Virginia Stage Company to Open VENUS IN FUR

Sexy. Smart. Enticing. One of America's greatest living comedy writers, David Ives has crafted a cheeky, sometimes sultry, and always enticing play within a play. The character of Thomas Novacheck has searched high and low for a woman fit for the lead role in the play he has written. As the audition unfolds on stage, we begin to question: who is really auditioning whom? Don't miss this Tony award-nominated play!

Virginia Stage Company opens Venus in Fur next week - previews start February 28 with opening night on Friday, March 3. The play runs Tuesday-Sunday through March 19 with tickets in the orchestra as low as $20. Discounts available for military, students, and groups.

Venus in Fur is directed by Jessica Holt, a Yale School of Drama graduate who has recently directed at the ALLIANCE THEATRE, Actor's Express, and Magic Theatre. Currently based in New York, Jessica is a 2016 National Directing Fellow with the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, National New Play Network, the Kennedy Center, and SDCF. Of Venus in Fur, she says, "when I first encountered this play, I was electrified by the way this smart, funny, dangerous play kept me guessing."

The play features just two performers, Charlotte Bydwell as Vanda and Colin Ryan as Thomas, both at Virginia Stage for the first time. Bydwell studied dance at the Julian School, received her MFA from The Old Globe/USD Graduate Theatre Program, and has her own solo show, Woman of Leisure and Panic - charlottebydwell.com. Ryan has an MFA from the Academy for Classical Acting. He has been seen on Broadway in Waiting for Godot and No Man's Land, and at more than a dozen regional theatres - colinryan.info.

To give audiences a deeper understanding of how their shows are made, Virginia Stage will be continuing their video and blog series. Check out vastage.org/blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to follow along as this incredible cast navigates the text and brings the story to life.

Interviews can be set up with members of the cast, crew, creative team, or staff of Virginia Stage Company. All reviews are welcome, and tickets can be provided to anyone who wishes to see the production for these purposes.

Virginia Stage Company is southeastern Virginia's leading theatre destination, serving an audience of over 70,000 annually both at the Wells Theatre and throughout the community. Virginia Stage Company's mission is to "enrich, educate, and entertain the region by creating and producing theatrical art of the highest quality."