Hatcher's Killer Comedy MURDERERS Runs 3/13-5/23

Playwright Jeffrey Hatcher's MURDERERS, takes the mainstage as Asolo Rep's ninth production this season - the fifth to open in repertory for 2009. The offbeat, killer comedy opens on March 13 and continues through May 23, 2009. Tickets are available through the Asolo Rep box office at (941) 351-8000, toll-free at (800) 361-8388, as well as online at www.asolo.org.

If MURDERERS playwright Jeffrey Hatcher's name sounds familiar to Sarasota audiences, it should. Asolo Rep has produced several other Hatcher hits including SMASH, TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, MURDER BY POE, and ELLA. According to Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards - "Audiences really love Jeffrey Hatcher's work. And this one should really hit home with our audiences; we just couldn't resist. After all, it is set in our own back yard."

Hatcher's wickedly witty play, set in a fictitious Sarasota area retirement community, is directed by Mark Rucker, with scenic design by Eric Flatmo, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Thom Weaver, and sound design by Matthew Parker.

According to director Mark Rucker, "That's what makes MURDERERS such a sly little event. These are people just like us, living in our own community, leading lives just like ours in one way or another. They turn to us and make us their confidantes, and in return, we forgive them all their flaws. They're not such horrible people after all. They are very sweet and funny."

The cast for the show consists of Mercedes Herrero, Ann Morrison and Bryan Torfeh. Herrero is performing to rave reviews in Asolo Rep's THE WINTER'S TALE, Torfeh wowed audiences in prior seasons as Salieri in AMADEUS and the "inconstant husband" in THE CONSTANT WIFE, and Morrison comes back to the Asolo Rep stage having performed several years ago in 1940S RADIO HOUR, ALL IN NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN and SWINGTIME CANTEEN.

All three of the quirky, likeable characters they play have murder on their minds, but why? Their humorous monologues layout the plots and twists behind a mysterious series of murders at the usually peaceful Florida retirement village of "Riddle Key." Dapper gigolo Gerald, golden years housewife Lucy and the lovely village employee Minka all seem to be unlikely killers at first. But as the plot unravels and the body count multiplies, clever dialogue and witty one-liners will leave audience members grinning and maybe even agreeing that the line between murder and justice is sometimes very hard to define - for good reason.

Tickets are $20-$58, depending on seat location, day and time. Special discounts are available for students and for groups of 10 or more. For reservations, call 941-351-8000 or toll-free 800-361-8388. Or save time and gas by purchasing tickets online at www.asolo.org. Season subscriptions are also on sale, offering a substantial discount and benefits to the subscriber. Student passes cost only $25 and allow students to attend any and all of the plays, as often as they like over the entire repertory season. Tickets to opening night include a special champagne afterparty sponsored by Lakewood Ranch Communities.

Director's Notes: by Mark Rucker

Jeffrey Hatcher likes to toy with an audience. He's given us a title that conjures up large, grizzled, frightening creatures - the kinds who hide in dark alleys and the worst neighborhoods in big, dangerous cities. And then the curtain rises in an environment that couldn't be cheerier or sunnier - Sarasota. And instead of psychotic madmen, we get charming, quirky figures: a dapper gentleman in a tuxedo, a daffy elderly housewife, and a sweet-faced retirement community employee. What could be more delightful? Murderers for us to warm up to!

That's the great pleasure of Hatcher's writing, and in particular of this engaging little play: clichés are defied, expectations thwarted. This playwright didn't invent the sweet little lady who murders or the charming roué capable of killing, but the unexpected twists never fail to make us laugh in shocked surprise, make us sit up a little and listen a bit more carefully. Surely there must be more going on here than meets the eye? Such lovely, engaging personalities must have good reasons to resort to murder. And so we listen sympathetically, ready to quickly forgive the unforgivable. And we actually find pleasure in hearing their stories spin out. We can't wait until they get to the act we've been promised by the title.

