Alabama Shakespeare Festival Begins 4/20

The Alabama Shakespeare Festival's spring repertory season will be in full bloom with the openings of two new plays, Around the World in 80 Days in the Festival Theatre and the Tony Award-winning comedy God of Carnage in the Octagon Theatre, on April 20. Both shows run through May 19. Tickets start at $30 and may be obtained on line at www.asf.net, by phone at 1.800.841.4273 or by visiting the ASF box office at 1 Festival Drive in the heart of Montgomery's beautiful Blount Cultural Park.

These two plays join Twelfth Night, Macbeth and To Kill a Mockingbird as part of the spring repertory.

Seven actors play 39 roles in Mark Brown's adaptation of Jules Verne's comic adventure Around the World in 80 Days. Fearless Phileas Fogg takes on the challenge of his life when he wagers his entire fortune that he can circle the globe in 80 days. But stampeding elephants, raging typhoons, runaway trains and a relentless detective who thinks Fogg is a fugitive serve as obstacles to foil this amazing race against time.

Around the World in 80 Days will feature Kurt Rhoads as Phileas Fogg and Paul Hebron as his nemesis, Detective Fix. Others in the cast playing multiple roles include Jordan Barbour, Brik Berkes, James Bowen, Rodney Clark and Cheri Lynne Vandenheuval. The play is directed by Geoffrey Sherman with scenic design by Peter Hicks, costume design by Pamela Scofield, lighting design by Phil Monat and sound design by Jacob Sullivan.

Yazmina Reza's Tony Award-winning comedy about adults behaving badly, God of Carnage, follows two social climbing couples who meet to discuss why the son of one couple beat up the son of the other. The evening starts friendly enough but as the discussion wears on the façade fizzles and the verbal free for all begins-- with hilarious results.

The cast of God of Carnage includes Jennifer Barnhart as Veronica, Ian Bedford as Michael, Tony Marble as Alan and Michelle Shupe as Annette. Susan Willis directs the production. The rest of the creative team includes Michael Smith (scenic designer), Elizabeth Novak (costume designer), Tom Rodman (lighting designer) and Richelle Thompson (sound designer).