ‘MET play!'" Janes directs a multi-talented cast featuring Caitlyn Joy (Rachel), Matt Lee (Nelson) Laura Stark (Sylvia) Brian Irons (Arthur), and Matt Baughman (Jesus/ Stephen Hawking). All of which are either current or former MET ensemble members. The creative team includes Tirza Fogle (costume design) Tad Janes (lights) Kevin Lloyd (sound design) Mike McDonald (set design), and James McGarvey (props).

For over a decade, Maryland Ensemble Theatre has been producing thought-provoking theatre, fun family entertainment, artist residency programs for public schools, challenging classes and the side-splitting Comedy Pigs. The MET is an artistic leader in the region and at the forefront of the creation of Frederick's Theater District.

Photo credit: Joe Williams