American Repertory Theater of WNY to Present KILLER JOE Through 5/5

With the fourth show of the 2011-12 season, American Repertory Theater of WNY presents the Americana psycho-drama, KILLER JOE at the Buffalo East, 1410 Main Street from April 13th to May 5th. This hyper-active story of destain, desperation, murder and Texas is written by Tracy Letts, who is best recognized for his 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.

With the background of a Texan trailer home, Chris Smith (played by Patrick Cameron) owes $6,000 to folks who aren't in the business of making long-term loans. He convinces his pot-smoking father ANSEL (Scot Kaitanowski) and the queen of the damned, step-mother, SHARLA (played by Stephanie Bax) that they could make some fast money by cashing in on his own mother's life-insurance policy. Seeing that this could only be done by having her actually dead, CHRIS enlists the services of hired executioner, KILLER Joe Cooper (played by David C Mitchell) to perform this part of the plan. Since the family does not have the upfront service fee, KILLER JOE decides to keep CHRIS' sister DOTTIE (played by Jessica Wegrzyn) as full-time "retainer". Agreed, everything seems to go according to CHRIS' plan until the real plan backfires on him, and he decides to skip town with DOTTIE.

First produced in 1993 by the Next Lab, KILLER JOE is Tracy Letts' first play and gives a crisp, focused look into his writing style that evolved into other popular works including AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, BUG and SUPERIOR DOUGHNUTS. "However, this work is not a warm glass of milk with a nice sugary doughnut," cautions Executive/Artistic Director Matthew LaChiusa, "This is a three-alarm bowl of chili served with a 16 oz can of PBR. It's what Letts is all about."

Opening on April 13th (Friday), KILLER JOE is a 2- ticket ride through an Americana poor-working white family funhouse that reflects a type of society filled with anti-heroes, sociopaths and frauds that make up early 21st century American Role Models.

Ticket Prices $15 General/$12 Students and Military Veterans.