RTW Opens Season With REASONS TO BE PRETTY, Tickets On Sale 8/23

Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) opens its 2010-11 mainstage season with REASONS TO BE PRETTY by Neil LaBute. RTW Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director, Suzan Fete will direct this play featuring Lenny Banovez, Carrie Coon, Georgina McKee and Steve Wojtas. Running October 1-24, 2011 at the Studio Theatre, 158 N. Broadway, tickets can be purchased for $34 in person at the Broadway Theatre Center Box Office, by telephone at (414) 291-7800, or online at www.r-t-w.com. Tickets go on sale August 23, 2010.

REASONS TO BE PRETTY Synopsis
How much is "pretty" worth? That's the question posed in the final installment of LaBute's trilogy about our obsession with physical beauty. REASONS TO BE PRETTY offers the razor-sharp wit and insight we expect from this brilliant playwright -- and something new, hope. When a cruel off-hand remark disrupts the lives of two couples, they confront a sea of self-deceit, treachery ... and their own willingness to change. Witness this engaging comic drama fresh from its hot New York run -- by the author of our 2008 hit, FAT PIG.

Director's Bio
Suzan Fete (director) co-founded Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) in 1993. She is a past president of the Board and currently serves as Co-Artistic Director. Suzan has over 20 years experience as an actor, director, and producer in professional theater. Past directing projects for RTW include BLACKBIRD, FAT PIG, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, THE SHAPE OF THINGS, SPINNING INTO BUTTER, ELEEMOSYNARY, DAYTRIPS and A DIFFERENT MOON.

Cast Bios
Lenny Banovez (Greg)
Lenny is thrilled to be making his Renaissance debut. Past Milwaukee credits include: KING LEAR (Burgundy), TARTUFFE (Valere), HULA-HOOP SHA-BOOP (Johnny), DOGPARK: THE MUSICAL (Champ) and THEY CAME FROM WAY OUT THERE (Zeff) at the Milwaukee Rep; HENRY IV pt. 2 (Silence/Snare) with Milwaukee Shakespeare and the title role in HENRY 5 with Quasi Theater Company.New York Credits: HAMLET (Hamlet) and LOVES"S LABOURS LOST (Berowne) at Promethean Theater Company; PRINCESS OF
ROME, OHIO (Dickey) Hyperion Theatre Project; and BRIDGES (Jordan) and SAVANNAH! (Jackson Lee) as a guest artist with NYU's TISCH School of the Arts. Lenny also worked regionally with: PCPA Theaterfest, Texas Shakespeare, Virginia Shakespeare, Huron Playhouse, and the Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod. Lenny received his B.A. in Theater Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and his M.F.A. from the Professional Actor Training Program (PATP) at Ohio University.

Carrie Coon (Stephanie) Carrie makes returns to the Renaissance Theaterworks stage after playing Una in last season's critically acclaimed BLACKBIRD, the title role in a reading of MISS JULIE and Cherie in a reading of BUS STOP. Carrie has spent four seasons with American Players Theatre in Spring Green. Past favorite roles there include Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Kate in Henry IV, Miss Ogle in The Belle's Stratagem, Hypatia in Misalliance, Charlotte in Night of the Iguana and Ermengarde in The Matchmaker. She appeared as Ariel in the world premiere of ReGina Taylor's Magnolia at the Goodman Theatre, and this December will appear in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINAIA WOOLF at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Other regional credits include Bronte at Remy Bumppo in Chicago, and with the Madison Repertory Theatre, the title character in Anna Christie, Emily in Our Town and Miep Gies in The Diary of Anne Frank.

GeorginaMcKee(Carly)
Georginais delighted to be making her debut with Renaissance Theaterworks. A Wisconsin native, Georgina grew up in Madison and is happy to now call Milwaukee home. Recent credits include; Eve/Barbara/Ella in THE APPLE TREE and Lori in ROMANTIC FOOLS (In Tandem), Ensemble in A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Milwaukee Rep), Mary in MARY'S WEDDING (Next Act Theatre), Mariana in MEASURE FOR MEASURE, Lady Montague in ROMEO AND JULIET and the Cook in THE MATCHMAKER (American Players Theatre), Envy and the Old Woman in THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF DR. FAUSTUS, Teresa in NAPOLI MILIONARIA (The Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Christmas Past in A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Mother in LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE and the White Queen in LOOKING GLASS LAND (Children's Theatre of Madison). Georgina attended Southern Oregon University in Ashland, OR and holds a BFA from their Acting Program.

Steve Wojtas(Kent)
Steve was born and raised in Hampstead, NH. He went to Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA for his undergraduate, beginning first in computer science but quickly switching to theatre when he realized how much more fun it was. He gained his MFA in Acting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009. The summers after his second and third year of grad school involved two seasons with American Players Theatre is Spring Green Wisconsin, his favorite roles being Exeter in HENRY V, Second Merchant in THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, and Florizel in THE WINTER'S TALE. He then moved to Chicago where he understudied at Chicago Shakespeare on the Navy Pier and recently finished a season at Illinois Shakespeare Festival playing Rocheforte in a new version of the THREE MUSKETEERS.

Production Team
Julie Swenson (Producer), Lillian Tillson (Stage Manager), Jill Lyons (Set Design), Holly Blomquist (Lighting Design), Holly Payne (Costume Design), Paul Hurley (Sound Design), Emily Jaques (Prop Design), James Fletcher (Fight Choreographer).

Ticket Information

Tickets to REASONS TO BE PRETTY are $34 for all performances. Tickets are available through The Broadway Theatre Center box office by calling (414) 291-7800 or online at www.r-t-w.com. All performances are at The Studio Theatre, 158 N. Broadway. Monday, October 4, 2010 will be the Pay-What-You-Can performance at 7:30 p.m. (Tickets for the October 4 performance will be available at the door at 6:30 p.m. No phone-in orders or advanced sales will be accepted for the Pay-What-You-Can performance.)

Season Sponsor: Time Warner Cable, Wisconsin Arts Board, UPAF

The mission of Renaissance Theaterworks is to create moving theater that awakens our recognition of what it is to be human - from classics to world premieres - with attention to women's roles onstage and off. Founded in 1993, Renaissance Theaterworks is, presently, Milwaukee's only women-founded and women-run theatre company. Renaissance Theaterworks is a member of Theater Wisconsin and the Third Ward Arts District. Renaissance Theaterworks receives support from the Wisconsin Arts Board, Milwaukee Arts Board, CAMPAC, United Performing Arts Fund, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, private donors and foundations.