The Active Theater Company Presents ROMANCE/ROMANCE

The Active Theater Company proudly presents ROMANCE/ROMANCE, with Book & Lyrics by Barry Harman, and Music by Keith Hermann. It's the company's second show for their 2009-2010 season and is directed by Marc Robin, with musical direction by Jason Wynn.

The show plays a limited-run February 18-March 7, 2010 at The Workshop Theater Company (312 W. 36th Street, 4th Floor East, between 8th/9th Avenues). Tickets, priced at $18.00, are available by visiting www.TheActiveTheater.com, or calling Ovation Tix at (866) 811-4111.

**Romance/Romance performance schedule will be as follows: Evening Shows - February 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, March 3, 4, 5, 6 at 8:00PM, Monday, March 1 at 7:00PM, and matinee on Saturday February 27 at 2:00PM and Sundays February 21, 28 and March 7 at 3:00PM.

Romance/Romance is composed of two acts linked only by The Common theme of love and one song performed in both acts. The first, The Little Comedy, is based on a short story by Arthur Schnitzler and explores the budding relationship between two people who have adopted personas other than their own. Summer Share, the second act based on Jules Renard's 1898 play Le pain de ménage, is updated to the late 1980s and set in The Hamptons, where two married couples in their thirties are spending the season in a rented cottage.

Initially staged off-off-Broadway in 1987, Romance/Romance garnered critical notices that encouraged the move to Broadway. That production, directed by Harman and choreographed by Pamela Sousa, opened on May 1, 1988 at the Helen Hayes Theatre, where it ran for 297 performances. The original Broadway cast included Alison Fraser as Josefine/Monica, Scott Bakula as Alfred/Sam, Deborah Graham as Barb, and Robert Hoshour as Lenny. Barry Williams replaced Bakula later in the run.

The Romance/Romance cast & creative team includes Stephanie Youell Binetti (Curtains/Broadway, Mamma Mia/National tour, Marrying Meg/NYMF), Abby Mueller (Les Miserables/Fulton Theatre, The Three Musketeers/Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Pippin/Utah Shakespearean Festival, Nathaniel Shaw (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers/ Sacramento Music Circus, Oklahoma/Fulton Theatre, Footloose/Actors Playhouse, and Nick Dalton (Legally Blond/Tour, Hairspray/Las Vegas, Hair/Europe). Nick Dalton replaces the previously announced Jason Watson due to scheduling. Director Marc Robin (staged over 250 productions at theatres across the country, recipient of 16 Joseph Jefferson Awards, 12 After Dark Awards, 3 Ari "Zoni" Awards, Light Opera Works Lifetime Achievement Award and 3 Barrymore Award nominations. The show's musical director is Jason Wynn, scenic design by D. Craig M. Napoliello, costume design by Laura Catignani, lighting design by Paul Black, sound design by Jacob Subotnick and stage manager, Liz Reddick.

Romance/Romance is the second show of The Active Theater Company's season, following the recent production of Lee Blessing's Two Rooms, and their Autumn Inaugural Gala, featuring performances from Tony Award-Winner David Hyde Pierce, Tony Award-Winner Chuck Cooper, and Tony Award-Nominee Dee Hoty, at Chelsea's Del Posto restaurant.

The 2009-2010 season for The Active Theater Company continues with Magnetic North, by William Donnelly (May 6-16, 2010). Previous productions for the company have included Body Language, by Jennie Contuzzi and Touch, by Toni Press-Coffman.

THE ACTIVE THEATER COMPANY - (Nathaniel Shaw/Artistic Director; Joseph Benesh/General Manager) - The Active Theater produces entertaining work that moves us to think, to laugh, to cry, to question, moves us to action. We will use Active's momentum to nurture and advance the careers of emerging artists in New York City. More information at www.theactivetheater.com.

For a company that fills the role of the "new kid" on the Indie Theatre scene, this group may move to the head of the class very quickly... It's clear that they have an understanding of the craft and that they are making careful choices about producing work that gets an audience talking. It is very likely they will continue to spark conversations and cultural dialogue which is something that needs to happen more often...It's always good to see a group out there that promotes the fact that theatre can ignite cultural discourse and it's high time for a fresh new "Active" group with a serious voice. -- Michael Roderick/BroadwayWorld

Romance/Romance performance schedule will be as follows: Evening Shows - February 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, March 3, 4, 5, 6 at 8:00PM, Monday, March 1 at 7:00PM, and matinee on Saturday February 27 at 2:00PM and Sundays February 21, 28 and March 7 at 3:00PM. The show will play at The Workshop Theater Company (312 W. 36th Street, between 8th/9th Avenues, 4th Floor). All tickets $18.00, available by visiting www.TheActiveTheater.com, or calling Ovation Tix at (866) 811-4111.

Photo: Abby Mueller, Nathaniel Shaw, Stephanie Youell Binetti and Nick Dalton
Photo credit:  DAVID OJALA