Long Beach Playhouse Opens HAY FEVER This Weekend

In 1924, Noel Coward was so captivated by the outlandish lifestyle and eccentric personality of Laurette Taylor that he was inspired to write his play HAY FEVER in just three days. The play focuses on the antics of four members of the Bliss family in their country home during a weekend with guests. The Playhouse production of HAY FEVER opens tonight, November 7 and runs through December 5, 2015.

"Laurette Taylor was one of the most famous actresses of the time," said Andrew Vonderschmitt, Executive and Artistic Director of the Long Beach Playhouse. "She was known to be mercurial and demanding. In Judith Bliss, Coward turned Taylor's eccentricities into a fascinating lead character in a play that is equal part manners and farce."

Cast in the lead role is Sarah Genevieve Green. Most recently Green was the female lead in the Playhouse production of Arms and the Man. Other roles at the Playhouse include The Philanderer,Macbeth and To Kill a Mockingbird.

"Sarah is a strong actor. She hits just the right tone with every line and gesture," said Vonderschmitt. "She is perfect for the role."

The nine-member cast is a mix of debuting and returning actors. Other returning actors include Lee Samuel Tanng, Stephen Alan Carver, Dean Figone, Eva Daily and Tiffany Toner. In 2013, Daily and Toner appeared on the Playhouse Mainstage as jet-setting flight attendants in Boeing! Boeing!. Making their Playhouse debuts are Anissa Leeanna Loer, Susie McCarthy, and Bryan Brophy.

HAY FEVER is directed by Playhouse veteran, James Rice, whose experience as an actor and director spans nearly 30 years. Previous Playhouse productions include Boeing! Boeing!, The Final Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and A Flea in Her Ear.

"James is a Playhouse favorite. We are always in good hands with him in the director's chair. Testament to that is the popularity of the shows he's done for us in the past," said Vonderschmitt. "Our audience is going to really enjoy this show."

HAY FEVER opens on November 7 and runs through December 5.

SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THIS PLAY:

Pay what you can Thursday November 5- community can see this production for whatever they can afford

Two for One Preview Friday November 6 - Tickets are $10.00

Opening Night Champagne Reception with cast on November 7- Tickets are $27.00

NEW PRICING FOR FRIDAY NIGHTS:

Friday: Adults are $20.00, Seniors $18.00, and Students $14.00

Saturday and Sunday: Adults are $24.00, Seniors $21.00, and Students $14.00.

Tickets are available at www.lbplayhouse.org, or by calling 562-494-1014, option 1.

Long Beach Playhouse is located at 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA, 90804, right across from the Long Beach Recreation golf course. The Playhouse is community-supported theatre with programs and events that cut across age, gender, ethnic, and cultural boundaries.

Performances are 8 p.m. Friday, and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The box office is open Wednesday-Saturday from 3:00-8:00 pm and Sundays from 1:00-2:00 pm on scheduled matinees.

Promotional poster design by Daisy Ramirez.