And that's what makes Murderers such a sly little event. These are people just like us, living in our own community, leading lives just like ours in one way or another. They turn to us and make us their confidantes, and in return, we forgive them all of their flaws. They're not such horrible people after all. They're all very sweet and funny. The line between the criminal and lawful has been smudged, and we're not so sure of our own innocence anymore!

About the director: Mark Rucker, in his third season, previously directed The Constant Wife and Catherine Sheehy's Pride and Prejudice here. Recent credits include Rough Crossing (Yale Rep), Twelfth Night (California Shakespeare Theatre), and Midsummer Night's Dream (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). An Associate Artist at South Coast Repertory Theater (California), he has directed over 20 productions there including world premieres by Richard Greenberg, Christopher Shinn, Annie Weisman and Culture Clash; and for Arena Stage, the world premiere of Anna Deveare Smith's House Arrest . Other theaters include L:a Jolla Playhouse, Yale Rep, ACT in San Francisco, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Old Globe, Intiman Playhouse, Ford's Theater, Utah Shakespearean Festival, George Street Playhouse, Berkeley Rep, Shakespeare Santa Cruz and The Acting Company. His film Die Mommie Die! won a Sundance Film Festival jury prize.

Cast bios:
MERCEDES HERRERO - Guest artist, first season (Paulina, The Winter's Tale; and Minka, Murderers) Ms. Herrero is delighted to be making her Asolo Rep debut. Previous credits with these eminent directors include: Las Meninas (San Jose Rep) and King Lear (Indiana Rep/Syracuse Stage) directed by Michael Donald Edwards; Twelfth Night (Yale Rep) and Arms and the Man (national tour/The Acting Company) directed by Mark Rucker. Ms. Herrero has been in many world premieres including the original production of the award winning The Laramie Project. Classical parts include Stella in A Streetcar Named desire (Arena Stage), Mistress Quickly in Henry V (Delacorte in Central Park), Queen Elizabeth in Richard III (Public) and Augustias in The House of Bernarda Alba. Film and TV: a bevy of lawyers on all four Law and Orders, Deception, The Tao of Steve. Ms. Herrero is a graduate of UVA and the Yale School of Drama.

ANN MORRISON - Guest Artist, fourth season (Lucy, Murderers) Broadway credits: Lovemusik; Merrily We Roll Along (1982 Theatre World Award). London West End: Peg. Off Broadway: Goblin Market (Drama Desk Nomination), Forbidden Broadway. Ann has done massive regional theater including Asolo Rep's 1940s Radio Hour, All In Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten and Swingtime Canteen; and Banyan Theater's A Clean House; and world premieres, television, recordings, cabarets and concerts throughout the U.S. and England. Writer/performer: Discourse of a Maid and Annie's Celtic Kitchen. Co-Founder/Director: Kaleidoscope Theater and Random Play-musical theatre programs for persons with developmental differences. Currently she is resident playwright and master storyteller for Storyteller Theatre of Wonderment, puppetry theatre.
BRYAN TORFEH* - Guest Artist, third season (Gerald, Murderers) Last Season: John, The Constant Wife; Almady, The Play's the Thing. Past Asolo seasons: Salieri, Amadeus; King, The Plexiglass Slipper. London and West End roles: Passepartout, Around The World; George, High Society; Mr. Sowerberry, Oliver!; Rico, Copacabana; Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro; Hamlet, The Reduced Shakespeare; and seasons with Royal Shakespeare Company, notably Nicholas Nickleby (U.K. & Broadway). U.S. credits: Kerner, Hapgood (Ahmanson Season, L.A.); Jack, The Importance of Being Earnest (Indiana Rep); Salieri, Amadeus (Indiana Rep and Syracuse Stage); twin Antipholi, Comedy of Errors; King, Loves Labour's Lost; and Prince, Kean (Shakespeare Santa Cruz). TV: This is Dom Joly, Dead Air (BBC). Film: Velvet Goldmine. Former Director of Drama at Jakarta International School in Indonesia, and Course Tutor at Drama Studio London. BA from UCSC and trained at London's Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Creative Team Bios:

