Village Players Theatre Presents THE MARRIAGE OF BETTE AND BOO, 5/15-6/27

Village Players Theater will be finishing this year's New American Classics season on its Mainstage with Christopher Durang's "The Marriage of Bette and Boo". Directed by Artistic Director Dan Taube, the show opens May 15, 2010.

As in any marriage Bette and Boo were full of high hopes, but as the years have progressed that hope has faded. Bette's long list of stillborns and Boo's love for drinking is made even more stressful by their families long lists of complaints and expectations. The family priest responds the best he can to help the couple--by impersonating a strip of frying bacon. As the years go on and the marriage disintegrates, their only son Matt looks back to understand what went wrong between his parents, and what finally went right. This Obie award-winning play casts away the shroud of what marriage should be, and instead shows everyone what love really is.

The Marriage of Bette and Boo marks Dan's initial directing work at VPT. His other directing credits include acclaimed productions of Talley's Folly, In the Boom Boom Room, Birdbath, Oleanna, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, Edmond, and Look Back in Anger. Dan started his directing and producing career in NYC at Playwrights Horizons where he studied under Bernard Gersten (Executive Producer, Lincoln Center Theater). From there he jumped into the Chicago theater scene as Artistic Director and founding member of Thunder Road Ensemble, a theatre collective committed to a vision of "American Stories". Before starting as Artistic Director at VPT, Dan has worked as actor and director with the following Chicago companies: Trap Door Theatre, Circle Theatre, Signal Ensemble, Mary-Arrchie, Prop Theatre and Irish Rep, among many others. Taube also taught Acting and Directing throughout the area, including as adjunct faculty at DePaul University's The Theatre School and as head of the directing program at Act One Studios. He continued his passion for the theatrical American voice by focusing on New American Classics at Village Players.

The cast includes JorDan Blythe, Megan Brown, Bev Coscarelli, Matt Dyson, Brian Nash, Dennis Schnell, Stephanie Sullivan, Kelli Walker, Robert Ertel and Ben Zisk. Designers include John List (sound), Ricky Lurie (costumes), Annalee Johnson (props), Noah Record (lighting), and Annette Vargas (scenic). The production is stage managed by Jennifer Bethmann.

Currently playing is "A Chorus Line" by Marvin Hamlisch, Edward Kleban, James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante (Mar 12--Apr 25, 2010). Directed by Shawn Quinlan, watch a dance audition turn into a whirlwind of confession and self discovery.

"The Marriage of Bette and Boo" will preview on Thursday, May 13th and Friday, May 14th 2010, at 8pm with $15 tickets. It will open on Saturday, May 15th at 8pm and will run until June 27th, 2010. Regular performances will be on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. All performances will be found at the Village Players Performing Arts Center, 1010 Madison St., Oak Park. The theater is near the Harlem exit of I-290 and is also accessible by the CTA Green and Blue lines. Plenty of parking is available on the street. The theatre is handicapped accessible but please do call ahead to arrange for special seating. To make a reservation, please call the box office at 866-764-1010, view our website at www.village-players.org, or visit the theater (the box office is open Tuesday through Friday from 12:00pm to 6:00pm).

About Village Players: 

Village Players Theater, a non-profit organization founded in 1961, promotes the arts through theatrical productions and educational programs that encourage cultural understanding and embrace diversity in the Village of Oak Park and the surrounding communities. Village Players Theater is proud to be a vibrant part of Oak Park's cultural history, promoting a creative spirit that comes alive in its productions and educational programs. Each production features some of Chicagoland's most promising and talented professional performers and designers. Village Players Theatre is a member of the League of Chicago Theatre, the Illinois Theatre Association, and the West Suburban Theatre Connection.

 

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