The Loring & Four Humors Present The Extraordinary Terms of Ordinary Life

Starting September 22, 2011, The Loring Theater presents Four Humors' original, world premiere production of The Extraordinary Terms of Ordinary Life, a comedy set in the sky-rocketing world of life insurance salesmen at the end of the Roaring 20s and the dark secret they swore to protect.

An ambitious but naive young man joins the sales force of The Grand Old Life Insurance Company with the hope of one day becoming the General Agent of his own branch. After learning the ropes from the best salesman in the firm and life lessons from his new firebrand sweatheart, he quickly works his way to the top. Yet despite his success he learns along the way that things aren't always what they seem. The powerful board of directors has other plans for him and the company and he soon finds that the fate of the world depends on him deciding between the financial success he desires and holding on to those he loves.

The Extraordinary Terms of Ordinary Life is inspired by a vintage life insurance training manual and other depression-era insurance publications found at a garage sale by director Ryan Lear. According to Lear, "the manual contained a series of training scripts for new salesmen that were written in a language that was bright and cheerful, portraying an attitude that things could only get better, completely oblivious to the catastrophe that loomed only months ahead. They provided a glimpse into the mentality and the optimism of the era and an environment rich for salesmen where all clients are unfailingly optimistic about the future. In short, it sounded a lot like the years leading up to the current financial crisis. I'm extremely excited to dive into that world with the help of the stellar cast we've assembled and the live jazz ensemble that will be bringing us back to that era."

The new work reinterprets the world of life insurance and an economy on the cusp of collapse by finding new meaning and reasons for the mistakes and actions taken prior to the stock market crash of 1929. The Extraordinary Terms of Ordinary Life tells a playful story about a harsh past while finding humor about the Great Depression during our own Great Recession.

Directed by Ryan Lear, co-creator of the award winning play The Finkles' Theater Show!!!. Written by Ryan Lear and Matt Spring, co-writer of Four Humors Theater's Welcome to Dystopia and Live Action Set's 7 Shot Symphony. Musical Direction by MacPhail faculty member Andrea Leap. Featuring the acting talents of Jon Mac Cole, Andy Kraft, Ryan Nelson, Garrett Volmer, Kat Wodtke and Four Humors Theater company members Alisa Mattson, Rachel Petrie and Mark Rehani.

Performances: September 22 - October 1, 2011
Thurs., Fri., Sat., and Mon. at 7pm
Sat. and Sun. at 2pm
Tickets:
$18 at the door, $16 in advance
$14 students, seniors, Fringe button
holders, Fifth Humor Members
Sept. 26 Pay-What-You-Can

Presented at the Loring Theater (formerly Music Box Theater)
1407 Nicollet Avenue S. Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 353-6781
www.loringtheater.com
www.fourhumorstheater.com

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