Merrimack Repertory Theatre to Present Bruce Graham's STELLA AND LOU, 11/29-12/22

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) brings the romantic comedy Stella and Lou by Bruce Graham to Lowell November 29 - December 22, continuing the theater's 35th season. The play is directed by MRT Artistic Director Charles Towers and will be performed in the recently-renovated Nancy L. Donahue Theatre, located at 50 East Merrimack Street in historic downtown Lowell. Tickets range from $60 - $20 and are on sale now through www.mrt.org or by calling 978-654-4678.

The play is set in a fictional bar in the playwright's hometown - South Philadelphia. Lou is just about to close up his bar for the night when Stella, one of his regulars, walks in with a surprising proposal. Faced with questions about how to navigate the decisions that face single, middle-aged adults, Stella and Lou reflect on their pasts as they look ahead to the future. This romantic comedy asks if a second chance at love is really possible for two people with a lot of miles on them.

"Charles Towers, MRT's Artistic Director and director of Stella and Lou, has always admired Bruce Graham's work and looks forward to bringing this story to life in Lowell. "Bruce Graham writes real people from a real world - a working class world. He grew up in South Philadelphia and lives in the same neighborhood where he spent his childhood. In Stella and Lou he takes two people who might be called 'later middle-age' and puts them together in an old blue-collar bar in South Philly. I think he has created a touching, funny and at times profound look at the human heart. It expresses a perfect sentiment for the holiday season."

The company welcomes Bill Geisslinger (Lou), and Antoinette Lavecchia (Stella) who are both making their MRT debuts. Mr. Geisslinger, though new to MRT, has worked with Artistic Director Charles Towers before, on a production of A Streetcar Named Desire at the Huntington Theatre in Boston. For 25 years, he was a member of The Acting Company at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where he participated in more than 70 productions. He has also performed on stage throughout the U.S. and in London and in television and film.

Ms. LaVecchia has appeared on Broadway in Arthur Miller's classic A View from the Bridge and at dozens of theatres in New York and around the country, including a national tour. She has also taught in NYU's Graduate Acting Program. She has received the BroadwayWorld.com Best Actress Award for her work at Hartford TheatreWorks. She is a member of the League of the Professional Theater Women and The Dramatists Guild and is currently working on her second original piece, Village Stories, about the small Italian village in which she was born.

The creative staff for Stella and Lou consists of Bill Clarke (Scenic Designer), A. Lee Vilesis (Costume Designer), Brian Lilienthal (Lighting Designer), and Jason E. Weber (Sound Designer).

Admission: Tickets range from $60 - $20 and are available at www.mrt.org or by calling 978-654-4678. Senior discount 10% off adult ticket price. Student tickets $15. Group discounts are available for groups of six or more by calling 978-654-7561.

$5 Night - November 29 at 8:00 pm. Patrons may purchase tickets for $5, cash only, at the Box Office between 5:00 pm-8:00 pm. Limit 2 tickets per person. Cookie Matinee - December 18 at 2:00 pm. Patrons enjoy complimentary cookies and coffee in the lobby before the show, courtesy of Brew'd Awakening Coffeehaus. Lowell Night - December 11 at 7:30 pm. Lowell residents may purchase tickets for $10 at the box office from 4:30 pm-7:30 pm. Proper ID required, limit 2 per person. Post Show Discussions - November 29, December 5, December 12, and December 19.

MRT (Merrimack Repertory Theatre) is one of Massachusetts' most highly-regarded theatre companies and one of only three theatres in the state to be a member of LORT (the League of Resident Theatres) which represents the 74 leading non-profit theatres in America. Under the artistic direction of Charles Towers since 2001, it has become known for producing an eclectic mix of new plays and regional premieres, with an emphasis on writers giving voice to the American experience. Since its founding in 1979, MRT has served as a vital cultural, educational and economic resource for Greater Lowell and its surrounding region.

Stella and Lou is sponsored by WCAP. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and the 2013-2014 Season is sponsored by Sage Bank.

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