Alley Theatre Announces Cast For Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage

The first show of 2011 on the Hubbard Stage is Yasmina Reza's Tony Award- winning God of Carnage, directed by Wilson Milam. The four cast members include Hans Altwies as Michael Novak, Denis Arndt as Alan Raleigh, Bhama Roget as Annette Raleigh, and Amy Thone as Veronica Novak. Director Wilson Milam and all four cast members are making their Alley debuts. This production is produced in association with Seattle Repertory Theatre.

God of Carnage took Broadway by storm, taking home the Tony Award for Best Play and earning rave reviews. The New York Times called the play "First class! A four-way prize fight. Catnip for audiences." And the New York Post described it as "Gleefully nasty fun." God of Carnage is the story of two seemingly courteous and civilized couples who meet after their boys' fist-fight in a neighborhood schoolyard. Michael and Veronica, whose son's teeth were knocked out with a stick, invite Alan and Annette, whose son did the knocking, to their home to settle stuff. Civility crumbles. Grown-ups behave badly as these parents argue about who influenced their sons' misbehavior. Carnage erupts with finger-pointing, name-calling, stomping and carrying on. And then they break out the liquor. Recommended for mature audiences due to profanity.

Wilson Milam (Director) is making his Alley Theatre debut. Productions in the U.S. include God of Carnage, Glengarry Glen Ross, and The Seafarer at Seattle Repertory Theatre; The Lieutenant of Inishmore at Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and Atlantic/Lyceum in New York (Tony Award Nomination for Best Director); Poor Beast in the Rain at Matrix Theatre, LA; Closer at Berkeley Rep Theatre; Bug at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, DC; Killer Joe at Next Theatre in Chicago and 29th Street Rep/Soho Playhouse in New York; Pot Mom at Steppenwolf Theatre; and The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial at A Red Orchid Theatre, Chicago. Productions in the UK and Ireland include: .45 (Hampstead); Harvest, Flesh Wound, Fresh Kills (Royal Court); Lay Me Down Softly, Defender of the Faith, On Such As We (Abbey, Dublin); Othello (Shakespeare's Globe); The Lieutenant of Inishmore (RSC Stratford/Barbican/Garrick); Hurlyburly (The Peter Hall Company at the Old Vic/Queens); True West (Bristol Old Vic); A Lie of the Mind (Donmar Warehouse); The Wexford Trilogy (Tricycle); Chimps (Liverpool Playhouse); Bug (Gate, London); and Killer Joe (Traverse/Bush/Vaudeville - Scotsman Fringe First Award Best Play). Other: Much Ado About Nothing (RADA); A Mad World My Masters (Central School of Speech and Drama); Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka (BBCi).

Hans Altwies (Michael Novak) is making his Alley Theatre debut. At Seattle Repertory Theatre, Hans appeared in God of Carnage, An Iliad, The Three Musketeers, The Cure at Troy, The Lady From Dubuque, Misalliance, Romeo and Juliet, Light up the Sky, The O'Conner Girls, Design For Living, and Sharky in The Seafarer. Some other roles include Macbeth, Iago, Henry V, Mercutio, Richmond (in Richard III directed by Bartlett Sher), Costard, Valentine in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Tybalt, Demitrius, and Posthumous. He has worked in Seattle at New Century Theatre Company, ACT, Intiman, Seattle Children's Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Wooden O, and Book-It. Hans is Co-Artistic Director of New Century Theatre Company. Hans is the proud father of Stella Blue and Charlotte and is married to actress Amy Thone.

Denis Arndt (Alan Raleigh) is making his Alley Theatre debut. He has appeared on many stages in Seattle since 1973 including Seattle Repertory Theatre, ACT, The Empty Space, and Intiman, of which he is a founding member. Last season he was seen in ACT's production of Tom Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll. Denis was a Company Member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for over 15 seasons and was assigned many lead roles in the canon. He also directed plays on all three of the Festival's stages. Other regional theatre appearances include New York Shakespeare Festival and The Public Theatre (New York City), The Arena Stage (Washington D.C.), Goodman Theatre and Remains Theatre (Chicago), Mark Taper Forum (Los Angeles), The Old Globe (San Diego), Studio Theatre (Washington D.C.), Missouri Rep (Kansas City, Mo.), and Artists Repertory Theatre (Portland, Ore.). Denis has spent the last 20 years working primarily in film and television. His television credits are too numerous to be listed here but include recurring appearances on "L.A. Law," "Picket Fences," "The Practice," "Ally McBeal," "Boston Legal," and "Providence." Mr. Arndt is delighted to be back on the stage and under the direction the inimitable Wilson Milam.

