'Noises Off' Presented at Cleveland Play House October 3rd-26th

Hilarity and chaos ensue in The Cleveland Play House's production of Michael Frayn's ('Democracy,' 'Copenhagen') ingenious play-within-a-play 'Noises Off,' about a third-rate British acting troupe desperately trying to stage and tour a third-rate farce called 'Nothing On.'

Award-winning director David H. Bell orchestrates the mayhem and directs a nationally acclaimed cast which includes Play House alumni Donald Carrier ('Lincolnesque') as Frederick Fellowes and Cassandra Bissel ('Pride & Prejudice') as Poppy Norton-Taylor. 'Noises Off,' a co-production with the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, begins previews on Friday, October 3, and runs through Sunday, October 26, 2008. Tickets are on sale now at The Cleveland Play House box office by calling 216.795.7000 ext 4 or online at www.clevelandplayhouse.com. Tickets for 'Noises Off' range from $42 to $64, with discounts available for groups of ten or more, as well as for students under the age of 25, for senior citizens aged 60 and over and for military reservists and their families. A limited number of $10 rush tickets go on sale 90 minutes before curtain and remain on sale until 30 minutes before curtain, based on availability. The Cleveland Play House is located at 85th and Euclid Ave. next door to the Cleveland Clinic near University Circle. 

Director David H. Bell said, "I feel very lucky to be able to work with this cast in particular - they are such a great group of actors from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Stratford, Canada - many of whom I have either worked with before, or wanted to work with for a very long time. That sense of personal and professional trust is very important in creating a farce." Staging Noises Off is a welcome challenge, and Bell relies heavily on his set designer. "Jim Joy is a long time collaborator and one of my best friends - and in this show the set is almost another character in the play. We went through 8½ different versions until we found one that could accommodate all the demands of the script."

Called "the best farce of the last 30 years" by Time Magazine and cited as one of the "New Classics of the Stage" by Entertainment Weekly, Noises Off premiered in London in 1982 and won the London Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy. It opened on Broadway in 1983 and was nominated for four Tony Awards including the 1984 Award for Best Play. In 1992, Marty Kaplan wrote a screenplay for Noises Off and turned it into a successful film directed by Peter Bogdanovich. The play was revived on Broadway in 2001 and was nominated for the 2002 Tony for Best Revival of a Play.

This rollicking riot presents the story of a hapless British acting troupe touring a production of 'Nothing On.' As actors in this play-within-a-play rehearse, mishaps like forgotten lines, dropped trousers and lost plates of sardines create onstage pandemonium. Meanwhile, it is total chaos backstage as love triangles, petty bickering and ruined affairs lead to pratfalls, flying props and more than one bloody nose. In the end, at the frenetic final performance, everything merges into one perfectly ravaged and wholly uproarious theatrical nervous breakdown. 

The design team for Noises Off includes James L. Joy (Scenic Designer), David Kay Mickelson (Costume Design), Joseph Appelt (Lighting Designer), James C. Swonger (Sound Design), and Don Wadsworth (Voice/Text Coach). The Cleveland Play House's Production Staff is responsible for the sets, costumes, lighting, props, furniture, scenic painting, sound, special effects and/or wigs used in this production.

45 minutes before every performance there will be a lively discussion with a member of the cast or creative team. It's fun. It's informative. And it's free! On Friday, October 3, mingle with other theatre fans and enjoy drink tastings and complimentary hors d'oeuvres for a ‘First Friday Tasting' starting at 6:30pm in our lobbies. Specially priced preview tickets include this pre-show reception and admittance to the play. On Thursday, October 9, enjoy a night out on the town with your girlfriends at The Cleveland Play House for a ‘Girls' Night Out.' Indulge in special pre-production festivities including specialty drinks, appetizers, shopping and spa pampering treatments. A specially priced ticket of $40 gets you into the pre-party as well as admittance to the play. On Wednesday, October 15 and Sunday, October 19, join actors from the 'Noises Off' cast for post-play discussions moderated by a member of the artistic staff. 

Founded in 1915, The Cleveland Play House is the first permanently established professional theatre in the United States. More than 12 million people have attended over 1,300 productions at The Play House - including more than 130 American and/or World Premieres. Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Bloom and Managing Director Kevin Moore, The Cleveland Play House is an artist-driven theatre that serves the Greater Cleveland community by holding true to its mission: To produce plays of the highest professional standards that inspire, stimulate, and entertain our diverse audiences, to conduct training and educational programs that enhance the quality of life for those we serve and help to insure the future of theatre.

The Cleveland Play House is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and The Ohio Arts Council helps to fund The Cleveland Play House with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

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