THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Announced At Palo Alto Players, January 20- February 5

Palo Alto Players invites you to opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor, where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. With an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can't play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines), THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is sure to bring down the house! Directed by Katie O'Bryon Champlin and featuring a cast of 13 Bay Area actors, THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG runs for 9 in-person performances January 20-February 5, 2023 at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Tickets ($10-$60) are on sale now at paplayers.org or by phone at 650.329.0891. Current information regarding Palo Alto Players' health and safety policies can be found at paplayers.org/covid-19.

What would happen if Sherlock Holmes and Monty Python had an illegitimate Broadway baby? You'd get THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, Broadway & London's award-winning smash comedy!

"'No one will ever attempt to produce a local production of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG,' I thought to myself after howling through the Broadway version of the show," said Palo Alto Players Artistic Director Patrick Klein. "But when it became available I just couldn't help myself, and I knew Palo Alto Players could rise to the challenge of the complex stagecraft required by the piece. It's by far the funniest stage show I've ever seen, chock full of fun, hijinx, and hilarious comedy - right up our alley as a company, and I know our patrons will love every minute of it!"

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is directed by Katie O'Bryon Champlin and features fight choreography by Dexter Fidler. This is O'Bryon Champlin's directorial debut with Palo Alto Players. Her previous work for the company has been on stage--she played Hawkins the cook in Men On Boats, and Rachel/Roscoe in One Man, Two Guvnors. Also a choreographer, O'Bryon Champlin has served on artistic teams at Pacific Repertory Theatre, Foothill Music Theatre, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Los Altos Stage, Tabard Theatre, West Valley Light Opera, Sunnyvale Community Players, Peninsula Youth Theater and The Harker School. She is a graduate of the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theater. Fight choreographer Dexter Fidler has choreographed fights for over 170 productions. Fidler has done extensive work with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and training for San Francisco Ballet's Romeo & Juliet. Other credits include Sacramento Shakespeare Festival (Macbeth, Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo), Boise Contemporary Theater (Fuddy Meers), Sierra Rep (Macbeth, Hamlet and I Hate Hamlet), Stanford University (Killer Joe, The Pillowman), Great Lakes Theater Festival, Marin Theatre Company, Western Ballet, and The Discovery Channel series Deadly Duels. Fidler also trained Robin Williams in Sabre and Cutlass for the film Hook. He has taught at Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh, Marin Theatre Conservatory, San Francisco Ballet School and Academy of Art University.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG creative team also includes set design by Patrick Klein, lighting design by Carsten Koester, costume design by Jenny Garcia, and sound design by Jeff Grafton.

The cast of Palo Alto Players' THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG includes:

Trevor: Lysander Abadia

Robert: Kyle Danrit

Annie: Damaris Divito (performs 1/20, 1/22, 1/28, 2/3, 2/5)

Annie: Jen Maggio (performs 1/21, 1/27, 1/29, 2/4)

Jonathan: Drew Benjamin Jones (performs 1/21, 1/27, 1/29, 2/4)

Jonathan: Christopher Mahle (performs 1/20, 1/22, 1/28, 2/3, 2/5)

Chris: Brad Satterwhite

Dennis: Brandon Silberstein

Sandra: Michelle Skinner

Max: Braden Taylor

Onstage "Additional Stage Crew: Cayleigh Coester, Skyler Riordan, Dana Rakvica

Tickets for THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG can be purchased online at paplayers.org, by phone at 650.329.0891, or by visiting the Box Office (Tuesday through Friday, 11am - 4pm) at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. In-person performances at the Lucie Stern Theater begin on January 21 and continue through February 5, with a preview on January 20. In-person performance times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. At this time, masks are required to attend in-person performances regardless of age or vaccination status. Health and safety protocol is subject to change. This production is recommended for ages 8 and up.

Every ticket purchase directly supports the actors, creative team, and staff for this production, and ensures that Palo Alto Players can remain a vital part of this community. For more information about tickets and Palo Alto Players' current health and safety policies, visit paplayers.org.

Special events taking place during the run of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG include:

Preview Night: Pick-Your-Price

Friday, January 20

Pick-Your-Price Night makes theatre affordable for all. Ticket prices range from $10-$40.

Opening Night

Saturday, January 21

Enjoy a post-show champagne/sparkling cider toast in the outdoor courtyard, FREE with the purchase of a ticket for that evening's performance.

Post-Show Cast Talkback

Sunday, January 29

Enrich your experience at our Talkback series with Director Katie O'Bryon Champlin and the cast following the performance, FREE with the purchase of a ticket for any performance during the run.

In cooperation with The City of Palo Alto, Palo Alto Players' productions are produced at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, California. Use of this facility is made possible through support from The City of Palo Alto, Community Services Department, Division of Arts and Sciences, and from our patrons.

With community at their core, Palo Alto Players is the home for creating exceptional theatre experiences that inspire, entertain, and enrich the lives of local artists and audiences. Founded in 1931, Palo Alto Players is the Peninsula's longest-running theatre company. Based at the Lucie Stern Theater since 1933, Palo Alto Players produces a season of comedies, dramas, classics, and musicals from September to June. Audiences and artists come from all over the Bay Area to be a part of Palo Alto Players' productions. Palo Alto Players is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established for public benefit.

For more information about Palo Alto Players and upcoming shows, please visit www.paplayers.org or call the Box Office at 650.329.0891.

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