Chenango River Theatre to Open 10th Season with STELLA & LOU

Opening the 10th Anniversary Season is a play from one of the company's favorite playwrights, Bruce Graham (The Outgoing Tide-2013; Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown-2014). This piece, inspired by his parent's own love story, is a romantic comedy that proposes that a second chance at love is still possible, even for two people with a lot of miles on them. You'll be laughing hysterically one minute, and grabbing your heart the next, in this gem of a play.

Stella & Lou "shows that the road to happiness may stop at your neighborhood tavern, even if you don't like beer all that much. I raise my glass to them" Talking Broadway Regional News

The show features well-known Rochester area actress Brigitt Markusfeld as Stella, opposite one of the Binghamton area's favorite actors, Michael Arcesi, playing Lou. Dan Mian complements the two leads with his character Donnie, a regular at the bar who's a bit drunk and a bit overwrought as he hangs out to avoid heading home for a potential fight with his fiancée over the details of their upcoming marriage.

Lou, who owns the bar, is just about to close up his bar for the night when Stella, one of his favorite regulars and an emergency room nurse, walks in. The two friends are sharing their usual comfortable conversation, when Stella's shy flirting gradually becomes more direct, as she builds her case for a new direction for herself and Lou, who fears a full embrace of change. Will the life-loving Stella win out? Will the perpetually risk-averse Lou allow himself a glimmer of a richer life? You'll definitely want to order up a pint at Lou's Bar, and see for yourself.

Brigitt Markusfeld most recently appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird at Geva Theatre in Rochester, where she has been featured in many shows over the years, including You Can't Take It With You, Over the Tavern, Christmas Story, Our Town, Smell of The Kill, The Weir, Stop Kiss, Triumph of Love, A Girl's Life, The Illusion, Picasso At The Lapin Agile and Comedy of Errors. Brigitt received her training at the legendary A Contemporary Theatre in San Francisco, and along with numerous California theatre credits, she has appeared in national radio and TV commercials and on television in Bold and Beautiful, Tour of Duty, Second Chances, and Picket Fences.

Michael Arcesi, has appeared at CRT in Other Desert Cities, Mr. Hart and Mr. Brown, Outgoing Tide, Broadway Bound and Of Mice and Men; as well as numerous shows at both the Know Theatre and Cider Mill.

Daniel Mian was seen last season in both Escanaba in da Moonlight and Other Desert Cities. Area audiences will also remember him from CRT's hit comedy Miracle on South Division Street. Regionally Dan has worked at Shadowland Stages, Tri State Actors Theater, White Plains Performing Arts Center, Strindberg Rep, Midtown Theater Festival and many others. He starred in the Indy film By Tomorrow which screened at many festivals and can be found on YouTube. Dan will be filming more episodes of the webseries Preggers in the coming months.

More than a just a comedy, Stella & Lou will have you wondering exactly what's going to happen at closing time. "This play will have you laughing, thinking, and ready for a conversation with your favorite bartender." The Column, Dallas

Bruce Graham is the author of a dozen produced plays, and spent eight years as playwright-in-residence at the Philadelphia Festival Theater for New Plays. His work has been produced by major regional theatre such as the George Street Playhouse, Hudson Guild, Cincinnati Playhouse and Northlight Theater, among others. His TV/film credits include Dunston Checks In, Anastasia, the Abbie Hoffman bio-pic Steal This Movie, as well as the Ira Einhorn mini-series Hunt for the Unicorn, which aired this past year on NBC. Graham has won several awards from the Pew Foundation, Theater Association of Pennsylvania, Rockefeller Foundation and the Princess Grace Foundation.

Chenango River Theatre's 2016 season is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Stella & Lou is co-produced by NBT Bank and Pete & Karen Raymond.

Performances run May 27 - June 19, Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., plus Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Tickets can now be purchased online at www.chenangorivertheatre.org, or by emailing tickets@chenangorivertheatre.org. You can also make reservations 24 hours a day by voice mail at 607-656-8499.

Individual tickets are $22 Thursday, $23 Friday, $25 Saturday and $23 Sunday. Half price for college students and those under 18. All performances start on time - late seating is not available.

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