LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY Topher Payne's World Premiere at Stage Door Players, Opens Dec 4

Dunwoody's own professional theatre, STAGE DOOR PLAYERS welcomes Topher Payne's world premiere comedy to its stage this December! Let Nothing You Dismay opens on Friday, December 4 and runs through December 20. Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm. Five- and four-show flex subscriptions, as well as single tickets, are on sale now at the box office (770-396-1726), or online at www.stagedoorplayers.net. Tickets are $30; senior, student, and youth discounts are available.

Stage Door Players is located at 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338, approximately one block south of the Mt. Vernon Road and Chamblee Dunwoody Road intersection, in the North Dekalb Cultural Arts Center.

Stage Door is thrilled to host Topher Payne upon his return from the New York City debut of his play, Perfect Arrangement, and launch Let Nothing You Dismay into the world. Regarding choosing a first home for a new work, Payne said, "I've had the chance to craft a number of commissioned works at Georgia Ensemble Theatre and The Springer Opera House, and it's so gratifying conspiring with the Artistic Director to craft a work for their specific audience. How do you challenge them, surprise them? I'm a longtime fan of the work done at Stage Door, and the relationship Robert Egizio has built with their patrons during his tenure. So when he expressed interest in moving into the production of new works, allowing them to be the first to experience a story? Heck yeah I wanted to be a part of that."

ABOUT LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY

It's Christmas, and Kevin and Allie are about to become parents-they're just waiting for a phone call. And though they've asked their families to keep their distance until they bring the baby home, of course no one keeps their distance. Kevin's father visits with his much-younger wife and their extended clan, followed by Kevin's mother with her veterinarian, her upstairs neighbor, and her favorite author, and then Allie's family invades, including her ultra-competitive sister, her Bubbie, and Bubbie's gentleman friend. Eight actors play twenty-two characters in this lightning-paced holiday farce that celebrates families of all kinds, and reminds us we're all more alike than we realize.

"The cast we've assembled for this is just a murderer's row of comedic masterminds. When I've got Shelly McCook and Gina Rickicki doing battle with Doyle Reynolds and Amanda Cucher, all I really have to do is get out of their way and marvel at the genius," says Playwright, Topher Payne. The full cast is Brian Brendle, Amanda Cucher, Mark Gray, Shelly McCook, Doyle Reynolds, Gina Rickicki, Emily Sams, and Ben Silver.

Let Nothing You Dismay is directed by Shannon Eubanks, a veteran director, writer, and actor, and is one of Payne's longest and largest supporters. "This is my third world premiere with the remarkable Shannon Eubanks at the helm-she previously directed my Swell Party and The Only Light in Reno at Georgia Ensemble-we've developed a great shorthand. Which was particularly handy because I was still completing this script while I was getting shows ready in New York and Massachusetts, so Shannon had to become my proxy in Atlanta for production meetings and development. But I can just trust her completely, which is such a gift. You know, when I won the American Theatre Critics award last year at the Humana Festival, she drove seven hours up to Louisville to celebrate it. A person feels like they can accomplish anything when they've got that kind of support."

The production/design team includes Jim Alford (Costume Design), Hayley Brotherton (Production/Stage Manager), George Deavours (Wig Design), Kathy Ellsworth (Props Design), Rial Ellsworth (Sound Design), Chuck Welcome (Scenic Design), and John David Williams (Lighting Design).

TICKETS

Tickets start at $30 and are available online at www.stagedoorplayers.net or by calling the box office at (770) 396-1726. Senior and student discounts are available.

Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm.

STILL TO COME IN SEASON 42

I HATE HAMLET

By Paul Rudnick

January 29-February 21, 2016

HAIL MARY!

By Tom Dudzick

March 25-April 17, 2016

THE 39 STEPS

By Patrick Barlow and John Buchan

May 20-June 12, 2016

KISS ME, KATE

By Cole Porter

July 15-August 7

Season subscriptions are on sale now at the box office (770-396-1726), or online at www.stagedoorplayers.net.

ABOUT STAGE DOOR PLAYERS

Founded in 1974 as a Community Improvement Project of the Dunwoody Woman's Club, Stage Door Players proudly celebrates its 42nd season. Today, Stage Door Players is a fully professional theatre, producing a full season of compelling and entertaining works, with a continuing history of strong community connection, welcoming artists and audiences from all over metro Atlanta.

Stage Door Players is located at 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338, approximately one block South of the Mt. Vernon Road and Chamblee Dunwoody Road intersection, in the North Dekalb Cultural Arts Center.

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