BOEING-BOEING Comes To Alley Theatre’s Hubbard Stage 6/4-27
By: Gabrielle Sierra May. 25, 2010
Boeing-Boeing, the high-flying, Tony award-winning comedy that had Broadway and West End audiences airborne with laughter, is taking off on the Alley's Hubbard Stage, June 4 - June 27, 2010. Marc Camoletti's comedy, translated by Beverly Cross and Francis Evans is the final production of the Alley Theatre's 2009-2010 season.
Boeing-Boeing is called "the funniest play to hit Broadway in ages" (Wall Street Journal), "pure pleasure and unconditional bliss" (New York Times), "Irresistible & Inexhaustible" (Variety), "Mile High Hilarity" (Daily News), and "Sexy Supersonic Fun" (Time Out NY). Bernard, a successful American architect living in a posh Paris apartment, has been deftly juggling three fiancées who are all flight attendants. It's easy, with good timing and a bit of assistance from his reluctant housekeeper who plays romantic air-traffic controller. But, this supersonic lifestyle hits turbulence when his old college friend visits and each of his three fiancées change their flight schedule. Fasten your seat belt for a roaring ride that will take you up, up and away. Recommended for adults and children ages twelve and older. The production is overseen and originally directed by Matthew Warchus, nominated for the 2008 Tony Award for Best Director for Broadway's Boeing-Boeing, the same year that Boeing-Boeing won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Performances begin Friday, June 4, opens officially Wednesday, June 9 and runs through Sunday, June 27 on the Hubbard Stage.Matthew Warchus graduated from Bristol University with a First Class honours degree in Music and Drama. He immediately began a very busy career as a director, which has to date encompassed over 50 major productions (30 award-winning), including five operas and one feature film. He has directed award-winning productions for all the major British companies (including a debut with the Royal Shakespeare Company as the youngest director ever on the Stratford main stage) as well as five Broadway plays and one Broadway musical. He was Associate Director at the new West Yorkshire Playhouse for the first three years of his career and is currently an Associate Director of The Old Vic Theatre. He is the original director of the phenomenally successful play, Art. In the West End: Much Ado About Nothing (Most Promising Newcomer Award) with Mark Rylance and Janet McTeer, The Unexpected Man with Michael Gambon and Eileen Atkins (five Olivier nominations), Life x 3 (Evening Standard and Olivier Award nominations), the new musical Our House (Olivier Award for Best Musical 2003), Endgame (Olivier nomination) with Michael Gambon and Lee Evans, The Lord of the Rings (Olivier nomination) at Drury Lane, a new version of the 1960s French hit Boeing-Boeing (Olivier nomination) with Mark Rylance, Speed-the-Plow at the Old Vic with Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum, God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza (Olivier Award, Comedy) with Ralph Fiennes, Janet McTeer, Ken Stott and Tamsin Grieg, and The Norman Conquests at the Old Vic. For the Donmar Warehouse, the English premiere of The Life of Stuff, and True West with Mark Rylance. For Chichester Festival Theatre: I Am Shakespeare by Mark Rylance. For the National Theatre: Volpone with Michael Gambon and Simon Russell Beale (Evening Standard Director Award), Life x 3 (three Olivier nominations) with Harriet Walter, Mark Rylance and Imelda Staunton, and Buried Child with M. Emmett Walsh and Lauren Ambrose. On Broadway: The Tony Award-winning productions of Art (winner Tony Award, Play, Tony Award nomination, Director) and True West with Philip Seymour Hoffmann and John C. Reilly (Tony Award nomination, Director), Life x 3 with Helen Hunt and John Turturro, the Roundabout production of Steven Sondheim's Follies, and most recently God of Carnage (Tony Award, Play, and Tony Award, Director) and The Norman Conquests (Tony Award, Revival). Off Broadway: The Unexpected Man at The Promenade with Eileen Atkins and Alan Bates (Drama Desk, Director nomination). His operas, for Opera North, English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Royal Opera House and Tel Aviv Opera include: Trolius and Cressida, The Rake's Progress, Falstaff (still in the repertoire after many revivals), and an acclaimed Cosi fan tutte. He directed, co-wrote and co-produced the feature film adaptation of Sam Shepard's play Simpatico, starring Albert Finney, Catherine Keener, Jeff Bridges, Nick Nolte and Sharon Stone.
Lisa Spirling directs Alley Theatre Artists Jeffrey Bean as Robert, James Black as Bernard, Elizabeth Bunch as Gabriella, Josie de Guzman as Berthe, Emily Neves as Gloria and Melissa Pritchett as Gretchen.
The design team for Boeing-Boeing includes Scenic and Costume Design by Rob Howell (Alley Debut, Tony Nomination for Best Costume Design for Broadway's Boeing-Boeing) Lighting Design by Michael Lincoln (Alley's A Streetcar Named Desire, Hydriotaphia, Proof), Original Sound Design by Simon Baker (Alley Debut, Tony Nomination for Best Sound Design for Broadway's Boeing-Boeing), Original Music by Claire van Kampen (Alley Debut, West End's Boeing-Boeing), Dialect, Voice and Text Coach by Pamela Prather (Alley's The Gershwins' An American in Paris, Othello, The Lieutenant of Inishmore), and Dramaturg Robert Shimko (Alley's Othello, Mauritius). Boeing-Boeing is generously sponsored by supporting sponsors JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Thompson & Knight LLP. The Alley Theatre is supported by the 2009-2010 season sponsor Continental Airlines, the official airline of the Alley Theatre.TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to Boeing-Boeing start at $21. All tickets to Boeing-Boeing 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 713.315.3346. 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.
Saturday, June 5, 2:30 PM
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 the matinee performance. The $10 Tix are available in person, the day of the performance only and are limited to two tickets per person. Purchase in person at the box office (615 Texas Ave.) on the day of the performance only. Cash or check only. Limited availability. Bring donations of new children's books (Infant - Elementary age).
CAPTIONED AND AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE
Saturday, June 5, 2:30 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. Call 713.315.3346 for more information.
Thursday, June 10, 6:15 - 7:15 PM
Starting at 6:15 PM at 615 Texas in the Alley Theatre, Club 615 is a new pre-curtain mixer for young professionals. Enjoy a fabulous pre-performance reception with music, socializing, complimentary cocktails and appetizers, and specially priced theatre tickets. A-section seats are $35 and B-section seats are $25. This pre-curtain event is free with your ticket to the Thursday, June 10, 7:30 PM performance of Boeing-Boeing, but must be purchased for the performance using the promo code: Club615. ACTOUT
Thursday, June 17, 6:00 - 7:15 PM
Houston's premiere theatre group for gay and lesbian theatre fans and their friends celebrate the Alley Theatre's production of Boeing-Boeing. To find out more visit www.alleytheatre.org. For tickets call 713.220.5700 and mention "ActOUT." Participants must have a ticket to the performance in order to attend this pre-show event. TALKBACK
Tuesday, June 15, 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. PAGES & STAGES
Tuesday, June 15, 6:30 - 7:15 PM
Alley Theatre is pleased to partner with the Houston Public Library for this new pre-curtain event. The perfect evening for the book worm in every theatre buff, this event combines the imagination of the written word with the excitement of live theatre. Patrons read a book that has been specially selected to complement each Hubbard Stage production, then enjoy a pre-curtain discussion group and then attend the performance. For Boeing-Boeing, the selected reading is Company By Stephen Sondheim and George Furth. Light refreshments will be served. After the performance, readers can stay for an additional Talk Back led by Alley artistic staff. This pre-curtain event is free with your ticket to the Tuesday, June 15, 7:30 PM performance of Boeing-Boeing.
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