Austin Playhouse to Stage VENUS IN FUR

All he needs is the perfect leading lady-a goddess of desire-to bring his vision to life. Thomas, a talented but demanding young writer, has meticulously adapted Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's 19th century erotic novel, Venus in Fur, into a brilliant new play, but he can't find the right woman for the role. When Vanda, a scattered young actress, arrives several hours late to her audition, Thomas is unimpressed. However, Vanda soon wins over the unwitting director with her strange mastery of the material and her alarming insights into his deepest desires. Suddenly the simple audition becomes a titillating game of cat and mouse. Who leads in the dance between fantasy and reality, love and lust, seduction and submission? Venus in Fur is a sharp, hysterical romp through the treacherous politics of sex and power.

Venus in Fur stars Austin Playhouse Acting Company members Molly Karrasch as Vanda and Gray G. Haddock as Thomas. The play is directed by Lara Toner, with set design by Patrick Crowley, lighting design by Don Day, and sound design by Joel Mercado-See.

Venus in Fur is rated R. Strictly adults only.

The 2011-12 Tony Nominated comedy Venus in Fur opened on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on November 8, 2011. It starred Nina Arianda as Vanda and Hugh Dancy as Thomas with Walter Bobbie directing. The Broadway production received Tony Award nominations for Best Play and Best Actress in a Play. The play is written by award-winning playwright David Ives, and is the first of two Ives' plays being produced in Austin Playhouse's 2013-2014 Season. The second is Ives' adaptation of Pierre Corneille's 17th century farce, The Liar, running February 7 - March 9, 2014.

Critical Acclaim: The teeter-tottering test of wills that takes place in Venus in Fur makes even the most fraught encounter between a domineering director and a sensitive performer seem like a play date in the sandbox. Actors may be pleased to hear that in this ninety minutes of good, kinky fun, the upper hand does not necessarily belong to the usual suspect.-NY Times.

Venus in Fur invites both carnal and cerebral excitement.-Village Voice.

Ives has crafted a modern take on a classic tale, skillfully twisting his plot and characters in a fast-paced journey into one man's entrapment by a clever, vengeful female. -Associated Press.

Austin Playhouse 2013-2014 Season: Our season continues with a new adaptation of Corneille's 17th century farce The Liar by David Ives, February 7 - March 9, 2014, the world premiere of Roaring by Cyndi Williams, April 4 - May 4, 2014, and a TBA, May 23 - June 22, 2014.

Austin Playhouse is a professional theatre currently performing its 14th season. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Don Toner and Artistic Director Lara Toner Haddock, Austin Playhouse has grown from a three-play season on the campus of Concordia University, to a year-round operation producing an average of eight plays a year. Austin Playhouse is currently planning to build its own two-performance venue space in the heart of the new Mueller Redevelopment Town Center, adjacent to the new Austin Children's Museum.

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