South Coast Rep Closes 50th Season with TARTUFFE, Beg. Tonight

Fifty years ago, a band of young actors-led by a duo fresh out of San Francisco State-came together through a love of theatre. When they officially formed as a company, South Coast Repertory, the group's first production was Molière's classic, Tartuffe. As SCR concludes its 50th Season this year, it comes full circle with a new production of Tartuffe, directed by Dominique Serrand, today, May 9-June 8, on the Segerstrom Stage. Tickets are available at www.scr.org.

"Dominique Serrand has a distinctive creative vision for Tartuffe that is dynamic and theatrical," said Artistic Director Marc Masterson. "I've known him for more than two decades and appreciate that this new production of Moliere's work is both a fitting homage to SCR's very first production and an incredible re-imagining for the 21st century. I'm looking forward to giving our audiences the chance to experience this energetic classic."

"There's no better way for South Coast Repertory to close this season than with the play that started it all for us, Tartuffe," said Managing Director Paula Tomei. "All season long, our loyal and generous Orange County community has shared in celebrating David and Martin's founding vision and our bright future. We're thankful for their undying support."

Serrand makes his SCR debut with Tartuffe. He is an actor, designer and director who was knighted by the French government. Serrand founded Theatre de la Jeune Lune in Minneapolis, Minn., and is renowned for his lush staging and reimagining of the classics. The set design for SCR's production of Tartuffe is based upon Serrand's earlier designs for the play in 1998 and 2006, which he described as "beautiful and monolithic."

Molière's dark comedy follows Tartuffe, a clever man who knows how to work every angle. A family watches in astonishment as Orgon, the head of the household, falls under Tartuffe's spell of ideal piety. With beautiful women like Elmire and Mariane in the family, it's difficult for Tartuffe to keep his thoughts turned toward heaven. Tartuffe's always got his eye on a prize and knows how to play the game--but will he win in the end?

The cast for Tartuffe includes Cate Scott Campbell, Christopher Carley, Steven Epp, Brian Hostenske, Nathan Keepers, Lenne Klingaman, Gregory Linington, Michael Manuel, Luverne Seifert, Suzanne Warmanen, Becca Lustgarten, James MacEwan, Callie Prendiville and Nick Slimmer.

The design and creative team includes Dominique Serrand and Thomas Buderwitz, scenic design, from an original design by Serrand; Sonya Berlovitz, costume design; Marcus Dilliard, lighting design; Corinne Carillo, sound design; Joshua Marchesi, production manager; and Kathryn Davies, stage manager.

Tartuffe is generously supported by Honorary Producers Bette and Wylie Aitken and Jean and Tim Weiss and Corporate Honorary Producer Union Bank. Tartuffe is a co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, D.C.

Tickets start at $22. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 25 years of age and under, fulltime educators, seniors and groups of 10 or more. For complete information, visit: www.scr.org. Tickets may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Performances run May 9-June 8. Ticket prices start at $22. Low-priced preview performances run May 9-15.

Note: Friday, May 16, is an invitation-only performance. Special notes: There are no Monday performances. There is no evening performance on Sunday, June 8. Evening Performances: Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, May 18, 20 and 21; May 25, 27 and 28; June 1, 3 and 4, at 7:30 p.m; Note: There is no evening performance on Sunday, June 8; Thursdays-Saturdays, May 22, 23 and 24; May 29, 30 and 31; and June 5, 6 and 7, at 8 p.m. Matinees: Saturdays-Sundays, May 17-18; May 24-25; May 31-June 1; and June 7-8, at 2:30 p.m. ASL-interpreted: Saturday, June 7, at 2:30 p.m.

Special Events:

· Post-Show Discussions: Wednesday, May 21, and Tuesday, May 27. Discuss the play with cast members of Tartuffe during free post-show discussions led by South Coast Repertory's literary team. Segerstrom Stage.

· Inside the Season: Saturday, June 7, from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Led by members of SCR's literary staff, this lively two-hour session features in-depth interviews with cast members and artists from SCR's production staff, revealing secrets and offering insights into SCR's production of Tartuffe. The event includes a guided tour of the set. Segerstrom Stage. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased in advance or at the door.

Location: South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the David Emmes/Martin Benson Theatre Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available on Park Center Drive, off Anton Blvd.

Current and Upcoming Productions: Five Mile Lake, through May 4; The Purple Lights of Joppa Illinois through May 4; and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (Theatre for Young Audiences), May 23-June 8. More information is available online: www.scr.org.

ABOUT SOUTH COAST REPERTORY: Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, founded in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson, is celebrating its 50th Season. Now under the leadership of Artistic Director Marc Masterson and Managing Director Paula Tomei, SCR is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theatres in the United States. SCR is committed to theatre that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its wide array of education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theatre, SCR is renowned for its extensive new-play development program, which includes the nation's largest commissioning program for emerging and established writers and composers. Each year, it showcases some of country's best new plays in the Pacific Playwrights Festival, which attracts theatre professionals from across the country. Of SCR's more than 480 productions, one-quarter have been world premieres, whose subsequent stagings achieved enormous success throughout America and around the world. Two SCR-developed works have won Pulitzer Prizes, and another eight were named Pulitzer finalists. In addition, SCR works have won several Obie Awards and scores of major new-play awards. Located in Costa Mesa, California, SCR's David Emmes/Martin Benson Theatre Center is home to the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio. Today, SCR produces 13 shows and eight public readings each season. More information is available at www.scr.org.

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