Cutting Ball Theater Extends THE BALD SOPRANO 1/7-24/2010

San Francisco's cutting-edge Cutting Ball Theater announces the second extension of its hit 10th season opener, Eugène Ionesco's comic masterpiece THE BALD SOPRANO, in a new translation by Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose. This hysterically funny play, which was slated to close in December, has added two additional weeks of performances and will re-open for an encore extension January 7 through 24. Featuring Paige Rogers, David Sinaiko, Caitlyn Louchard, Donell Hill, Derek Fischer, and Anjali Vashi with direction by Rob Melrose, THE BALD SOPRANO plays at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at Exit on Taylor (277 Taylor Street) in San Francisco. For tickets ($15-30) and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 800-838-3006.

In THE BALD SOPRANO, Mr. and Mrs. Smith invite Mr. and Mrs. Martin over for a cheerful dinner. Plans for a sedate evening soon give way to hilarious chaos as polite conversation turns to confusion and the two couples engage in an escalating battle of linguistic acrobatics. Simultaneously comic and profound, THE BALD SOPRANO is a play that breaks all the rules.

According to SF Weekly, Cutting Ball's production of THE BALD SOPRANO is "a gorgeously choreographed frenzy...you absolutely shouldn't miss it." The Marin IJ concurs, calling the play "a lively production of a compact gem." The San Francisco Examiner praised the cast, noting that the ensemble "functions like a well-oiled machine...impressive."

Co-founded in 1999 by theater artists Rob Melrose and Paige Rogers, Cutting Ball Theater presents avant-garde works of the past, present, and future by re-envisioning classics, exploring seminal avant-garde texts, and developing new experimental plays. Cutting Ball Theater has partnered with Playwrights Foundation, Magic Theatre, and Z Space New Plays Initiative to commission new experimental works. The company has produced a number of World Premieres and West Coast Premieres, and re-imagined various classics. Recipient of the 2008 San Francisco Bay Guardian Goldie award for outstanding talent in the performing arts, Cutting Ball Theater earned the Best of SF award in 2006 from SF Weekly, and was selected by San Francisco Magazine as Best Classic Theater in 2007.

TICKETS:

For tickets ($15-30) and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call

800-838-3006; discounts available for students and seniors