The Ivoryton Playhouse Presents THE PHILADELPHIA STORY Through 3/28

Now that the chilly days of winter are almost behind us it's time to turn our thoughts to spring - and what more fun way to spend a spring evening than at a wedding! The Philadelphia Story, now running at the Ivoryton Playhouse is a great remedy to chase away the winter blues. 1940's style, slick repartee and a little touch of screwball comedy combine to make this the perfect choice for a date night, a family night or a night out with friends.

Most people are aware that the history of the Ivoryton Playhouse is inextricably linked to the career of Katharine Hepburn, who spent the summer of 1931 proving to local audiences that she was leading lady material before heading off to Hollywood and stardom. It seems a fitting choice to open our 99th birthday season with a nod to Ms Hepburn and the role that brought her accolades on stage and screen in Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story. Barry wrote The Philadelphia Story in 1939 specifically for Ms. Hepburn, who ended up backing the play, and foregoing a salary in return for a percentage of the play's profits. Co-starring with Hepburn on Broadway were Joseph Cotten, Van Heflin, and Shirley Booth. The play opened in late March 1939 and ran for a full year with more than 400 performances and a nationwide tour. The play was a great success on Broadway, and the subsequent movie with Carey Grant and James Stewart was Hepburn's first great triumph after several movie flops had led to movie theater owners including her on a list of actors viewed as "box office poison." The movie garnered 6 Academy Award nominations and won two.

The Philadelphia Story is an intelligent, sophisticated, classic romantic comedy (part screwball) of love and marriage, human growth and class distinctions. The setting of the play is among the privileged upper class society in Philadelphia. Haughty divorced socialite Tracy Lord is preparing for her second marriage to a dull, self-made businessman. Enter C.K. Dexter Haven, her dashing first husband, and Macaulay Connor, a cynical tabloid reporter with a distrust of the wealthy. What follows is a rapid-fire war of words as the two men try to help Tracy discover the heart beneath her holier-than-thou exterior.

In our celebrity obsessed culture, the sarcastic comment by the disillusioned journalist Connor still rings true "The prettiest sight in this fine, pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges." We cannot help but be drawn to the antics of the rich and famous and the ongoing proliferation of gossip shows and magazines demonstrates that this is still the case seventy years after this play was first produced! Barry's dialogue is still as fresh and snappy as when it was first written - and the play still manages to turn some of our pre-conceived notions about class on their heads.

Ivoryton's Producing Artistic Director, Jacqueline Hubbard directs this production with Brenda Withers* as the uncompromising Tracy Lord, Christian Pederson* as C.K. Dexter Haven, Madison native Matthew DeCapua* as Macauley Connor and Caroline Strong* as Liz Imbrie. Cast also includes Geoffrey Murphy as George, Jennifer Leigh Cohen as Dinah and Thomas Layman as Sandy Lord. The Philadelphia Story marks the return of other Ivoryton favorites, Norm Rutty, Bif Carrington III, Donna Schilke and Don Shirer. Set design by Tony Andrea, lighting by Doug Harry, and costumes by Pam Puente complete the production.

The Philadelphia Story opened on March 10th and runs thru March 28th for 3 weeks. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm. Tickets are $38 for adults, $33 for seniors, $20 for students and $15 for children and are available by calling The Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org (Group rates are available by calling the box office for information.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.

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