Ross Valley Players Opens BOEING BOEING Tonight

Written by French playwright Marc Camoletti, BOEING BOEING premiered in Paris in 1960, where it ran for 19 years and is the most-performed French play in the world. The play was made into a movie starring Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis, and the 2008 revival became a multiple Tony Award-winning smash hit.

BOEING BOEING begins with a preview on Thursday, March 31st and runs through Sunday, May 1st. Opening night is tonight, April 1st at 8PM.

In this 1960's French sex farce, a self-styled Lothario, Bernard (Sean Garahan), is an American architect living in Paris and balancing a very complicated love life. His three beautiful fiancées - a German (Jayme Catalano), an Italian (Robyn Grahn), and an American (Jessica Lea Risco) - are all airline stewardesses with frequent layovers that never overlap. His best friend Robert (Mark Vashro), a man with very little experience in the ways of women or deception, is set to arrive from Wisconsin. After unexpected schedule changes, Bernard's carefully juggled love life (one up, one down, and one pending) goes into a tailspin. BOEING BOEING is directed by Christian Haines.

The full cast features Gretchen (Jayme Catalano), Bernard (Sean Garahan), Gabriella (Robyn Grahn), Gloria (Jessica Lea Risco), Robert (Mark Vashro), and Berthe (Alison Whismore).

Performances are Thursday, March 31st (Preview Night) through Sunday, May 1st, with Opening Night on Friday, April 1st at 8PM. Regular Thursday performances are at 7:30PM; Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM; Sunday matinees at 2PM. (Please note there is no matinee on Sunday, April 3rd). All performances take place at the Barn Theatre, home of the Ross Valley Players - 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ross, CA 94957.

Ticket prices are $29 general admission, $25 for seniors 62+, and $14 for children (under 18) / student with valid ID. Thursday night tickets prices are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $10 for children and students with a high school or college ID. Pay-What-You-Will is on Preview Night - Thursday, March 31st ($10 minimum donation suggested). To order tickets, call 415-456-9555, ext. 1 or visit www.rossvalleyplayers.com.

Audience members are invited to participate in "Talkback" with the director and actors after the matinee performances on Sunday, April 10th and 24th. Buzz at the Barn, a pre-show cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres and wine, will take place on Saturday, April 2nd at 7PM.

Now in its 86th year, Ross Valley Players, a non-profit arts organization, is the oldest continually operating community theater on the West Coast. Created in 1930 as a way to escape the hardships of the Depression, Ross Valley Players has introduced live theater to thousands of Marin residents over the years. Each year, RVP presents a regular season of six full productions, running a total of 30 weeks. RVP offers special events and short-term productions outside the regular season. Plays include recent Broadway material, popular plays, classic theater, and a selection of works by well-known playwrights from around the world. RVP features all genres: comedy, drama, mysteries, and musicals. Their Ross Alternative Works (RAW) program presents short run, minimal set productions of original scripts by Bay Area playwrights.

Pictured: Gloria (Jessica Lea Risco), Gretchen (Jayme Catalano), Bernard (Sean Garahan), and Gabriella (Robyn Grahn). Photo by Gregg Le Blanc.