Palm Beach Dramaworks Opens EXIT THE KING, 3/29

The curtain will rise on Eugene Ionesco's absurdist classic Exit the Kingwhen Palm Beach Dramamworks resumes its 2012-13 season on Friday, March 29 (8PM) at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre (201 Clematis Street).

This comic romp will play a strictly limited engagement through April 28, with specially priced preview performances slated for March 27 and 28. For thirteen years, West Palm Beach's only professional, multi-award-winning resident theatre has brought to the Palm Beaches a distinguished roster of plays under the guidance of Producing Artistic Director William Hayes.

Exit the King is one of four plays Ionesco wrote between 1958 and 1963 that make up the "Berenger Cycle." It was preceded by The Killer andRhinoceros, and followed by A Stroll in the Air. When Exit the King was staged on Broadway for the first time in 1968, Clive Barnes, writing in The New York Times, said, "It is the most personal and moving of all Ionesco's plays, and . . .incomparably his greatest work."

Palm Beach Dramaworks' production will be directed by William Hayesand feature Colin McPhillamy as the inept monarch. The cast also includes Jim Ballard, Claire Brownell, Elizabeth Dimon, Rob Donohoeand Angie Radosh. Set design is by Michael Amico, costume design byLeslye Menshouse, lighting design by John Hall and sound design byMatt Corey. Lynnette Barkley will serve as assistant director.

Eugene Ionesco (1909 - 1994) was one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd. He often rejected logical plot and character development, and created his own form to explore the insignificance of human existence. He wrote 28 plays, including The Bald Soprano, The Lesson and The Chairs.

Palm Beach Dramaworks' spring season will conclude with Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel (May 24 - June 16).

Palm Beach Dramaworks is a non-profit, professional theatre and is a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the South Florida Theatre League, Southeastern Theatre Conference, Florida Professional Theatres Association, Florida Theatre Conference, and the Palm Beach County Cultural Council.

The performance schedule is as follows: Evening performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM and Sunday at 7PM. Matinee performances are on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2PM. Individual tickets are $55 for all performances. Preview performances are $47 and Opening Night Tickets (March 29) are $70. Student tickets are available for $10. Group rates for 20 or more and discounted season subscriptions are also available.

The Don & Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis Street. For ticket information contact the box office at (561) 514-4042, open Monday from 10AM to 5PM, Tuesday through Saturday from 10AM to 6PM, and Sunday from 11AM to 5PM, or visit www.palmbeachdramaworks.org

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