Grace Bauer News

Mad Horse Theatre Company closes its 29th Season with Pulitzer Prize Finalist OTHER DESERT CITIES, by John Robin Baitz.

Mad Horse Theatre Company closes its 29th Season with Pulitzer Prize Finalist OTHER DESERT CITIES, by John Robin Baitz.

When Thornton Wilder premiered his new play OUR TOWN in 1938, I would wager that more than one person left the theatre asking why anyone would want to watch the lives of "ordinary" people on stage. Fast forward to present day where millions of people the world over tune in to reality tv shows, following the lives of "ordinary" people. The difference is, that there is nothing "brilliant" about the lives of the so-called stars of reality TV. However, Wilder's OUR TOWN is light years ahead of it's time, and the talented cast of his well-known play bring out it's brilliance at the Theater At Monmouth.

Season 44 continues at Theater at Monmouth with Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Our Town, starting tonight, July 18. Our Town presents a timeless tale of everyday life in the fictional Grover's Corners, New Hampshire. Teenagers George and Emily meet, fall in love, and marry; enduring both the joys and sorrows of everyday life. Wilder transforms their ordinary story into a poignant and captivating exploration of mortality and the wonder of living.

Disguises, mistaken identity, lies that beget other lies; these are the calling cards of modern television sitcoms, and farce on stage. But these conventions have been around long before the likes of Ken Ludwig's brand of farce or the inception of the moving picture. Shakespeare's comedies have long been a source of inspiration for burgeoning playwrights and screenwriters. Though written centuries ago his comedy still rings true in theatres the world over, and The Theater at Monmouth's cast of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW presents a veritable masterclass of comedic acting.

Season 44 continues at Theater at Monmouth with Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Our Town, starting Thursday, July 18. Our Town presents a timeless tale of everyday life in the fictional Grover's Corners, New Hampshire. Teenagers George and Emily meet, fall in love, and marry; enduring both the joys and sorrows of everyday life. Wilder transforms their ordinary story into a poignant and captivating exploration of mortality and the wonder of living.

Whether it be live theatre or cinema, most theatergoers are looking for entertainment and often an escape. We buy our tickets, step through the lobby and enter a dimly lit space waiting with expectations of entertainment; comedy, drama, musical, horror, what have you. Every once in a while, the silence in the theatre is broken by 'that person'; the annoying audience member who feels the need to comment on the action or talk back to the performers. They are usually met with disdain, constant 'shooshing', and often removal from the theatre. However, Francis Beaumont's comedic masterpiece written nearly 400 years ago not only makes these 'annoying' talkback artists part of the show, it makes his work timeless and hilarious.

Theater at Monmouth kicks off Season 44 tonight, July 4 at 7:30 p.m. with Francis Beaumont's The Knight of the Burning Pestle. Monty Python meets Don Quixote in this hilarious comedy by one of Shakespeare's most popular contemporary playwrights.Imagine Homer and Marge Simpson attending a play only to climb on stage to redirect the show with Bart as the star, and you have some idea of the fun unleashed in Pestle. Loaded with laughter and song, this play is a celebration of the way Elizabethan audiences expected to be part of the action-with superlatively silly results!

Theater at Monmouth kicks off Season 44 on Thursday, July 4 at 7:30 p.m. with Francis Beaumont's The Knight of the Burning Pestle. Monty Python meets Don Quixote in this hilarious comedy by one of Shakespeare's most popular contemporary playwrights.Imagine Homer and Marge Simpson attending a play only to climb on stage to redirect the show with Bart as the star, and you have some idea of the fun unleashed in Pestle. Loaded with laughter and song, this play is a celebration of the way Elizabethan audiences expected to be part of the action-with superlatively silly results!