RE-DESIGNING WOMEN Opens Today at Island ETC

Island ETC is pleased to present as its final offering of the eleventh Laugh Out Loud season RE-DESIGNING WOMEN, a new play by Jamie Morris, creator of The Facts of Life: The Lost Episode, Mommie Queerest, and Silence of the Clams. This unauthorized parody of the popular 1980's sitcom opens tonight, May 16th and runs through Saturday, June 7th at ETC, 2317 Mechanic Street, Galveston.

Designing Women, popular television sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth Thomason ran from 1986 to 1993. It centered on the personal and working lives of four Southern women and one man in an Atlanta-based design firm. These characters left indelible marks on pop culture. RE-DESIGNING WOMEN takes the same formula that made the sitcom a huge success and turns it into a parody, with men playing the characters in drag. It's high camp, over-the-top homages to characters that we will love forever.

Plagued by the faltering economy, Atlanta-based Sugarbaker Design Firm is on the brink of collapse when Suzanne, the former beauty queen, has the outrageous idea of saving the family business by pitching a reality show to Bravo TV. Soon camera crews are following the zany day-to-day antics of the four Southern Belles, their ex-com delivery man Anthony, and their daffy family friend Bernice. Of course, the producers get much more than they bargain for and plenty of hysterical footage of Julia's infamous, highly-charged tirades; Mary Jo's tell-all testimonials after a few cocktails; and Charlene's down-home hillbilly 'get to the point' stories.

The cast includes Cameron Dunbar (Julia), Christopher Pool (Suzanne), Kevin Daugherty (Mary Jo), Kyle Crawford (Charlene), Eddie Robinson (Bernice), Johnny Nichols (Anthony), and Matt Poole (Andy Cohen). Kim Mytelka directs the production.

Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm from May 16th through June 7th. There will be two Sunday matinees at 2:30 on May 25th and June 1st. All performances will be presented at Island ETC (East-End Theatre Company), 2317 Mechanic Street, Galveston. Tickets are available online at www.islandetc.org.

*Island ETC does not recommend this production for children or those easily offended due to language and some subject matter.