New Flying Karamazov Brothers Show FLINGS & EROS Premieres At Merrimack Rep 9/10-10/4, Opens 9/13

Music, dance, laughter and juggling combine in the world premiere of Flings & Eros, a new vaudevillian romp by the internationally renowned Flying Karamazov Brothers at Merrimack Repertory Theatre; stage direction by Paul Magid. Performances begin Thursday, September 10 at 7:30PM, with Opening Night on Sunday, September 13 at 7PM, running through October 4. Subscriptions and individual tickets are on sale now.

The new show takes audiences backstage with the Flying Karamazov Brothers as they rehearse scenes from their reinterpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. With the four Karamazov Brothers playing all the parts, audiences will experience a Romeo and Juliet like they've never seen before, complete with original music, combat juggling and antic dancing. Of course, nothing during their rehearsal goes quite as expected, and the Brothers take time in between scenes to muse on their own loves, both past and present. The youngest Karamazov Brother, Zossima, has a new girlfriend whose mysterious past is revealed as the K's work their way through Shakespeare's classic scenes.

The Obie Award-winning Flying Karamazov Brothers were founded in 1973 in California, taking their names from characters in Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. In the past 35 years, the group has performed on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in theatres across the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. Their adaptation of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors was aired on PBS's Live from Lincoln Center, and the group appeared in the Michael Douglas film The Jewel of the Nile and was featured on an episode of Seinfeld in 1996.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre and The Flying Karamazov Brothers began conversations about creating the new theatrical piece in February 2008. After the development of the initial concept, the Brothers spent a few weeks in July completing the script and developing the new juggling routines and skills that will be premiered in September. The troupe will spend a week rehearsing in New Hampshire before their residency begins in Lowell on August 17.

The production's creative staff includes Paul Magid (writer/producer/director), Arthur Oliver (costume design), Douglas Elkins (choreography) and David Hutson (lighting design), with music by Mark Ettinger, Stephen Bent and Rod Kimball and lyrics by Paul Magid, Mark Ettinger, Stephen Bent and William Shakespeare. The Flying Karamazov Brothers are Paul Magid (Dmitri), Mark Ettinger (Alexei), Rod Kimball (Pavel) and Stephen Bent (Zossima).

Paul Magid is a founding member of the Flying Karamazov Brothers and the last original member still performing with the group. Mark Ettinger joined the group in 1998, bringing his skills as a juggler, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. He received his Masters in Composition and Conducting from Mannes College of Music. Rod Kimball is the group's master juggler, and has been performing and teaching juggling since 1991. Kimball is a native of New England, having grown up in northern Maine, and got his start as a juggler in Portland. Stephen Bent is the youngest of the brothers, and the newest addition to the group, having joined in the summer of 2008. Legend has it that his parents' first date was a Flying Karamazov Brothers show at the Oscar Mayer Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin in 1982. He attended his first show at the age of 13, and since then has strived to join the group to which he owes his very existence.

Flings & Eros is sponsored by Enterprise Bank. Merrimack Repertory Theatre is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Paul Magid (Author/Director/Dmitri) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut. Flying Karamazov Brothers: Paul founded the Flying Karamazov Brothers along with Howard Jay Patterson while Richard Nixon was still president. Writer: Don Quixote, San Diego Rep; The Three Moscowteers, Goodman Theatre; L'Histoire du Soldat, Brooklyn Academy Of Music; Le Petomane, La Jolla Playhouse, ACT (Seattle); The Brothers Karamazov, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Arena Stage, WADC; Room Service, Mark Taper Forum, ACT (Seattle); L'Universe, Seattle, On Tour; Life: A Guide for the Perplexed, ACT (Seattle), American Repertory Theater. Director: Osare, Mutamenti, Quemar and most recently Sogni Segni Film: Jewel of the Nile. Television: Seinfeld, Live from Lincoln Center. Other: He has two wonderful daughters, Pesha and Rebecca. He spends his time, when not traveling, at his homes in NY or in the Italian hills.

Rod Kimball (Music/Lyrics/Pavel) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut. Flying Karamazov Brothers: Rod has performed with the Karamazov Brothers since 1999, including the shows AirPlay and Life, A Guide For The Perplexed. Regional: The Stinky Cheese Man. Director: Spheres. Other: Rod teaches juggling at TheatreLab Studio in NYC. Rod's band, The Maestrosities, is The Coolest Band Ever. Rod hopes you enjoy Flings & Eros.

