Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Opens Season With God of Carnage 9/3

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will open its 2011-2012 season with Yasmina Reza's GOD OF CARNAGE. This hysterical tale of parents behaving really badly begins previews in The Playhouse's Robert S. Marx Theatre September 3 and continues through October 1.

When Alan and Annette Raleigh meet at the apartment of Michael and Veronica Novak for a civilized discussion about their sons' playground fight, the evening quickly deteriorates into a laugh-out-loud train wreck of finger-pointing, name-calling, tantrums and tears. And that's before they break out the rum!

GOD OF CARNAGE was produced in March 2008 on London's West End and won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Originally called Le Dieu du Carnage in French, it was translated by British playwright Christopher Hampton, who has translated most of Reza's plays into English. It also received critical acclaim on Broadway, playing for 476 performances and winning the Tony, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League awards for Best Play. A film adaptation, starring Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz and directed by Roman Polanski, will be released in November 2011.
Yasmina Reza's comedy Art, which was produced at The Playhouse in 2001, won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1998. It went on to become one of the most performed plays in U.S. regional theatre and has been translated into more than 30 languages. Her other plays include Life X3, Winter Crossing, The Unexpected Man and Conversations After a Burial.

Special Performances

Meet the Artists

These free programs allow audiences to interact with cast members and others associated with the production following the show.

2 p.m. Sunday, September 11

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 14

2 p.m. Sunday, September 25

8 p.m. Thursday, September 29

Audio Described Performance

4 p.m. Saturday, September 24

Signed Performance

2 p.m. Sunday, September 25

Playhouse Perspectives

A free, pre-show lecture series featuring theatre artists and experts. Funding provided by Roderick and Barbara Barr. The featured speaker will be Set Designer Narelle Sissons. Time: Sunday, September 18 at 6 p.m.

Dining Options

Karlo's Bistro at The Playhouse offers full-service dining prior to most evening performances. Dinners include salad, entrée and dessert. Reservations are required by noon on the day of the show. The price is $27. Karlo's Casual Fare offers busy theatre patrons an alternative light, quick bite prior to the show. Options include salads, sandwiches, soups, pasta and desserts. No reservations are required. Credit cards are now accepted.

Sponsors

Production Sponsor:

The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

The 2011-2012 Marx Theatre Series is presented by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

The cast for GOD OF CARNAGE includes Anthony Marble (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,

The Fall of Heaven, Othello, Twelfth Night and Leap) as Alan Raleigh, Eva Kaminsky (1:23 and A Christmas Carol) as Veronica Novak and Susan Louise O'Connor (A Sleeping Country) as Annette Raleigh. Triney Sandoval will make his Playhouse debut as Michael Novak.

GOD OF CARNAGE is directed by Producing Artistic Director Edward Stern. According to Stern, "Yasmina Reza explores the truth within all of us. Although she is a French playwright, she's writing about human behavior we can all relate to. Whether it's playing in Paris, New York or Cincinnati, the story of two sets of parents who get together to discuss how their kids should get along after a fight is something everyone can understand even if you don't have kids. GOD OF CARNAGE is as much a drama of hysterical proportions as it is a comedy with dramatic weight to it."

Other members of the production team include Narelle Sissons (Set Designer), Gordon DeVinney (Costume Designer), Kirk Bookman (Co-Lighting Designer), Steve O'Shea (Co-Lighting Designer) and Drew Fracher (Fight Director). The Production Stage Manager is Jenifer Morrow and Second Stage Manager is Joseph Millett.

Prices for GOD OF CARNAGE start at $25; they vary depending on seat location, performance day and are subject to change.

Tickets are just $25 for the preview performances at 8 p.m. Saturday, September 3; 2 p.m. Sunday, September 4; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 6; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 7. Some restrictions apply. The official opening night is Thursday, September 8 at 8 p.m.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets to GOD OF CARNAGE are on sale August 15. For more information, call The Playhouse box office at 513/421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at 800/582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513/345-2248 for TDD accessibility.

The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs and complete wheelchair access are available.

The Playhouse is supported, in part, by the generosity of the tens of thousands of individuals and businesses that give to ArtsWave.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund The Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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