Picasso at the Lapin Agile by Steve Martin at Birmingham Festival Theatre

Picasso at the Lapin Agile is the third show of Birmingham Festival Theatre’s “Pursuit of Happiness” Season; a clever comedy hit written by the accomplished actor, writer, producer and musician Steve Martin. This long running Off-Broadway absurdist comedy places Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in a Parisian cafe in 1904, just before the renowned scientist transformed physics with his theory of relativity and the celebrated painter set the art world afire with cubism. In his first comedy for the stage, the popular actor and screenwriter plays fast and loose with fact, fame and fortune as these two geniuses muse on the century's achievements and prospects as well as other fanciful topics with infectious dizziness. Bystanders, including Picasso' agent, the bartender and his mistress, Picasso's date, an elderly philosopher, Charles Dabernow Schmendimen and an idiot inventor introduce additional flourishes of humor. The final surprise patron to join the merriment at the Lapin Agile is a charismatic dark haired singer time warped in from a later era. This production is directed by Mel Christian and stars: Don Cano, Brad Riegel, Jonathan Sweatt, Ron Dauphinee, Carron Clark, Amyna Price, Bates Redwine, Terrence Jackson, Bliss Bailey, Nicole Singleton, and Zach Buse. The show will run Thursday, January 11^th through Saturday, January 27^th; Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows at 8 pm and matinee performance on Sunday, January 21^st at 2 pm. There will be a reception following opening night on January 11^th and a forum with the director and cast following the performance on Friday, January 19^th.