Westport Country Playhouse's THE SHOW OFF Begins 6/11

Westport Country Playhouse will stage the classic comedy, "The Show-Off," described as a funny, surprising, and moving story of a family in upheaval when their youngest daughter becomes engaged to a brash loudmouth, playing from June 11 through June 29. Cast in principal roles are 2013 Drama Desk Award winner Jayne Houdyshell as the imperious Mrs. Fisher, and Drama Desk nominee Will Rogers as Aubrey Piper, the show-off of the title.

Written by George Kelly, whose play, "Craig's Wife," won a 1925 Pulitzer Prize, the production is directed by Nicholas Martin, a 2013 Tony Award nominee for his direction of the current Broadway hit, "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike."

"'The Show Off' is a jewel from the treasure chest of American Theater," said Mark Lamos, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director. "A sweetly-told comedy about a middle class family and the unexpected, indescribably unusual man who shows up, shows off, and simultaneously shows the overbearing mother of the house that she's met her match at last. A rich, full evening of entertainment awaits you at The Playhouse."

Set in 1920s Philadelphia, the title character in "The Show-Off" is Aubrey Piper, a blowhard, a first-rate annoyance, and a shameless liar---a show-off of the worst kind. He also happens to be marrying into the Fisher family, forcing the Fishers to learn to cope with this human oddity who has blustered his way into their lives.

The cast includes Clea Alsip (Long Wharf Theatre's "The Killing of Sister George"; Lewis Black's "One Slight Hitch"; "Boardwalk Empire") as Amy Fisher; Mia Barron (Westport Country Playhouse's "Heaven Can Wait," "The School for Husbands"; Broadway's "The Coast of Utopia," "QED") as Clara Hyland; Nat DeWolf (Broadway's "Take Me Out"; Off-Broadway's "Betty's Summer Vacation") as Mr. Gill; Robert Eli (Broadway's "Tartuffe"; Long Wharf Theatre/Hartford Stage's "Bell, Book and Candle"; Hartford Stage's "The 39 Steps") as Frank Hyland; Jayne Houdyshell (2013 Drama Desk Award; Broadway's "Follies" - 2012 Tony nom.; "Well" - 2006 Tony nom., Theatre World Award) as Mrs. Fisher; Adam LeFevre (Broadway's "Devil's Disciple," "Our Country's Good," "Summer and Smoke," "Mamma Mia," "Guys and Dolls") as Mr. Fisher; Karl Baker Olson (Regional's Huntington Theatre, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Boston Playwrights' Theatre) as Joe Fisher; Will Rogers (Off-Broadway's "As You Like It"; "Unnatural Acts" - Drama Desk nom.; Williamstown Theatre Festival's "Our Town") as Aubrey Piper; and Marc Vietor (Westport Country Playhouse's "The Circle"; Broadway's "Present Laughter"; Off-Broadway's "Grey Gardens") as MR. Rogers.

Director Nicholas Martin's Westport Country Playhouse credits include "The Year of Magical Thinking," "The Circle," "A Cheever Evening," and "The Substance of Fire." Broadway productions include "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," "Present Laughter," "Butley," "Match," "Hedda Gabler," "The Rehearsal," and "You Never Can Tell." Martin is the former artistic director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival and of Boston's Huntington Theatre Company.

Playwright George Kelly (1887-1974) began his career in vaudeville as an actor and sketch writer. He became best known for his satiric comedies, including "The Torch-Bearers" (1922) and "The Show-Off" (1924). He also wrote "Craig's Wife" (1925) for which he won the Pulitzer Prize. His last Broadway play was "The Fatal Weakness" (1946). Born in Philadelphia, the second of 10 children, he was the brother of American businessman and Olympic champion sculler John B. Kelly, Sr., and the uncle of actress Grace Kelly.

The design and production team includes Alexander Dodge (Westport Country Playhouse's "The Year of Magical Thinking," "The Circle," "The Archbishop's Ceiling"; Broadway's "Present Laughter" - Tony Award nomination), scenic design; Gabriel Berry (Westport Country Playhouse's "The Circle"; The Public Theater's world premiere of Christopher Durang's "Why Torture Is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them"), costume design; Philip Rosenberg (Westport Country Playhouse's "The Year of Magical Thinking," "The Circle," "I Do! I Do!"), lighting design; Drew Levy (Westport Country Playhouse's "The Year of Magical Thinking," "The Circle"; Broadway's "Chaplin," "The Importance of Being Earnest," "Present Laughter"), sound design; Matthew Melchiorre, resident stage manager; Amanda Spooner, assistant stage manager; Karin White, props master; and Tara Rubin, casting.

Playing from June 11 - 29, the performance schedule for "The Show-Off" is Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 8 p.m., Thursdayand Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Special series feature Taste of Tuesday, Previews, LGBT Night OUT, Opening Night, Sunday Symposium, Open Captions, Literary Salon, Thursday TalkBack, Together at the Table Family Dinner, Playhouse Young Professionals, and Backstage Pass.

Single ticket prices, starting at $30, are subject to change based on availability. Buy early for the best prices. Educators and students are eligible for 50% discounts. On the day of a performance, senior rush tickets are available at 50%.

"The Show-Off" Production Sponsors are Johnna G. Torsone and John McKeon. Production Partners are Carol and Peter Seldin. Corporate Production Sponsor is Fidelity Investments.

Westport Country Playhouse's 2013 Season will continue with "Loot," a wickedly funny send-up of larcenous, lascivious behavior among the English middle classes by the master of British farce Joe Orton, directed by David Kennedy, Playhouse associate artistic director,July 16 - August 3. The second world premiere in as many seasons, "Oblivion," is a touching and funny-and very modern-tale of parents, children, and the gulf that sometimes exists between them, written by Carly Mensch, a writer for three seasons on Showtime's "Weeds," and directed by Mark Brokaw, August 20 - September 7. The play was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons and developed by Steppenwolf Theatre Company. "Room Service" is a madcap American farce about a producer and his ragtag bunch of actors who try to raise money for a Broadway show as they scramble to evade their hotel bill, written by John Murray and Allen Boretz, directed by Mark Lamos, October 8 - 26.

Traditional subscriptions continue on sale offering savings, best available seating, restaurant discounts, and patron flexibility, including a choice of five-play or seasonal four-play subscriptions. Flex Passes are also on sale, offering date flexibility and many subscriber-only benefits.

For more information or tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets are available online 24/7 at www.westportplayhouse.org, or by using the new Playhouse App or mobile website. Stay connected to The Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), view Playhouse videos on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse) or get an insider's peek on The Playhouse Blog (www.theplayhouseblog.org).

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