Florida Repertory Theatre extends Alan Ayckbourn's farce about matrimonial discord, "How the Other Half Loves," starring Tony Award nominee and Broadway and screen veteran, Paxton Whitehead through February 3, 2018.
Florida Weekly's Nancy Stetson raves "Florida Repertory Theatre shows us exactly how it should be done. With director
Mark Shanahan and a sextet of highly skilled actors, this production is a master class in how to execute this type of comedy...serving up smart, intelligent humor that made me giddy with laughter. With this production, Florida Rep gets it right in every way possible."
"How the Other Half Loves" follows one secret affair, two disastrous dinner parties, and three couples heading for trouble. Audiences will experience comedy at its finest (and funniest) as two dinner parties on separate nights unfold at the same table. Two couples entangle themselves in a mixed-up love triangle and another gets caught in the middle as fidelity is put to the test. Social graces go out the window as love, lust - and even table manners - take center stage in this unique and clever farce.
Florida Rep ensemble members,
Carrie Lund,
Jason Parrish, and
Brendan Powers return to the Florida Rep stage in this production, and are joined by frequent guest artist,
Kate Hampton, and making their Florida Rep debuts, New York and regional stage actress,
Faith Sandberg, and Tony-nominee,
Paxton Whitehead.
Lund recently appeared in this season's "The Last Night of Ballyhoo" and "Sylvia," and Parrish appears after directing last season's "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Powers appears again this season after his role in "Outside Mullingar" in September and October.
Kate Hampton makes her fourth appearance after appearing (with Lund and Powers) in 2016's nationally acclaimed production of
A.R. Gurney's "The Cocktail Hour".
Paxton Whitehead's extensive Broadway career includes original roles in the classic farces, "Noises Off" (1983), "Run for Your Wife" (1989), and "Lettice and Lovage" (1990). He received a Tony Nomination for his work in the 1980 revival of Lerner and Loewe's "Camelot" with
Christine Ebersole and
Richard Burton, and starred as Sherlock Holmes in 1978's "The Crucifer of Blood" alongside
Glenn Close. He appeared most recently in the Broadway revivals of
Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" (2011) and
Alan Ayckbourn's "Absurd Person Singular" in 2005. He is known onscreen for his work in the NBC series, "Marblehead Manor", film roles in "Back to School" with
Rodney Dangerfield, "Kate and Leopold" starring
Hugh Jackman and
Meg Ryan, and guest appearances on "Desperate Housewives," "The West Wing," "Friends," "Murder, She Wrote," and many more. In addition to an extensive body of work in regional theatres across the United States, Whitehead was a member of the
Royal Shakespeare Company and served as Artistic Director of Canada's Shaw Festival from 1967-1977.
Mark Shanahan, another Florida Rep favorite, directs the production after helming previous comedies, "Around the World in 80 Days" and "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Shanahan was in "The 39 Steps" on Broadway, appeared recently Off-Broadway as
Walt Disney in "Small World," and directs and acts at regional theatres across the country. Also a playwright, his Feydeau adaptation, "The Dingdong," made its regional premiere at Florida Rep in after a successful New York run in 2016. Shanahan is joined by an expert team of designers including ensemble set designer
Ray Recht ("Sylvia"), costume designer Emily Taradash (Florida Rep debut), ensemble lighting designer Todd O. Wren ("Night and Day"), sound designer John Kiselica ("Disgraced"), and ensemble stage manager Janine Wochna ("Outside Mullingar").
New for the 2017-2018 Season, weeknight performances in both performance venues (Tues.-Thurs.) begin at 7 PM. Weekend evening performances remain at 8 PM and matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday are still set for the popular 2 PM curtain time.
"How the Other Half Loves" is generously sponsored by Florida Weekly
IF YOU GO
"How the Other Half Loves" plays in the Historic Arcade Theatre through February 3, 2018. Performances are Tuesday-Thursday at 7 PM, Friday, and Saturday at 8 PM, and 2 PM matinees on Wednesday, Sunday, and selected Saturdays.
Priced at $55/$45 for regular performances, single tickets are now on sale through the box office at 239-332-4488 and online at
www.floridarep.org. Subscriptions for the 2017-2018 season offer the best seats and the biggest savings.
Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage
Studio Theatre on Bay St. between Jackson & Hendry with limited free parking in the Fort Myers River District. Visit Florida Rep online at FloridaRep.org, and by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