Erik Flatmo Scenic Designer (Murderers) recently designed The Constant Wife at Asolo Rep. Other projects include productions with American Conservatory Theatre, California Shakespeare Theatre, The San Francisco Opera, The San Jose Opera and The Magic Theatre. He teaches set design at Stanford University and is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.
Michelle Hart Hair/Wig Design (all shows) Michelle, a licensed cosmetologist, is in her eighth season with Asolo Rep and designs for both Asolo Rep and FSU/Asolo Conservatory shows. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet: Last Call; Florida Studio: Ruthless the Musical and Lady With All the Answers; West Coast Black Theatre Troope: One Mo Time; Four seasons with Banyan Theatre, and Open Stage Theatre: Ideal Husband, Dorian Gray, and Rumors (where she won the Opius Award for Best Hair). She has also done hair and make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, and Martin Short. She wants to express her gratitude and great respect to all involved in every aspect of Theatre.

Emily Rebholz Costume Designer (Murderers) New York: The Language of Trees (Roundabout Theatre); Clay (LCT 3); The Ones That Flutter (SPF); Jollyship the Whizbang, Boom (Ars Nova); U.S. Drag (StageFarm) The Drum of the Waves of Horikawa (HERE); Have You Seen Steve Steven? (13P); The Lacey Project (The Ice Factory, Ohio Theatre); Momma (PS 122); Gutenberg! The Musical! (The Actors Playhouse); The Private Lives of Eskimos, I (heart) Kant (The Committee Theater) Regional: Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson (Centre Theatre Group); Marat/Sade (Bard College); Doubt, Expecting Isabel (Asolo Repertory Theatre); Broke-ology, Beyond Therapy (Williamstown Theatre Festival); Safe in Hell (Yale Repertory Theatre). Emily has also designed costumes for the photographer, Gregory Crewdson. Education: BA, Northwestern University; MFA, Yale School of Drama.

Thom Weaver Lighting Designer (Murderers) Recent: Scorched (Wilma Theatre), My Name is Asher Lev (Arden Theatre), ReENTRY (Two River Theatre), Five Fingers of Funk (Children's Theatre Company, MN), Two Rooms (Lion Theatre Off-B'Way), Twelfth Night (Cal Shakes), Pageant Play and Eleanor (Berkshire Theatre Festival), Teller's Macbeth (Two River Theatre, Folger Theatre), Joe Turner's Come and Gone (CenterStage), Frankenstein (37 Arts), (DR2), Villa America (Williamstown Theatre Festival), King Hedley II (Signature Theatre, AUDELCO award). New York: Thrill Me, Medea in Jerusalem, Brian Dykstra: Cornered and Alone, Ghost Lovers, and The Transparency of Val. Other Regional: Syracuse Stage, Delaware Theatre Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Yale Repertory, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, and Spoleto Festival USA and internationally. Resident Designer, Eva Silverstein's SilverBrown Dance; Member, Wingspace Design Group. Education: Carnegie Mellon and Yale.

Asolo Repertory Theatre is Florida's premier professional theatre and one of the most important cultural forces in the Southeastern United States, crafting the highest quality productions of classical, contemporary, and newly commissioned work all performed in the rarest form of rotating repertory. With an accomplished resident company, complemented by distinguished guest artists, and the charming ambiance of its turn-of-the-century mainstage theatre, Asolo Rep provides enchantment extraordinaire for visitors to the Sarasota area. The 2008-2009 Season is especially momentous as Asolo Rep celebrates its 50th anniversary. Audiences will enjoy a unique and dynamic theatre experience beginning in November with a high-flying production of the Tony Award winning musical Barnum, and continuing through June with11other productions including another musical and a world premier. Under the skillful leadership of Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards and Managing Director Linda DiGabriele this world-class institution has gained national acclaim, yet remains dedicated to its core mission-Entertain, Engage, and Inspire audiences of all kinds!

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