See Oscar Wilde's Delightful Witty Political Comedy "An Ideal Husband"
Tue, 01/06/2009 - 10:41 — robert
Experience Oscar Wilde's delicious comedy that makes a whipped cream of wit at the climax of the glittering 19th century. In London's fashionable society, the captivating Mrs. Cheveley threatens a rising statesman with blackmail for his youthful indiscretions. In this professional production from Austin Shakespeare, the new Long Center's Rollins Theatre is transformed for the first time into an Arena with audience surrounding the action on all four sides. "We want audiences to delight in the flexibility of our new theater, and watching laughter from across the room only makes it more contagious!" notes Artistic Director Ann Ciccolella.
The show is co-sponsored by The Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas at Austin, who have selected Austin Shakespeare as the exclusive Actor's Equity union theatre company to provide MFA graduate students in Acting with professional experience. The show runs three weekends only, Thursdays through Sundays from February 12th through March 1st, with a low price preview on Wednesday Feb 11. Call 474-LONG or visit http://thelongcenter.frontgatesolutions.com for tickets.
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Mark Scheibmeir, Austin Shakespeare alumnus and UT MFA graduate acting student, plays Sir Robert Chiltern, the politician hiding his past from his wife and society. After the heroic Claudio in Austin Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Scheibmeir led a UT cast as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream. He stars in a new independent film Atrois the Goat to be premiered at SXSW 2009 with co-star Sydney Andrews, and supported by fellow Ideal actor Robert Tolaro. After her Austin debut in Zach Scott Theatre's Doubt, Sydney Andrews plays the idealistic loving wife Gertrude. UT's young Verity Branco takes on the darkly comic Mrs. Cheveley. Shaun Patrick Tubbs plays Sir Chiltern's charming friend Lord Goring, a model of Wilde himself as the dandy who has compassion, wit, and a way with a plot. Marlane Barnes plays Mabel, the ingenue who outwits them all to find her own husband: a husband who is real rather than ideal. Actor's Equity members Janelle Buchanan and Robert Tolaro play the charming Lady Markby and the cantankerously comic Lord Caversham. Buchanan starred in Zach Scott's Doubt and dozens of other productions in Austin over the past decades. Tolaro is also know for behind-the-scenes work as professional stage manager for Tuna shows and directing challenged student actors in Austin. The cast is rounded out by Austin Shakespeare alums Gwendolyn Kelso as Mrs. Marchmont, Wray Crawford as Phipps and Mr. Montford, Jenny Gravenstein as Lady Basildon, and C. Robert Stevens as Mason. The production features original period-style music composed by Dr. Michael McKelvey, head of the St. Edward's University Music Department. Costume Designer Abbey Graf has created sparkling period costumes. Colorful scenery is designed by Michelle Ney, head of Design & Technology at Texas State University. Brilliant lighting is co-designed by the award-winning Austin designer Jason Amato and recent SMU graduate Clay Eads. Links
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| Austin Shakespeare is a proud member of the Austin Circle of Theatres. Funded in part by the City of Austin through The Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts. |
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