SHAKESPEARE IN HOLLYWOOD Opens at The Catholic University of America Tonight

Ken Ludwig's Shakespeare in Hollywood will run Thursday-Saturday, tonight, April 18, 19, 20, 7:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday, April 20-21, 2 p.m. and Friday, April 26, 8 p.m. (75th anniversary performance); Pre-show reception 7-8 p.m. at The Catholic University of America's Hartke Theatre, 3801 Harewood Rd., N.E., Washington, D.C.

Local playwright Ken Ludwig's "Shakespeare in Hollywood," winner of the 2004 Helen Hayes Award for Best New Play, comes to Hartke Theatre as the final production of the drama school's 75th anniversary season.

When Oberon and Puck, Shakespeare's famously mischievous fairies, magically materialize on the 1934 Hollywood set of Max Reinhardt's A Midsummer Night's Dream, they become enchanted by the glitzy world of showbiz. They join the production, playing themselves, and as they make it big on the silver screen, hilarity ensues.

The production will be staged during the department's 75th anniversary celebrations as a special gala performance. The evening will include a pre-show reception from 7 to 8 p.m. and the opportunity to meet the playwright, Ken Ludwig.

"As consideration began for the right play to celebrate our 75th anniversary as a department, 'Shakespeare in Hollywood' quickly rose to the forefront," said the production team. "While Hartke Theatre is known for producing some wonderfully thought-provoking, reflective, and sensitive work, this is a time of mirth and merriment-we want to laugh and enjoy."

Tickets are $15 for general admission; $10 for seniors and CUA alumni, faculty, and staff; and $5 for students. Tickets for the gala performance including the reception are $40. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit drama.cua.edu, email cua-drama@cua.edu, or call 202-319-5358. Individuals requesting accommodations for disabilities should contact cua-access@cua.edu or 202-319-5367.