Bhama Roget (Annette Raleigh) is making her Alley Theatre debut. Ms. Roget has been seen at Seattle Repertory Theatre in God of Carnage, Restoration Comedy (also at California Shakespeare Theatre), The Constant Wife and Noises Off. Other Seattle appearances include Wonderful Town at the 5th Avenue; Hedwig & the Angry Inch at Re-Bar; Seussical and Go, Dog. Go! at Seattle Children's Theatre; Inflagrante Gothico, Vera Wilde, References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot, and Under the Gaslight at the Empty Space; and Expressions of the Spirit: Tales of The Brothers Grimm with UMO Ensemble. She has performed as a comedian at the Hollywood Improv, M-Bar Hollywood, Largo, and El Cid in Los Angeles, and has appeared on television in "The Fugitive" and "Grey's Anatomy." She is a 10-year member of the esteemed Seattle Imrov group 'The Edge', and can be seen on the web as Jane on the hit episodic web cooking show Cookus Interruptus (cookus.tv).

Amy Thone (Veronica Novak) is making her Alley Theatre debut. She has appeared at Seattle Repertory Theatre in God of Carnage, Speech & Debate, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, House of Blue Leaves and She Stoops to Conquer. Favorite shows in Seattle include The Diary of Anne Frank at the Intiman, Leni for Strawberry Theatre Workshop, Goneril in King Lear for Seattle Shakespeare, King John for Upstart Crow, A Tale of Two Cities at Seattle Children's Theatre, and On the Nature of Dust (by Stephanie Timm) and The Adding Machine for New Century Theatre Company, with whom she is a proud founding member. Ms. Thone is on the faculty of Freehold Studio Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre and Cornish College of the Arts, and is teaching this fall at the University of Washington. She is the Casting Director for Seattle Shakespeare. She is married to Seattle actor Hans Altwies and mom to Stella and Charlotte.

Christopher Hampton's (Translator) plays, musicals and translations have garnered three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, four Evening Standard Awards and the New York Theatre Critics Circle Award. Prizes for his film and television work include an Academy Award, two BAFTAs, a Writer's Guild of America Award, the Prix Italian and a Special Jury Award at the Cannes Film Festival. His plays for the Royal Court include Treats, Savages, The Philanthropist, Uncle Vanya, Total Eclipse, Marya and When Did You Last See My Mother? Other plays include Embers, Three Sisters, Art, Sunset Boulevard, The Talking Cure, Alice's Adventures Under Ground, White Chameleon, Tales from Hollywood, Don Juan Comes Back from the War, Tales from the Vienna Woods, An Enemy of the People, The Wild Duck, Hedda Gabler, Life X 3, Tartuffe, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Unexpected Man and Conversations After a Burial. Hampton's plays have been performed at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Almeida, the Royal National Theatre, and both on West End and Broadway. His television credits include "The Ginger Tree," "Hotel du Lac," "The History Man" and "Able's Will." He has written the screenplays for "Atonement," "Imagining Argentina," "The Quiet American," "The Secret Agent," "Mary Reilly," "Carrington," "Total Eclipse," "Dangerous Liaisons," "Wolf at the Door," "The Good Father," "The Honorary Consul," "Tales from the Vienna Woods" and "A Doll's House."
Eugene Lee (Scenic Designer) designed Treasure Island at the Alley. He has been the production designer at "Saturday Night Live" since 1974. He is currently represented on Broadway and internationally by the musical Wicked. He holds BFA degrees from the Art Institute of Chicago and Carnegie Mellon, a MFA from Yale and three honorary doctorates. He has received the Tony Award, American Theatre Wing's Design Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Achievement, and Pell Award. He was recently inducted into the New York Theatre Hall of Fame. He is an associate artist at the Long Wharf Theater in New Haven where he is designing the new Athol Fugard play The Train Driver. He is also designing at Trinity Rep, Berkley Rep, The Public Theater, Huntington Theater, and the Arena Stage this season. Mr. Lee worked with Wilson Milam at the Seattle Repertory Theatre on The Seafarer and Glengarry Glen Ross. He lives with his wife Brooke, in Providence, where they raised their two sons.

Deb Trout (Costume Designer) has recently designed ACT Theatre's The Female of the Species, Seattle Opera's The Marriage of Figaro, The Brementown Musicians at Seattle Children's Theatre, and Picasso at the Lapin Agile with director Penny Metropulos at Syracuse Stage. She has also designed The Seafarer and Glengarry Glen Ross at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Past collaborations include shows at Atlanta's ALLIANCE THEATRE, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Denver Center Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Manhattan School of Music, Minneapolis Children's Theatre Co., The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Portland Center Stage, Juneau's Perseverance Theatre, and Shakespeare Santa Cruz, among others. Co-founder of the New York-based millinery company Mackey and Trout, she is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and a member of the design faculty at the University of Washington's School of Drama.

