Barter Theatre Presents Gale McNeeley in Archy and Mehitabel 10/25

For one-night only the world-renowned actor and master in commedia dell'arte, Gale McNeeley, will perform at Barter Theatre in Abingdon, VA. On October 25 at 7:30, McNeeley will perform "Archy and Mehitabel," a story about a poetic cockroach and his adventures with his friend, an alley cat. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children and are available at Barter Theatre's box office by calling 276.628.3991.

Since their first appearance in the newspaper columns of satirist Don Marquis, the characters of Archy, a cockroach with the soul of a poet, and Mehitabel, an alley cat with a celebrated past - have been beloved by generations of readers. They were the subjects of a 1950s musical and a 1990s animated film. Gale McNeeley's wry (and sometimes ribald) show serves both as an introduction for newcomers to Marquis' wit and a celebration for fans.

Gale McNeeley's career has spanned Broadway, regional theater, television, film, and circus. An Irish tenor with a wide musical and performance range, McNeeley has studied physical comedy in Europe and teaches clowning and commedia dell'arte. His love affair with Archy and Mehitabel began when he was cast as Archy, the poetic, singing and dancing cockroach in the musical "Archy & Mehitabel" in 1980. Gale's show, which he's been honing and touring for twenty some years, is noted in the new "Annotated Archy & Mehitabel."

Associate Director of Barter Theatre Katy Brown said, "Gale was a very popular actor when he acted at Barter Theatre in the mid-seventies. He's gone on to become an expert in commedia dell'arte and has traveled the world studying and teaching this rich and funny theatre form."

Considered the first professional form of theatre and often referred to as the origin of comedy, commedia dell'arte focuses on types, or characters and stories are told by improvisation based on loose sketches or scenarios. "I'm particularly excited about his workshops that will give participants experience with the different characters, masks and physicality's of the different commedia characters," added Brown. While in the area, McNeeley will conduct workshops with theatre students in area colleges.

The first collection of Archy's writing, "archy and mehitabel" (1927), is still in print in paperback. Other titles include "archy's life of mehitabel" (1933), "archy does his part" (1935) and the omnibus volume "the lives and times of archy and mehitabel" (1940), as well as two anthologies of long-forgotten sketches: "archyology" (1996) and "archyology ii" (1998).

A special performance for students at Virginia Highlands Community College will be on October 19. The public performance is October 25. Call Barter Theatre's Box Office at 276.628.3991 or visit www.BarterTheatre.com for tickets and more information.