October 21, 2008
Contact: Heather Nowlin
(801) 581-7222
heather.nowlin@ptc.utah.edu
PIONEER THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS
“NOISES OFF”
By Michael Frayn
Pioneer Theatre Company presents “Noises Off” by Michael Frayn, the sidesplitt ing
comedy that PTC first introduced to Utah audiences twenty years ago.
“Usually when you produce a play for the second or third time, there’s a law
of diminishing returns, for both the audience and the actors involved,” notes PTC
Artistic Director Charles Morey, who directs the production. “Noises Off is the
exception to that rule. Each time we’ve produced it, the audience has grown larger,
they have laughed longer and harder, and it’s been more rewarding to direct and
produce. And, in these uncertain times we live in, I can’t think of a better way to serve
the community than to treat them to an evening where they do nothing but laugh for
two hours straight.”
The all-Equity cast includes Darrie Lawrence, who plays veteran stage diva Dotty Otley,
the star of “Nothing On,” the British farce at the heart of “Noises Off.” Lawrence has
appeared on Broadway in “Steel Magnolias” and Sam Shepherd’s “Buried Child.” Her National
Tours include “Doubt” and “Great Expectations.” Off-Broadway, she appeared in the premieres
of “The Other Side,” “Portraits,” and “Long Island Sound.” She last appeared at Pioneer Theatre
Company in “The Foreigner.”
Richmond Hoxie plays Lloyd Dallas, beleaguered director of “Nothing On,” which is in its
final dress rehearsal as the action begins. Hoxie appeared on Broadway in “I’m Not
Rappaport.” His Off-Broadway credits include: “Waitin g for Godot”(St. Clements); “The
Dining Room” (Playwrights Horizons); “Louis Slotin Sonata,” “Landscape With Waitress,”
“Rain” (Ensemble Studio Theatre); and “To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday” (Circle in the
Square). He returns to PTC after playing Salieri in “Amadeus” in 1984.
PTC favorites Max Robinson and Anne Stewart Mark reprise their roles as Freddie
Fellowes and Belinda Blair respectively. Robinson was most recently seen at PTC as
Colonel Pickering in “My Fair Lady.” He has also appeared in “The Producers,” “A
Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Les Misérables,” and nearly 110 other productions at
PTC. In addition to various film and TV credits, Robinson played Oscar Wilde in
“Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde” at The Studio Theatre in
Washington, D.C., which earned him a Helen Hayes Award nomination.
Mark returns to the PTC stage after appearing in the company’s season opener “My
Fair Lady.” She has been seen at other theatres including The Peterborough Players,
Salt Lake Acting Company, and the Utah Opera Company. Mark has appeared in
many other PTC productions, including “Paint Your Wagon,” “Les Misérables,” “Macbeth,”
and “Peter Pan.” She is also an accomplished director.
Appearing for the first time at PTC are Matthew Schneck as leading man Garry
Lejeune and Sarah Dandridge as ingénue Brooke Ashton. Schneck made his
Broadway debut in “London Assuranc e” at The Roundabout Theatre, directed by
Joe Dowling. Off-Broadway, he performed in “The Merchant of Venice,” “The Jew
of Malta,” and “Antony and Cleopatra” with Theatre For A New Audience. He was
transferred to The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Regionally, Dandridge has been seen as Imogen in “Cymbeline,” Mercedes in “The
Count of Monte Cristo” (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Desdemona in “Othello”
(Cincinnati Playhouse), Rosalind in “As You Like It,” Portia in “The Merchant of
Venice” and Viola in “Twelfth Night” (Colorado Shakespeare Festival).
Anderson Matthews plays the forgetful and often inebriated character actor
Selsdon Mowbray. Matthews was seen on Broadway in “The Robber Bridegroom,”
Peter Ustinov’s “Beethoven’s 10th” and “Arcadia” at Lincoln Center. Off-Broadway
credits include “Ten by Tennessee” directed by Michael Kahn, and 19 months as
Boolie in “Driving Miss Daisy.” He has previously appeared at PTC in “You Can’t
Take It With You,” “Laughing Stock,” “The Three Musketeers” and “As You Like It.
Cheryl Gaysunas plays the stage manager Poppy Norton-Taylor. On Broadway,
Gaysunas appeared in “La Bete,” “The Moliere Comedies,” and as Mabel in “An Ideal
Husband,” directed by Sir Peter Hall. Her other PTC credits include “The Heiress,”
“Communicating Doors,” “Pride and Prejudice,” and “The Ladies Man.”
The sleep deprived technical director Tim Allgood is played by Mark Emerson.
