South Coast Repertory Presents Elemeno Pea 1/27-2/26

South Coast Repertory takes audiences to Martha’s Vineyard in Elemeno Pea, a new comedy about "the rich behaving badly" that will have its West Coast premiere Jan. 27 through Feb. 26 on the Segerstrom Stage.

Molly Smith Metzler’s play features a pair of sisters: down-to-earth Devon and status-seeking Simone. Simone works as a personal assistant to Michaela Kell, the trophy wife of a wealthy ad executive, and she’s planned a sisters’ weekend in the Kells’ gorgeous beachfront mansion. But within minutes of the girls’ arrival, Michaela crashes the party. She and her husband have had a fight, and she’s counting on Simone to help her keep from becoming Ex-Wife Number Two. The ensuing chaos brings to light old wounds and explosive secrets that turn everyone’s worlds upside-down.

Elemeno Pea marks the Southern California directorial debut of SCR Artistic Director Marc Masterson, who gave the play its world premiere when he was still serving as head of Actors Theatre of Louisville.

“I am amazed by Molly Smith Metzler's ability to tell a great story,” Masterson said. “Her characters are people you care about, and she has a gift for smart and funny dialogue. I can’t wait to share Elemeno Pea with our audiences."

Cassie Beck is making her SCR debut as Devon, a role she originated in Louisville. Beck also appeared in The Norman Conquests on Broadway and recently completed an Off-Broadway run in Ethan Coen’s Happy Hour. Melanie Lora (SCR’s Misalliance and Collected Stories) plays Simone, and Katrina Lenk (SCR’s Caucasian Chalk Circle; Off-Broadway’s The Miracle Worker) portrays Michaela. Two men round out the cast: Jamison Jones (SCR’s Doctor Cerberus, TV’s “24”) is Simone’s boyfriend, Ethan, and Jonathan Nichols (SCR’s Anna in the Tropics; Lincoln Center Theater’s Measure for Measure) is put-upon caretaker, Jos-B.

Playwright Molly Smith Metzler is a New York native whose play Close Up Space, starring David Hyde Pierce, is currently playing at The Manhattan Theatre Club. A graduate of NYU and The Juilliard School, Metzler is also the author of the plays Carve and Training Wisteria.

Elemeno Pea’s artistic team is comprised of Ralph Funicello (set design), David Kay Mickelsen (costume design), Lap Chi Chu (lighting design), Cricket S. Myers (sound design) and Jamie A. Tucker (stage manager).

Geoff and Valerie Fearns are the Honorary Producers. PBS SoCal is the Segerstrom Stage media partner, and Orange Coast magazine is the production’s media partner.

TICKETS: Can 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. $20-$68.

BOX OFFICE WINDOW HOURS: 10 a.m. to showtime Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to showtime Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and non-performance days. American Express, VISA and MasterCard accepted.

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