Le Dernier Coup de Ciseaux's SHEAR MADNESS Wins 2014 Molière de la Comédie Award

Le Dernier Coup de Ciseaux, the Paris, France-based production of Shear Madness, has been awarded the 2014 Molière de la Comédie award. The French equivalent to the American Tony Award or British Olivier, the Molière was accepted June 2 by director Sébastien Azzopardi, who trained under Shear Madness co-creator Bruce Jordan prior to opening at Paris' Théâtre des Mathurins in 2011.

Celebrating 27 years in the Kennedy Center's Theater Lab this year, the Washington, D.C. production is the second longest-running play in American history and one of 42 domestic productions of Shear Madness across the country. Today, the play is a global sensation, translated into 10 foreign languages and performed on six continents, in cities including Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Paris, Rejkavik, Rome, Tel Aviv, Melbourne, Johannesburg, and Seoul.

Set in present-day Georgetown, Shear Madness engages locals and visitors alike as armchair detectives to help solve the scissor-stabbing murder of a famed concert pianist who lives above the Shear Madness unisex hairstyling salon. The show combines up-to-the-minute improvisational humor and a mixture of audience sleuthing to deliver a unique performance each night.

Directed by Bruce Jordan, the Kennedy Center production of Shear Madness features original set design by Kim Peter Kovac, costumes and set adapted by Scott L. Hammar, lighting design by Dan Covey, and sound design by John Vengrouskie.

To date, the record-breaking production has been seen by a worldwide audience of 10.6 million people, with more than 3 million people attending the production at the Kennedy Center. The Washington, D.C. production will see its 12,000th performance next month.