Westport Country Playhouse Hosts Young Professionals Party 6/10

Westport Country Playhouse's newly formed Young Professionals Network will present an evening of food, wine, beer, live music and a performance of the Pulitzer Prize-winning comic drama "Dinner with Friends," by 2010 Tony Award nominee Donald Margulies, on Thursday, June 10. The party will begin at 6:30 p.m. on The Playhouse patio, followed by the vibrant and edgy contemporary play at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person for party and show.

"Geared towards young professionals ages 21 to 40, the Young Pros party is an opportunity to come together here at The Playhouse in a fun and interactive setting to enjoy some in-person social networking and a terrific show at an affordable price" said Jenn Bond, Playhouse community relations liaison.

Food will be provided by Burger Bar & Bistro. Located in South Norwalk since 2006, the little restaurant has earned rave reviews and "best burger" accolades from area media outlets and online food chatters.

Live music will be by Rambunction, playing jazz, funk, jam and dance. The band is led by Renard Boissiere, vox and keys; with Chris Morrison, guitar; Steve Clarke, bass; and Kurt Berglund, drums and percussion.

The New York Times called "Dinner with Friends," "a true feast... sober, wise and extremely funny." "Dinner with Friends" is about Gabe & Karen and Tom & Beth, two couples who have been close friends for years, and who participate in all the familiar and comfortable rituals of shared vacations, good conversation and great food. When Tom abruptly walks out on Beth, it threatens more than just their marriage alone. The play explores the difficulties of one couple surviving the other pair's divorce.

For tickets to the Young Professionals party and show, contact Jenn Bond at 203.227.5137 x 120 or email events@westportplayhouse.org
About The Playhouse

Westport Country Playhouse, a not-for-profit theater, serves as a treasured home for the performing arts and is a cultural landmark for Connecticut. Under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos and management direction of Michael Ross, The Playhouse creates quality productions of new and classic plays that enlighten, enrich and engage a diverse community of theater lovers, artists and students. The Playhouse's rich history dates back to 1931, when New York theater producer Lawrence Langner created a Broadway-quality stage within an 1830s tannery. The Playhouse quickly became an established stop on the New England "straw hat circuit" of summer stock theatres. Now celebrating its 80th season, Westport Country Playhouse has produced more than 700 plays, 36 of which later transferred to Broadway, most recently the world premiere of "Thurgood" and a revival of Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" with Paul Newman, and in earlier years "Come Back, Little Sheba" with Shirley Booth, "The Trip to Bountiful" with Lillian Gish, and "Butterflies Are Free" with Keir Dullea and Blythe Danner. For its artistic excellence, The Playhouse received a 2005 Governor's Arts Award and a 2000 "Connecticut Treasure" recognition. It was also designated as an Official Project of Save America's Treasures by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is entered on the Connecticut State Register of Historic Places. Following a multi-million dollar renovation completed in 2005, The Playhouse transformed into a year-round, state-of-the-art producing theater with its original charm and character preserved. In addition to a full season of theatrical productions, The Playhouse serves as a community resource, presenting educational programming and workshops; a children's theater series; symposiums; music; films; and readings.

Westport Country Playhouse's five-play 2010 season: "She Loves Me," a romantic musical comedy, with book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, directed by Mark Lamos, April 20 - May 15; "Dinner with Friends," a comic drama by Donald Margulies, directed by David Kennedy, Playhouse associate artistic director, June 1 through 19; "Happy Days" by Samuel Beckett, a play of luminous beauty and rare power, featuring Dana Ivey, directed by Mark Lamos, July 6 through July 24; "I Do! I Do," an endearing musical, with book and lyrics are by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, directed by Susan H. Schulman, August 10 through August 28; and "The Diary of Anne Frank," a timeless and powerful classic, by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, adapted by Wendy Kesselman, directed by Gerald Freedman, September 28 through October 16.

For more information or ticket purchases, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets may be purchased online at www.westportplayhouse.org.

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