Emerson was last seen as Prior in “Angels in America” at the Hammersmith in
London. He has also performed in “The Wiz” and “Zhivago” at La Jolla Playhouse
(both directed by Des McAnuff). This marks his PTC debut.
PTC Artistic Director Charles Morey directs the production. Morey has directed
more than seventy productions for Pioneer Theatre Company, including “My
Fair Lady,” “Paint Your Wagon,” “The Ladies Man,” “Chicago,” “Pride and Prejudice,”
and “Les Misérables.” Regionally he has directed for the Alabama Shakespeare
Festival, Asolo Theatre Company, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Meadow Brook
Theatre, American Stage Festival, PCPA Theaterfest and the Utah Shakespearean
Festival. Morey is also a successful playwright whose works have gone on to
successful productions in theatres across the country, and a fellow of the
MacDowell Colony.
Resident Scenic Designer George Maxwell designs the set for Noises Off.
Maxwell recently designed the set for “My Fair Lady” at Pioneer Theatre Company;
his previous designs include “Paint Your Wagon,” “Chicago,” “You Can’t Take It With
You” and “Les Misérables.” A member of United Scenic Artists, he has also designed
sets for Utah Opera Company and the Utah Shakespearean Festival.
Costumes for “Noises” Off are designed by resident costume designer Brenda Van
Der Weil. Van Der Weil has designed several dozen shows for PTC, the Babcock
Theatre, and the Classical Greek Theatre Festival. Before moving to Salt Lake
City, she worked with Seattle Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Alabama Shakespeare and
Utah Shakespearean Festivals.
Lighting design is by Jeff Hill. Hill currently works at the John F. Kennedy Center
as a Production Manager. He designs lighting in the Washington, D.C. area and
has been nominated for a Helen Hayes award for best lighting of a resident play.
He returns to PTC after lighting last season’s production of “The Vertical Hour.”
Sound design is by PTC resident sound designer Joe Payne. In his eighth season
as Resident Sound Designer for Pioneer Theatre Company, he has designed sound
and/or composed music for more than 100 productions in theatres throughout
the country.
Hair and make-up designer Amanda French, PTC resident designer, has worked
for theatres all over the West. She is a contributing writer in the ninth edition of
Stage Makeup by Richard Corson and James Glavan and is a featured artist in The
Costume Technician’s Handbook by Rosemary Ingham and Liz Covey.
Pioneer Theatre Company, Utah’s premier resident professional theatre, performs
at Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, located on the
University of Utah campus at 300 South and 1400 East in Salt Lake City, easily
accessible by TRAX light rail. Free parking is also available20and the theatre is
equipped with an elevator, handicap parking, hearing assistance devices and other
easy-access features.
# # #
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE NOTE: There will be no performance on Thursday,
November 6, 2008. Season ticket holders whose tickets fall on that night
have been issued tickets for the Thursday, October 30th performance.
MEDIA PHOTO SHOOT: There will be a media photo shoot at 5:00 p.m. on
Tuesday, October 21, 2008, at Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 S.
1400 E., SLC. Please RSVP by calling 581-6270.
PHOTOS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD: High-resolution color photos of this
production will be available for media use on the PTC website beginning
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 after 3:00 p.m.
FILMING FOR TELEVISION: Filming a short segment of the production
during Preview or Opening Night for press use can be arranged. Call 581-6270.
INTERVIEWS: Interviews with the cast and artistic staff are available. Call 581-6270
PRESS TOURS: Tours of the set for the press are available. Call 581-6270.
###
WHO:
Pioneer Theatre Company
WHAT:
Noises Off
WHEN:
October 30 – November 15, 2008
There will be no performance on Thursday, November 6
TIMES:
Mondays – Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday matinees, 2:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre
300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City
PRICE:
$22 – $39
Children K – 12 are half price on Mondays and Tuesdays.
MORE INFO:
Box Office (801) 581-6961. The Box Office is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday – Friday, and Saturdays when there are performances.
www.pioneertheatre.org
CAST:
Sarah Dandridge* Brooke Ashton
Mark Emerson* Tim Allgood
Cheryl Gaysunas* Poppy Norton-Taylor
Richmond Hoxie* Lloyd Dallas
Darrie Lawrence* Dotty Otley
Anne Stewart Mark* Belinda Blair
Anderson Matthews* Selsdon Mowbray
Max Robinson* Frederick Fellowes
Matthew Schneck* Garry Lejeune
ARTISTIC TEAM:
Director Charles Morey
Set Designer George Maxwell
Costume Designer Brenda Van Der Weil
Lighting Designer Jeff Hill
Sound Designer Joe Payne
Wig and Make-up Designer Amanda French
*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association.