CATCO/Phoenix Theatre for Children Announce Kicks Off 2010-11 Season, 9/29

For their inaugural season as a combined theatre organization, CATCO and The Phoenix Theatre for Children, in association with Andy Sandberg, will produce a world premiere musical, The Last Smoker in America, Sept. 29-Oct. 24, 2010, providing central Ohio theatre patrons the unique opportunity to be among the first to see this production before it heads to New York.
"We are very excited to be presenting the world premiere of The Last Smoker in America in Ohio," said Hair producer Sandberg. "We look forward to being a part of CATCO's 2010-2011 season and sharing this new musical comedy with Columbus."

The Combined season also includes a children's Halloween favorite (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow); a never-before-seen in central Ohio version of a holiday classic (It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play); a children's mystery (Encyclopedia Brown); a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner (I Am My Own Wife); a children's classic by E.B. White (Charlotte's Web); an over-the-top sex farce (What the Butler Saw); and a poignant look at our often skewed visions of ourselves (Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins).
In addition to the regular subscription offerings, CATCO will present one add-on production: The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, Dec. 2-26, starring Jonathan Putnam in his fifth season as Crumpet the elf.

"The Combined plays were selected with three guiding purposes: Delight, Challenge and Transport the audience," said Steven C. Anderson, artistic director of the newly combined company. "Each of these plays is an opportunity for audiences and artists alike to examine the core of what it is to be human. They reflect the irreverent, the nostalgic, the provocative, the zany and the misguided lenses we sometimes use to view a changing world."
Meanwhile, "Phoenix's season encompasses a ‘play with music,' a mystery and a sweet reflection on the sacrifices of friendship," Anderson said. "Each play reflects The Phoenix Theatre for Children's tradition of providing families with something to share together."

In The Last Smoker in America, smoking has been outlawed and Pam is trying desperately to kick the habit. Find out whether she goes smoke-free or fights for the right to light up in this raucous, irreverent world premiere musical with book and lyrics by Tony nominee Bill Russell (Side Show) and music by Drama Desk nominee Peter Melnick (Adrift in Macao). 

"With this premiere musical, we hope to begin to position CATCO as a company that can nurture and develop new musicals," Anderson said.

Just in time for Halloween, Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman will make their appearance in a children's "play with music" version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Oct. 22-Nov. 5. For the holidays, CATCO will present the central Ohio premiere of It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, featuring an ensemble cast that brings dozens of characters to life in a 1940s radio broadcast-style performance Nov. 26-Dec. 12. These will be followed by a series of mysteries that only genius boy detective LeRoy Brown can solve - with audience participation - Jan. 7-21 in Encyclopedia Brown.

Other plays in the 2010-11 season are I Am My Own Wife, Feb. 2-20, the moving tale of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transgendered person, who founded a respected museum while sheltering Berlin's homosexual community in pre- and post-World War II Germany; Charlotte's Web, Feb. 25-March 11, the all-time children's favorite and classic; What the Butler Saw, March 30-April 17, a farcical tragedy, impenetrable mystery and a comedic tour de force; and Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins, June 1-19, the story of New York socialite Florence Foster Jenkins, who fancied she could sing and rented Carnegie Hall for the evening to prove it.

CATCO will continue to offer "Talk Backs," discussions with the actors and other artists, after certain Sunday matinees. One Sunday matinee is also audio-described for those who are blind or visually impaired.

All CATCO and Phoenix shows will be performed in the Vern Riffe Center Studio Theatres, 77 S. High St. For shows in the Studio One Theatre, subscribers can select from rows A-M on the main floor, and limited-view balcony seating. All seats are within five rows of the stage in the Studio Two Theatre. The Studio Three Theatre, where The Santaland Diaries will be performed, is a 60-seat "cabaret"-style theatre with all seating close to the stage.

Subscriptions are available by calling the box office at 614.469.0939 and include a facility fee.
CATCO subscription prices range from $57.50 to $180.00.

FlexTix subscriptions also are available; the price is $130 for five passes, which can be used at any CATCO performance for best-available seating for one adult admission or for one adult and one child admission at any Phoenix production.
Phoenix subscriptions prices are $48 for adults and $24 for children.

Single tickets will go on sale Aug. 19, 2010. CATCO single-ticket prices are:

Thursday night preview - $32.50 main floor, $20.50 balcony
Wednesday 11@11 matinees- $11.50
All other CATCO afternoon and evening performances - $40 main floor, $25 balcony

Phoenix single-ticket prices are:

Adults, $20
Children, $10

All prices include a facility fee.

For Thursday and Sunday performances, students and seniors may purchase tickets at half price for that day's show(s) based upon availability. For more information about group sales, please call Jolane Campbell at 614.719.6900.

Tickets for CATCO's add-on performance, The Santaland Diaries, Dec. 2-26, 2010, are $35, respectively. CATCO and Phoenix renewing subscribers receive a discount on tickets to this add-on performance.
CATCO's 2010-11, 27th anniversary is sponsored by support from The Columbus Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council, which funds CATCO with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans, Greater Columbus Arts Council, Shubert Foundation and Nationwide.
CATCO is central Ohio's professional Equity theatre company. Its mission is to produce diverse, high quality, and exciting theatrical work that celebrates our common humanity. For more information, visit catcoistheatre.org.

The Phoenix Theatre for Children is a collective of artists who work collaboratively to create original productions for young audiences. The Phoenix is committed to providing young people and their families with theatrical experiences that encourage and enhance an awareness of self and the world in which we live. Frequent themes of the plays are self-reliance, an awareness of the importance of community, the personal empowerment of young people, and our responsibilities as citizens of the world. For more information, visit phoenix4kids.org.
Together, these two dynamic companies have formed a sustainable arts organization that provides unsurpassed service to Central Ohio theatre audiences of all ages.

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