Theatre Memphis Opens SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, 1/25

Six Degrees of Separation, a New York Drama Critics' Circle Best Play Winner by John Guare, will open at Theatre Memphis January 25, 2013, and run through February 10, 2013, on the Lohrey Stage. The plot surrounds a wounded young man who cons his way into the home of an upscale art dealer and his wife by claiming he is a friend of their son. The lie is exposed when he abuses their generosity and he then plots another scam that includes his claim of being a part of their family. There are tumultuous and deadly results as the mother seeks resolution and as she aches to protect her family and to find her connection to the world.

Director Tony Isbell, a veteran Theatre Memphis director and performer who performed as Salieri in Amadeus previously in the 2010-11 season at TM, has assembled a cast which includes Marc Gill as the lead character and Barclay Roberts and Kell Christie as the art dealer and wife. Gill, an on air announcer at WKNO 91.1 FM, was last seen on the Theatre Memphis Lohrey Stage singing and dancing in Chicago. Roberts starred in last season's award-winning Glengarry Glen Ross and Christie directed the opening musical for the TM 2012-13 season, Fiddler on the Roof. The versatile and varied cast also includes last year's Memphis Ostrander Rising Star award winner John Dylan Atkins.

Theatre Memphis Executive Producer Debbie Litch believes a seasoned cast like this is a mark of Theatre Memphis' consistent success. "Memphis has a theatre community that is second to none," she says. "The fact that we are able to attract the talent on and off stage as a volunteer entity constantly amazes and humbles me. As is evident in this cast, everyone is at the top of their game and it comes through in the performances. We (and Memphis) are truly blessed with the best of the best."

Isbell concurs. "I was truly pleased and deeply gratified by the number of people who turned out to audition," he says. " I had people ranging from theatre veterans with decades of experience all the way to young people just graduating from high school. Two things they all had in common were enthusiasm and talent. As a director, you always hope to have enough people show up to cast the show; when you have to make a choice between several people, all of whom are talented but bring different strengths to a role, it's both a blessing and a curse. Making that choice is at once difficult and also the most important job a director has, in my opinion."

Theatre Memphis is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization located at 630 Perkins Extended (corner of Perkins Extended and Southern) and is a community theatre whose mission is to provide outstanding theatrical experiences to enrich the lives of our audiences and participants.