Geva Opens 39th Season With ON GOLDEN POND 10/2

Geva Theatre Center's 2011-2012 Season gets off to a heartwarming start with On Golden Pond by Ernest Thompson, which begins performances on September 6 and runs in the Elaine P. Wilson Mainstage through October 2.

The Thayers, open-hearted Ethel and irascible Norman, return to their cottage on Golden Pond for their 48th summer. This year, however, their peace is disrupted by a visit from their divorced daughter Chelsea, who arrives with not only a big chip on her shoulder, but her new fiancé and his 13 year-old son, too. Generations collide in this funny and touching classic.

On Golden Pond premiered on Broadway in 1979 at the New Apollo Theatre, where it won a number of awards including the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play. The play was revived in 2005 starring James Earl Jones and Leslie Uggams in a production which won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Ernest Thompson adapted his play for a 1981 motion picture starring Henry Fonda, Katherine Hepburn and Jane Fonda. Nominated for ten Academy Awards, the film won three, including a Best Screenplay award for Thompson. It also received Golden Globe awards for best Motion Picture-Drama and Best Screenplay.

Geva Theatre Center's production of On Golden Pond features a stellar cast. Kenneth Tigar returns to the Geva Mainstage where he last appeared in The Price (2009-2010 Season). Tigar - best known to audiences as Mr. Kopeckne in "Barney Miller," Becker in the Lethal Weapon movies and countless appearances in TV and movies from "Dallas" and "Dynasty" to "NCIS" and "ER"- plays Norman Thayer, Jr. Beth Dixon ("Law & Order," "Home Improvement") makes her Geva Theatre Center debut as Norman's wife, Ethel Thayer. The ensemble includes Kati Brazda (Broadway's A Moon for the Misbegotten) as Chelsea Thayer Wayne, Larry Bull (Geva's The Music Man, Shear Madness and Broadway's The Coast of Utopia) as Bill Ray and Patrick Noonan (Geva's Almost, Maine and Shear Madness) as Charlie Martin. Following auditions held at Geva in June, local young actors Eoin Dennis and Philip Milligan were cast as Billy Ray and the standby for Billy Ray, respectively.

On Golden Pond is directed by Skip Greer, the director of Over the Tavern and Almost, Maine; and the design team includes Robert Koharchik (scenic design), B Modern (costume design), Ken Smith (lighting design) and Dan Roach (sound design).

On Golden Pond is produced with support from First Niagara Financial Group; with additional support from EFP Rotenberg LLP, WARM 101.3 and Bausch and Lomb.

On Golden Pond begins performances September 6 and runs in the Mainstage
through October 2.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Previews: September 6, 7, 8 @ 7:30pm
September 9 @ 8pm
September 10 @ 2pm
Opening: Saturday, September 10 @ 8pm

Performances: Sunday, September 11 @ 2pm and 7pm
Tuesday, September 13 @ 6pm
Wednesday, September 14 @ 7:30pm
Thursday, September 15 @ 7:30pm
Friday, September 16 @ 8pm
Saturday, September 17 @ 4pm and 8:30pm
Sunday, September 18 @ 2pm and 7pm
Tuesday, September 20 @ 7:30pm
Wednesday, September 21 @ 7:30pm
Thursday, September 22 @ 7:30pm
Friday, September 23 @ 8pm
Saturday, September 24 @ 4pm and 8:30pm
Sunday, September 25 @ 2pm (Audio-described) and 7pm
Tuesday, September 27 @ 7:30pm
Wednesday, September 28 @ 2pm and 7:30pm
Thursday, September 29 @ 7:30pm (Sign Interpreted)
Friday, September 30 @ 8pm
Saturday, October 1 @ 4pm and 8:30pm
Sunday, October 2 @ 2pm (Sunday Salon) and 7pm

TICKET PRICES: Tickets start at $25.

RESERVATIONS: (585) 232-Geva (4382), Website: www.Gevatheatre.org

LOCATION: Geva Theatre Center, 75 Woodbury Blvd, Rochester, NY 14607

Geva Theatre CENTER

Founded in 1972, Geva Theatre Center is a not-for-profit, professional theatre company dedicated to creating and producing professional theatre productions, programs and services of a national standard. As Rochester's leading professional theatre, Geva Theatre Center is the most attended regional theatre in New York State, and one of the 25 most attended in the country, attracting over 170,000 patrons annually, including more than 16,000 students.

The 552-seat Elaine P. Wilson Mainstage offers a wide variety of shows, from musicals to American and world classics. The 180-seat Ron & Donna Fielding Nextstage is home to Geva's own series of cutting-edge drama, comedy and musical theatre; Geva Comedy Improv; Geva's New Play Reading Series and the Hornet's Nest - an innovative play-reading series facilitating community-wide discussion on controversial topics. The Nextstage also hosts visiting companies of both local and international renown.

Geva Theatre Center offers a wide variety of educational, outreach and literary programs, nurturing audiences and artists alike. Since 1995 the organization has been led by Artistic Director Mark Cuddy.

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