Real Life Couple Leads Trinity Rep's BAREFOOT IN THE PARK

Trinity Rep continues Season 51: The Necessity of Human Connection with Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park, directed by Michael Perlman. Barefoot in the Park runs November 20- December 21, 2014 in Trinity Rep's Dowling Theater. Tickets and subscriptions are on sale now at www.trinityrep.com, by calling (401) 351-4242 or at the theater's box office at 201 Washington St., Providence, RI.

Barefoot in the Park follows the lives of two newlyweds, Paul and Corie as they start their lives in a 5th floor walkup in New York City. What results is a shimmering tale of two people coming to terms with loving each other for who they are, and accepting each other for who they are not. This fast-paced, witty and romantic Neil Simon play makes its Trinity Rep debut with this production. To delve deeper into the world of this production visit www.theknot.com/wedding/Corie-and-Paul.

Leading the show as Paul and Corie is real life engaged couple Rebecca Gibel and Charlie Thurston, who play opposite each other for the first time since officially joining the Trinity Rep resident acting company last season. Both graduates of the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA program, Gibel and Thurston claim to have quite a bit in common with these characters. "Paul and Corie are in many ways heightened, extreme versions of us," Gibel remarks. "Working with Charlie Thurston on stage is one of my favorite things to do!" Thurston adds, "It shouldn't be much of a stretch. It's such fun, hilarious material; it will be a blast working on it with my sweetie!"

"I'm drawn to the characters in this play," notes director Michael Perlman. "Simon's language works so well. He creates a space to investigate these people to find their humanity and discover what makes them relatable. I think we're going to make people fall in love with this play all over again-or maybe for the first time!"

The cast is rounded out by Trinity Rep resident acting company members Stephen Berenson and Phyllis Kay and Brown/Trinity Rep actor Uche Elueze .

Creating a glimpse into Paul and Corie's early 1960s 5th floor walkup, the production team includes Scott Bolman (lighting design), Elisheba Ittoop (sound design), Toni Spadafora (costume design) and Daniel Zimmerman (set design) with stage manager Leigh'Ann Andrews.

Continuing Trinity Rep's tradition of offering affordable tickets for all, the theater will have discounted previews of Barefoot in the Park from November 20 - 22, 2014. Friday November 21st is a Pay What You Can (PWYC) performance with tickets on sale at 6:30pm that evening, limit one per person.