Tom Dudzick's OVER THE TAVERN Opens Penguin Rep's Season 5/14-6/6

A major regional theatre hit is finally playing the New York metropolitan area. The play is the semi-autobiographical comedy Over the Tavern written by Nyack (Rockland County), New York's own Tom Dudzick. The theatre is Penguin Rep in Stony Point, where Dudzick's comedy Miracle on South Division Street had its premiere last year.

After breaking box office records in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, St. Louis, and running over a year in Chicago, Tri-State region residents will at last see Over the Tavern, Dudzick's hilarious and heartwarming look at the Pazinski family. The comedy opens the professional Equity theatre's 33rd season, under the leadership of artistic director Joe Brancato and executive director Andrew M. Horn.

It's 1959 and the Pazinskis -- Mom, Dad and their four children -- have a lot going on in their cramped Buffalo apartment located over the father's bar, as they cope with everything from teen angst to s-e-x! But when 12-year-old Rudy announces he'd like to shop around for a more "fun" religion, all hell breaks loose.

The cast of Over the Tavern, under Thomas Caruso's direction, includes two real-life brothers Jonny Adamow and Stephan Adamow as Georgie and Eddie; Christopher Cox as the wise-cracking Rudy; Kevin Cutts as Chet, their father; Judy Frank as Sister Clarissa; Kathryn Markey as Ellen, the mother; and Ashley Scales, as the daughter, Annie.

Christopher Cox (Rudy) was recently seen on Broadway as the Little Boy (Edgar) in the musical Ragtime, a part that he played previously at the Kennedy Center.
Thomas Caruso (Director) returns to Penguin Rep where he directed Ten Percent of Molly Snyder starring Richard Kline in 2008 and will direct the upcoming production of Around the World in 80 Days. He staged the world premiere of Mr. Dudzick's Don't Talk to the Actors at Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, was resident director of Mamma Mia! in Las Vegas for six years, and directed the National Tour of Master Class.

The creative team of Over the Tavern is also comprised of Ken Larson (set designer), Cindy Capraro (costume designer), Martin E. Vreeland (lighting designer), Chris Rummel (sound designer), Ori Bensimhon (properties designer), Andy Parkhurst (choreographer), and Kristine Ayers (stage manager).

Over the Tavern will be presenTed May 14 through June 6 at Penguin Rep's intimate 108-seat theatre in Stony Point (Rockland County). Performances are scheduled Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $33 with special discounts available for those 30 and younger and groups as small as ten.

A special reduced-priced weekday matinee performance is scheduled Friday, May 14 at 3 p.m., with tickets only $16.50.

Penguin Rep's 2010 season also includes the New York premiere of Shooting Star, a romantic comedy about second chances by Steven Dietz (July 9 through August 1); Mark Brown's fast-paced comic adventure for the whole family, Around the World in 80 Days, adapted from Jules Verne's classic novel (August 13 through September 5); and the New York premiere of Jeffrey Hatcher's comedy Mrs. Mannerly about a demanding teacher and her colorful collection of students (October 1 through October 24).

Season subscriptions starting as low as $88 for the four plays are also on sale.

Tickets can be ordered on-line 24 hours a day at www.penguinrep.org or by calling the box office during business hours at 845-786-2873.

AUDIENCE ENHANCEMENT EVENTS
Audience members are invited to enrich their theatre-going experience without any additional charge by participating in any of Penguin Rep Theatre's special events during the run of Over the Tavern.

Opening Reception: Join the cast and creative team after the 2 p.m. matinee performance on Sunday, May 16 for cake and coffee.

Post-Show Discussion: Learn more about the play and production and share your thoughts with fellow audience members in a discussion with the cast and playwright following the performance on Friday, May 21.

Pre-Show Tasting: Enjoy Jamaican beef patties from Golden Krust Bakery and ginger beer before the 4 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday, May 22.

Penguin Rep Theatre, Rockland County's first year-round, non-profit professional theatre, was founded in 1977 in a century-old hay barn converted to a theatre, by Rockland residents Joe Brancato, Artistic Director, and Fran Newman-McCarthy, Treasurer of the Board of Trustees. Described by The New York Times as "the gutsiest little theatre" and by The Journal News as a theatre that "continues to astonish," Penguin Rep celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007 when it spruced up its theatre, which now features heating, air conditioning, wheelchair accessible rest rooms and seating, new upholstered theatre seats, and plenty of free parking.

For more information, visit www.penguinrep.org.

Photo credit: Aaron Pepis