GOD OF CARNAGE To Open JPAS 44th Season

Jefferson Performing Arts Society opens its 44th season with the dark comedy God of Carnage, a 2009 Broadway hit originally written in French by internationally acclaimed playwright Yasmina Reza.

God of Carnage takes place during one evening in the lives of two couples who meet to resolve their eleven-year-old sons' violent playground fight. The result is a brutal war of words between the "grown-ups" that reveal the savagery beneath polite conversation.

The play is directed by New Orleans native Donald Jones Jr., an actor/director/choreographer/dancer who spent seven years on Broadway before returning home during the pandemic. He now splits his time between New York and New Orleans.

This four-person play relies on the strength of its cast to convey layers of tension and personal history while navigating their complicated road maps of marriage and politics, identities, and insecurities. The journey is a surprising, awkward, and sometimes comedic experience that audiences will find both shocking and familiar.

The cast is comprised of actors David Haydel Jr. as Michael; Reagan Lincoln as Annette; Jennifer Schemke as Veronica; and Jake Wynne-Wilson as Alan. Haydel was last seen in JPAS's 2021 production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Lincoln has performed onstage in Shreveport and throughout northern Louisiana; this is her JPAS stage debut. Schemke played Miss Hannigan in JPAS' 2019 production of Annie and now resides in NYC. Wynne-Wilson was most recently seen in the JPAS 2021 production of A Comedy of Tenors.

The original Broadway cast included actor James Gandolfini, who was nominated for a Tony Award in 2009 for his role as Michael. His fellow cast members included Jeff Daniels as Alan, Hope Davis as Annette, and Marcia Gay Harden as Veronica. The play was made into a film in 2011 starring Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Christopher Waltz, and Kate Winslet.

God of Carnage runs for three weekends starting September 17 and kicks off a lively season that includes The Addams Family: A Musical Comedy (Jefferson Performing Arts Center, October 8-13, 2021), Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (Jefferson Performing Arts Center, December 3-12, 2021), The Nutcracker (Jefferson Performing Arts Center, December 18 & 19), Fly-a play about the Tuskegee Airmen (February 4-13, 2022), Shrek The Musical (Jefferson Performing Arts Center, March 11-20, 2022), and Murder on the Orient Express (Westwego Performing Arts Theatre, April 22-May 8, 2022).

For a full schedule and ticket information, visit www.jpas.org or call the box office at 504-885-2000.

Jefferson Performing Arts Society is at this time requiring masks to be worn by all performers, staff, volunteers, and audience members upon entering the building and throughout performances. JPAS is committed to following all parish and state guidelines regarding Covid 19. Requirements will be updated as directed by the state.