Amphibian Stage Productions to Open THE BIBLE: THE COMPLETE WORD OF GOD (ABRIDGED), 7/11

Amphibian Stage Productions opens its third main stage production of the 2013 season, The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) by Adam Long, ReEd Martin, and Austin Tichenor, next week at the company's home on South Main Street. Luke Longacre, Brandon J. Murphy, and Scott Zenreich star in this irreverent comedy, running Thursday, July 11 through Sunday, August 11. Jay Duffer directs the production.

Brandon J. Murphy has appeared on Amphibian's stage several times, most recently in the 2012 main stage production of The True History of the Tragic Life and Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, the Ugliest Woman in the World and in the 2012 staged reading of The Ding Dongs or What Is the Penalty in Portugal? Director Jay Duffer appeared in Amphibian's 2011 production of Wittenberg, which also starrEd Brandon J. Murphy. Luke Longacre and Scott Zenreich will make their Amphibian debuts in this production.

Additionally, The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) features set design by Sean Urbantke, lighting design by Frederick Uebele, sound design by David Lanza, costume design by Emilee Kyle, and props design by Cosmo Jones.

Prepare ye the way for an irreverent roller coaster ride through the Good Book, from fig leaves to final judgment, as three cultural guerrillas tackle the great theological questions. No one is safe, especially the first row, and everything you thought you knew about the most widely read book in history will be turned upside down. Bolts of lightning are headed this way.

The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) will run from Thursday, July 11 through Sunday, August 11 at Amphibian Stage Productions. Thursday, July 11 is a private opening night for Amphibian's Devonian members and press and is available by invitation only. A "pay-what-you-can" invited dress rehearsal will be available on Wednesday, July 10 that is open to the public.

Tickets for The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors, and $15 for students. For tickets and more information, theatergoers may call 817-923-3012, email boxoffice@amphibianproductions.org, or visit www.amphibianproductions.org. The theatre is located at 120 S. Main Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76104.

Adam Long (Playwright) began his professional life as an accountant for an anti-nuclear political action committee by day and bassist for an acoustic punk band by night. Then he put on a skirt and wig and became a founding member of the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Adam toured with the RSC, spent five years following The Grateful Dead, performed stand-up comedy in Canada, became a Buddhist, and finally settled in England where he lives in London with wife Alex, son Joe, daughter Tilly, friend John, four guinea pigs, a fish, two tortoises, a cat, and a small grey rabbit called Willard.

ReEd Martin (Playwright) is a graduate of UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, The Bill Kinnamon School of Professional Umpire Training, and Clown College. He has performed in 46 states and 11 foreign countries, including New Jersey. Prior to joining the Reduced Shakespeare Company in 1989, he was a clown with Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Circus where he spent two years frightening children and smelling of elephants. He lives in Northern California with his wife and two sons, all three of whom are much funnier than he is. Reed feels strongly that toilet paper should be fed over the top of the roll.

Austin Tichenor (Playwright) remains disappointingly average despite three very expensive degrees (two from UC Berkeley and one from Boston University). For seven seasons, he served as Associate Producing Director of the American Stage Festival in Milford, NH, writing over 20 plays and musicals for young audiences, as well as directing summer-stocky things like The Foreigner and Jesus Christ Superstar. His productions there of A Christmas Carol and Frankenstein (which he wrote) and Much Ado About Nothing and The Tempest (which he directed) were seen by literally dozens of people. Fortunately, children's theatre, summer-stock Shakespeare and puppets proved to be the ideal training ground for the Reduced Shakespeare Company, which he joined in 1992. He also produces and hosts the podcast award-nominated Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. He has two kids (one of each) and lives in Chicago, where he is writing the Great American Novel and the Terrible Lithuanian Screenplay.

Jay Duffer (Director) last worked with Amphibian Stage Productions in 2011, when he performed in the company's main stage production of Wittenberg by David Davalos. His New York directing credits include Big Girl, Little World at The Greenwich Street Theatre, Cratchett Farm at Dillon's Reprise Room and Carl and Shelly: Best Friends Forever for the 2008 New York International Fringe Festival. He also directed the popular New York-based sketch comedy troupe, Freedumb. He currently serves as Chair of the Theatre Department and Division Chair of the Fine Arts at Huntington University.

Luke Longacre (Reed) is making his Amphibian Stage Productions debut in this production. He has appeared on Broadway in The Frogs and Times They Are A'Changin'. His regional credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Casa Mañana, The Who's Tommy at Dallas Theater Center, and The Traveling Lady and Violet at WaterTower Theatre. He holds a B.F.A. from the University of Oklahoma and is currently teaching theatre at Seguin High School in Arlington, Texas.

Brandon J. Murphy (Austin) was last seen at Amphibian Stage Productions in the staged reading of The Ding Dongs or What Is the Penalty in Portugal? and in the main stage production of The True History of the Tragic Life and Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, the Ugliest Woman in the World. Previous Amphibian credits include Wittenberg, Treats, and Eyes Forward. Other area credits include Present Laughter at Theatre Three and Much Ado About Nothing with Shakespeare Dallas. His New York credits include Townville and The Play About My Dad at Collaboration Town, The Book of Liz at Piper Theater, and As You Like It with Wingspan Arts. He holds a B.F.A. from Boston University.

Scott Zenreich (Matt) is making his Amphibian Stage Productions debut in this production. His regional credits include work with Dallas Children's Theater, Casa Mañana, WaterTower Theatre, the Majestic Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, New Century Theatre, and Texas Shakespeare Festival. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Emerson College.

Amphibian Stage Productions is a non-profit theatre company founded in 2000 by three alumni of TCU's Department of Theatre who strive to produce innovative and engaging works of theatre that challenge the way we see the world around us. Now in its fourteenth season, Amphibian has produced numerous groundbreaking and challenging plays (some regional premieres, others US or world premieres) that foster a deeper understanding of ourselves as members of the global community. The company is widely recognized for its stylistically and thematically varied scripts.

Committed to nurturing young and diverse audiences, Amphibian has developed a strong internship program, a summer acting workshop for teens, and a dynamic outreach project, Tad-Poles, that is steadily increasing the company's visibility and following. The group travels to schools and community centers, performing and spreading a message of multicultural collaboration and tolerance.

Amphibian is generously funded by Alcon Foundation, Amon G. Carter Foundation, Ann L. & Carol Greene Rhodes Charitable Trust, Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, Bates Container, BBVA Compass, Berlene T. and Jarrell R. Milburn, Mrs. Betty J. Sanders, Hattie Mae Lesley Foundation, Out of Nowhere Website Design, Pangburn Foundation, Pier 1 imports, Sid W. Richardson Foundation, Texas Commission on the Arts, Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust, Wells Fargo Bank, William E. Scott Foundation, and the Devonian Society, a group of Amphibian's devoted donors who are proud to be the force behind nurturing the next generation of artists and audiences.

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