THE FATHER Opens At Stage West April 4

Stage West presents the regional premiere of The Father, a Tragic Farce, written by Florian Zeller and translated by Christopher Hampton

80-year-old Andre is feeling puzzled. Lately, some very odd things have been happening, and he would like to get to the bottom of it all, in Florian Zeller's award-winning The Father, translated by Christopher Hampton, which will begin a 4-week regional premiere run at Stage West on Thursday, April 4.

Andre is a strong-minded, but charming, Parisian, who loves living on his own in his apartment. He's a retired engineer-or was he a tap dancer? He's sure his daughter Anne is moving to London to live with Pierre, the new man in her life-except now it seems she's already married him and is staying in Paris--? Why does his other daughter, Elise, never call? And who are these strangers appearing in his apartment? It's disconcerting, but he's sure he can get things back on track, if only the furniture would quit disappearing. And his favorite watch.

This multi-award-winning play is an ingeniously off-kilter and profoundly theatrical portrayal of family, obligation, and aging, and it should not be missed. Starring long-time local favorite David Coffee as Andre.

Florian Zeller is a French novelist and playwright whose work has been translated into several languages. He wrote his first novel Neiges artificielles (Artificial Snow) when he was twenty-two years old. He has fast become one of France's most well-known contemporary playwrights and has written five acclaimed novels and eleven plays, including L'autre (2004), Le Manège (2005), Si Tu Mourais (2006, Prix Jeune Théâtre of the Académie française), Elle T'attend (2008), La Mère (2010, Molière Award), La Vérité (2011), Le Père (2012, Molière Award, Prix du Brigadier), Une Heure De Tranquillité (2013), Le Mensonge (2015), L'envers Du Décor (2016), and Avant De S'envoler (2016). He won the prestigious Prix Interallié in 2004 for his novel "La Fascination du Pire (Fascination of Evil)" and several Molière Awards (France's highest theatrical honor) for his Plays La Mère (The Mother) and Le Père (The Father). Most of Florian Zeller plays are being optioned and performed all over the world. Une Heure De Tranquillité (A Bit Of Peace And Quiet) became a movie directed by Patrice Leconte. Le Père (The Father) was nominated for Best New Play at the 2016 Olivier Awards and also received two nominations for the 2016 Tony Awards: Best Play and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Frank Langella). Florian Zeller lives in Paris, and is married to the actress and sculptor Marine Delterme.

Christopher Hampton's plays and musicals have so far garnered four Tony Awards, three Olivier Awards, four Evening Standard Awards, and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award; prizes for his film and television work include an Oscar, two BAFTAs, a Writers' Guild of America Award, the Prix Italia, a Special Jury Award at the Cannes Film Festival, Hollywood Screenwriter of the Year, and The Collateral Award at the Venice Film Festival for Best Literary Adaptation. Original plays: Appomattox, The Talking Cure, White Chameleon, Tales from Hollywood, Treats, Savages, The Philanthropist, Total Eclipse, and When Did You Last See My Mother? Adaptations from novels: Youth Without God (Horváth), Embers (Márai), and Les Liasons Dangereuses (Laclos). Musicals: Stephen Ward, Dracula: The Musical, and Sunset Boulevard. Translations include plays by Chekhov, Ibsen, Molière, Horváth, Yasmina Reza, and Florian Zeller. Films include: Ali and Nino, A Dangerous Method, Chéri, Atonement, The Quiet American, Dangerous Liaisons, The Good Father, The Honorary Consul, Total Eclipse, Mary Reilly, Tales from The Vienna Woods, and A Doll's House. He wrote and directed Imagining Argentina, The Secret Agent, and Carrington. Television includes The Thirteenth Tale, The Ginger Tree, Hôtel Du Lac, The History Man, and Able's Will.

The Father will be directed by Kitchen Dog Theater Co-Artistic Director Tina Parker. The cast features beloved local actor David Coffee, who recently completed his 25th year as Ebenezer Scrooge for North Shore Music Theatre, in the role of Andre. The remaining cast members are all new to Stage West. Daughter Anne will be played by Jessica D. Turner, recently seen as Ella's Mother/Dame Olga in the Dallas Children's Theater production of Ella Enchanted, with Cameron Cobb, co-author of Kitchen Dog Theater's POMPEII!!, as fiancé Pierre. Caregiver Laura will be played by Jo-Jo Steine, recently seen as Reza in Once at Theatre Three. Karen Parrish, applauded for her work as Darja in Kitchen Dog's Ironbound, will be seen as Woman, with Ira Steck who played Charles in Blithe Spirit for Theatre Arlington, as Man.

Set design is by Bob Lavallee, with lighting design by Lisa Miller, costume design by Melissa Panzarello, sound design by Marco Salinas, and props/set decor by Lynn Lovett.

The Father will preview Thursday, April 4 at 7:30 and Friday, April 5 at 8:00, and will run through Sunday, April 28. Performance times will be Thursday evenings at 7:30, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00, with Sunday matinees at 3:00. Ticket prices range from $31 to $35, with discounts for the preview performance, and for students, seniors, and military. Food service is available 90 minutes prior to performances (reservations are advised). Reservations and information are available through the Box Office (817-784-9378), or on the website, www.stagewest.org.

Post-show conversations for The Father will be as follows:

Sunday, April 7 - speaker is Jaime Cobb, Vice-President of Caregiver Education, James L. West Center

Sunday, April 14 - speakers are Michelle Holton, RN and Tami Rush, RN

Sunday, April 28 - speaker is director Tina Hall

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