Happy Medium Theatre Presents The Country Club May 26-June 4

By: Apr. 20, 2011
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Happy Medium Theatre, Inc. (HMT) furthers and challenges audiences with The Country Club, directed Mikey DiLoreto. The production runs May 26th - June 4th at the Factory Theatre, 791 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02118.

Set in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, this "comedy" follows a year in the lives of six insular friends (and one outsider) through a series of holiday-themed parties where drinks are bolted and truths are spewed.

Lives are casually destroyed, lives go on and through it all, and tragedies are discussed without being mentioned. As one character, "We all have our little stories and nobody brings them up. That's what's known as community spirit."

Leading the cast as Zip is IRNE nominated actor, Victor Shopov (Enron and Farragut North, Zeitgeist Stage Company). Alongside Mr. Shopov as Soos is Abigail Matzeder (Romeo and Juliet, Virginia Stage Company). Ms. Matzeder is making her Boston Stage debut with Happy Medium Theatre's The Country Club.

The supporting cast includes five of Boston's finest Fringe actors: Krista D'Agostino (Poe; A Fever Dream, 11:11 Theatre Company); Nick Miller (Interview, Heart & Dagger Productions); Kiki Samko (The Crazy Locomotive, Imaginary Beasts); Audrey Lynn Sylvia (The Gingerbread Lady, Happy Medium Theatre); and Michael Underhill (Othello, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company).

The Country Club will be directed by Mikey DiLoreto (The Gingerbread Lady, Happy Medium Theatre). Mr. DiLoreto will be assisted by Barbara DiGirolamo (Director of MilkMilkLemonade, Heart & Dagger Productions), Marlee Delia (The Crazy Locomotive, Imaginary Beasts), Christina Malanga (The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, Happy Medium Theatre) and Jessica Viator (The Spittng Image, Happy Medium Theatre).

Acclaimed Scenic Designer, Sean A. Cote (The Mistakes Madeline Made, Holland Productions, After the Quake, Company One), will design the world of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, the accomplished Greg Jutkiewicz (Owner of The Factory Theatre) will Light Design, and Chris Larson (Proof, Independent Drama Society) will Sound Design.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT:

Douglas Carter Beane is an American playwright and screenwriter. Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and raised in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Beane now lives in New York.

His works include the screenplay of To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, and several plays including The Country Club and The Little Dog Laughed, which was nominated for the 2007 Tony Award for Best Play and As Bees in Honey Drown, which ran at New York's Lucille Lortel Theatre in 1997. Beane often writes works with sophisticated, "drawing room" humor.

Beane wrote the book for Xanadu, a stage musical adaptation of the 1980 film of the same name, adding new plot twists and humor parodying the original movie. The musical opened on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre on July 10, 2007. Beane won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical.

Beane is also the artistic director of the Drama Dept. Theater Company in New York.

A HAPPY MEDIUM HISTORY:

The Happy Medium Theatre Company, Inc. (affectionately known as HMT) is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) arts organization and resident theatre company of The Factory Theatre. HMT is fiercely dedicated to bridging the gap between professionalism and fun in the Boston Theatre Scene. HMT intends to do this by collaborating closely with, and proudly supporting, all the ideas of our actors, directors, playwrights, patrons, and designers. Happy Medium Theatre is a proud member of Stage Source and the Small Theatre Alliance of Boston.

The Country Club continues Happy Medium Theatre's already-successful and challenging second full-length season. HMT has been described by various circuits as "a gutsy new company" (Larry Stark) and "small, but solid" (Jenna Scherer). Our shows have been hailed as "skin-tingling" and "uniformly excellent." Johnny Monsarrat of Boston Events Insider stated that our production of Sophie Klein's The Spitting Image was the "best show [he has] seen in the last year."

Happy Medium Theatre has also been afforded some wonderful reviews from such papers and online sites as: Edge Boston (Kilian Melloy and Kay Bourne), The Boston Herald (Jenna Scherer), Boston Events Insider (Johnny Monsarrat), Theater Mirror (Larry Stark), and The Jewish Advocate (Jules Becker).

The Country Club
by Douglas Carter Beane
Director: Mikey DiLoreto
Assistant Director/Run Crew: Barbara DiGirolamo
Production Stage Manager: Marlee Delia
Scenic/Set Designer: Sean A. Cote
Rehearsal Stage Manager: Christina Malanga
Company Manager: Audrey Lynn Sylvia
Light Design: Greg Jutkiewicz
Sound Design: Chris Larson
Graphic Design: Anne E. Austin
Board Operator: Jessica Viator
Marketing/Press Liaison: Mikey DiLoreto

CAST:
ZIP: Victor Shopov
SOOS: Abigail Matzeder
POOKER: Kiki Samko
FROGGY: Audrey Lynn Sylvia
HUTCH: Michael Underhill
CHLOE: Krista D'Agostino
BRI: Nick Miller

WHEN:
Th. May 26* (8 p.m.) (Opening Night/Press Night)
Fri. May 27 (8 p.m.)
Sat. May 28 (8 p.m.)
Th. June 2* (8 p.m.)
Fri. June 3 (8 p.m.)
Sat. June 4** (4 p.m.)
Sat. June 4 (8 p.m.)

TICKET INFORMATION:
* Denotes $5 Performances
** Denotes 2 for 1 Stage Source Discount (DOOR SALES ONLY!)

Adults- $16 in advance, $20 at door.
Students/Seniors- $14 in advance, $17 at door

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/167135
http://www.happymediumtheatre.com/?cat=29



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