Mark Ettinger (Music/Lyrics/Alexei) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut. Flying Karamazov Brothers: Mark has performed with the Karamazov Brothers since 1998, including the shows Catch!, Life: A Guide For The Perplexed, and AirPlay. He has written music for a total of 5 of their shows. Composor: The Triangle, Coming, Aphrodite, La Mama Etc. He has conducted and had original works performed by numerous orchestras, including the National Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony and Seattle Symphony. He also conducted the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Education: MFA in Composition & Conducting, Mannes College of Music. Other: His debut CD, In This World, was released in 2006.

Stephen Bent (Music/Lyrics/Zossima) Merrimack Repertory Theatre: debut. Flying Karamazov Brothers: Stephen has performed with the Karamazov Brothers since 2008. Education: BA in Music, Occidental College. Other: His parents' first date, way back in 1982, was an FKB performance in the Oscar Mayer Theater in Madison, Wisconsin, thus Stephen owes his very existence to the troupe. At the impressionable age of 13, he saw the K's for the first time and immediately set about trying to emulate them in every way. Eight years after witnessing them for the first time, Stephen is excited beyond words to be sharing the stage with his adolescent idols.

SPECIAL EVENT NIGHTS FOR FLINGS & EROS: Pay What You Will Night - Sept 10 at 7:30PM. Purchase tickets in cash at the Box Office between 4:30-7:30PM and you can name your ticket price. There will also be a Director's Dialogue, where the directors and designers field your questions and describe how the play was staged following the performance. Lowell Night - Sept 12 at 8PM. Lowell residents may purchase tickets for $10 at the box office from 5-8PM. Proper ID required. Opening Night - Sept 13 at 7PM. Join Merrimack Rep's staff and cast in raising a glass of champagne to celebrate the opening of the show. Cookie Matinee - Sept 16 at 2PM. Join us for complimentary cookies and coffee in the lobby before the show, courtesy of Brew'd Awakening Coffeehaus. Post Show Forum - Sept 17, 24 & Oct 1(Every Thursday) at 7:30PM. Enjoy this unique opportunity to learn the inside scoop and chat with the actors after the performance.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Don't miss a single show! On sale now, Merrimack Rep offers subscription packages to fit every lifestyle and budget. With season subscription packages ranging from $45-$307, all subscriptions offer deep discounts off the single ticket prices as well as exclusive subscriber-only benefits, including free parking, restaurant and theatre discounts, lost ticket insurance and free, unlimited exchanges. For a season brochure or subscription information, call 978.654.4MRT (4678), or visit www.MerrimackRep.org.

TICKETS: Single Tickets $26-$56; Student/Senior/Group discounts are available. Tickets can be purchased at MRT's Online Box Office at www.merrimackrep.org, or in person at 50 E. Merrimack St., Lowell, or by calling 978.654.4678. Groups of 6 or more save 25% off single ticket prices, and can call 978.654.7595 for more information.

For MRT show times, tickets, season information, directions, or to request a brochure, please visit www.merrimackrep.org or call the Box Office at 978.654.4MRT (4678).

Merrimack Repertory Theatre is located in beautiful historic downtown Lowell at Liberty Hall, the Company's 308-seat theatre, 50 E. Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01852 (adjacent to Lowell Memorial Auditorium). Each season, Merrimack Rep presents an eclectic mix of contemporary productions, engaging the best available actors, designers and directors in the country. Founded in 1979, Merrimack Rep's mission is "To advance the cause of human understanding by creating theatrical productions at the highest level of artistic excellence and making them affordable to the broadest possible community." Its unique artistic vision is shaped by a passion for excellence and a profound commitment to its community. Merrimack Rep strives to enhance the community's quality of life while contributing to its economic strength, measuring success by the depth of the Company's artistic and social contribution to the region.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre's 2009-2010 Season
Flings & Eros by The Flying Karamazov Brothers, September 10 - October 4, 2009; The Seafarer by Conor McPherson, October 15 - November 8, 2009; Heroes by Gerald Sibleyras, adapted by Tom Stoppard, November 19 - December 13, 2009; Fabuloso, A Play by John Kolvenbach, January 7 - January 31, 2010; Black Pearl Sings! by Frank Higgins, February 11 - March 7, 2010; World Premiere Comedy by Richard Dresser, March 18 - April 11, 2010; The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead by Robert Hewett, April 22 - May 16, 2010.

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