Cal State Fullerton's TAKING STEPS Opens This Friday

California State University, Fullerton begins the spring 2018 season with Alan Ayckbourn's comedy, Taking Steps. Seasoned professional Mark Ramont directs the production, which runs February 23-March 18, 2018 in the Hallberg Theatre on campus. The comedy centers around the tale of Roland, a hard-drinking, irascible tycoon who is interested in buying an old Victorian house that was once a brothel. His wife, a frustrated dancer, constantly threatening to leave him, joins in this frenetic race up and down the dark mansion's many steps in what The Evening News called "a farce of riotous delight."

Alan Ayckbourn is an Olivier and Tony Award winning playwright who has written more than 80 plays, many of which have been produced in London's West End, New York and around the world. As an acclaimed director, he has worked extensively in the West End and the National Theatre. He was the Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough from 1972 to 2009, where the majority of his work has and continues to be launched. In recent years, he was inducted into the American Theatre's Hall of Fame, received the 2010 Critics' Circle Award for Services to the Arts and became the first British playwright to receive both Olivier and Tony Special Lifetime Achievement Awards. He was knighted in 1997 for 'services to theatre.'

Director Mark Ramont has worked professionally as a director, artistic administrator and educator at theatres such as Circle Repertory Theatre (NYC), Ford's Theatre (Washington D.C.), The Alley Theatre (Houston), the Hangar Theatre (Ithaca, NY) and Capitol City Playhouse (Austin). He is a recipient of the Princess Grace Foundation Statuette Award. Mr. Ramont's recent CSUF credits include Loose Ends, Don't Dress for Dinner, Pride and Prejudice and The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

The cast of Taking Steps includes Casey Bowen, Aaron Ford, Kira Jamison, Darby Sorich, Joe Stein, and Andre Vernot. Scenic design is by Waylon Waters, lighting design is by Edgar Antonio Alamo, costume design is by Alejandro Bermudez, sound design is by Chris Henrriquez and hair/makeup design is by Whitney Claytor.

Taking Steps plays at 8pm on February 23, 24, March 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 and at 2pm on February 25, March 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18. General admission tickets are $14 ($12 with advance Titan Discount purchase for students, seniors or with a CSUF ID). All tickets are $14 at the door. Tickets are available by calling (657) 278-3371, 11am-5pm, Monday through Friday and online at:

http://www.fullerton.edu/arts/theatre/events/td_productions.php