Geoff Korf (Lighting Design) has designed lighting for about 300 productions over the past 25 years. His work has been seen on Broadway, at Seattle Repertory, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Mark Taper Forum, La Jolla Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, The Old Globe, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Trinity Repertory, The Guthrie Theatre, The Goodman, Children's Theatre Company, Minneapolis, Seattle Children's Theatre, Long Beach Opera, and San Francisco Opera. He is a member of the Ensemble of Cornerstone Theater in Los Angeles, and serves as the Head of Design at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is a graduate of California State University, Chico and the Yale School of Drama.

Matt Starritt (Sound Designer) is a freelance sound designer for both theatre and dance and a writer from Seattle. A founder of the Washington Ensemble Theatre, he was the resident sound designer for the company's first four seasons. He has designed the sound for Glengarry Glen Ross, Speech & Debate, Opus, Breakin' Hearts & Takin' Names, The Seafarer,

boom! and The Imaginary Invalid for Seattle Repertory Theatre. Other notable designs include: The Thin Place for Intiman Theatre; Washington Ensemble Theatre's BlahBlahBlah:BANG! at On the Boards; pro re nata for LAUNCH dance theatre; Waxie Moon's Extreme Boylesque at the OTB Northwest New Works Festival 2008; The K of D for Pistol Cat Productions; Confederacy of Dunces, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and Persuasion for Book-It Rep; Iphigenia in Aulis, Crumbs Are Also Bread, Museum Play, CRAVE and Finer Noble Gases at the Washington Ensemble Theatre; Henry V and Swansong for Seattle Shakespeare Company; and Ring Round the Moon for the University of Washington School of Drama.

God of Carnage, by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, directed by Wilson Milam, produced in association with Seattle Repertory Theatre, begins previews Friday, January 7, opens Wednesday, January 12 and runs through Sunday, January 30, 2011 on the Hubbard Stage.

God of Carnage is generously sponsored by Lead Sponsor Cameron and Supporting Sponsor KPMG LLP. The Alley Theatre is supported by the 2010-2011 season sponsor Continental Airlines, the official airline of the Alley Theatre.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to God of Carnage start at $21. All tickets to God of Carnage are available for purchase at www.alleytheatre.org, at the Alley Theatre Box Office, 615 Texas Avenue, or by calling 713.220.5700. Groups of 10 or more can receive special concierge services and select discounts by calling 713.220.5700 and asking for the group sales department. The added convenience of reservations by phone or Internet is available for a nominal fee. Tickets purchased in person at the Alley Theatre Box Office have a $1 building restoration fee.

SALVATION ARMY $10 TIX
Saturday, January 8
The Alley Theatre continues its efforts to make the theatre affordable to patrons. Partnering with other social non-profit organizations, the Alley seeks to generate in-kind donations and reward patrons with $10 Tix for select performances. The $10 Tix are available in person only on Saturday, January 8 and are limited to two tickets per person. With your donation, you can purchase two $10 tickets for either Saturday January 8 at 2:30 PM, Tuesday January 11 at 7:30 PM or Thursday January 13 at 7:30 PM. Donate and purchase in person at the box office (615 Texas Ave.) on Saturday, January 8th only. Limited availability. The $10 Tix partner for God of Carnage is The Salvation Army. The date to donate and purchase is Saturday, January 8, beginning at noon. The donated item is toiletries.

CAPTIONED AND AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE
Sunday January 9, 7:30 PM
The Alley Theatre is pleased to offer open captioning and audio description for many of our productions throughout the season. To ensure that your seats will accommodate your needs, please call the box office 713.220.5700 when ordering tickets to this performance. Discounted tickets are available for groups of ten or more.

TALKBACK
Saturday, January 15, 2:30 PM
Tuesday, January 18, 7:30 PM
Members of the cast return to the stage following the performance to take questions from the audience. TalkBacks are led by a member of the Alley Artistic Staff.

ACTOUT
Thursday, January 20, 6:00 - 7:15 PM
Houston's premiere theatre group for gay and lesbian theatre fans and their friends celebrates the Alley Theatre's production of God of Carnage. This pre-curtain event is free with your ticket to the Thursday, January 20, 7:30 PM performance of God of Carnage. To buy a ticket, required for this event, use the promo code: ACTOUT. Purchase online at www.alleytheatre.org or call the box office at 713.220.5700.