Human Race Theatre Company Presents UNDER A RED MOON, 10/18-27

The Human Race Theatre Company adds a special production to its 2012-2013 Season with Michael Slade's new play Under a Red Moon.

Witness a chilling psychological thriller inspired by the true events of Britain's notorious 1949 "Acid Bath Murderer." Confessed serial killer John George Haigh awaits trial in prison as Dr. Ruth Covington arrives to determine his mental state for the court. While he welcomes their one-on-one encounter, Haigh won't give up his secrets too easily, knowing full well that it's the hangman's noose if he is found sane. This world premiere co-production with The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center is a tightly-wound cat-and-mouse game to define the meaning of good and evil. Under a Red Moon runs for a limited two-week engagement at The Loft Theatre, October 18 through 27, before transferring to The Carnegie's Covington, Kentucky venue for an additional nine performances, November 2 through 18.

Playwright Michael Slade was intrigued by the story of the Acid Bath Murderer's horrific deeds years ago when he was having lunch with a wealthy theatre producer who confided in him that she and a friend nearly became Haigh's victims when they met him while on a European tour in the 1940s. They met him while staying in a London hotel and it was only through luck that a last minute change of plans kept them from a taking a daytrip with him. Slade continues, "Several weeks later, every newspaper had a picture of Haigh and the caption: 'Acid Bath Murderer Confesses!' They learned that he routinely befriended his well-off victims and lured them to the country where he killed them and disposed of the bodies in vats of acid." Haigh's "confession" and his insanity plea intriguEd Slade. "Can any serial killer be considered truly sane? And how does one prove oneself insane?" he wondered. And in that exploration, Slade had found his play.

Under a Red Moon's three-member cast includes returning regional actor Daniel C. Britt (Human Race and Wright State University's 2010 August: Osage County) as Ralph Gow, and newcomers Bradford Cover (A Thousand Clowns on Broadway) as John George Haigh and Dee Pelletier (Broadway's August: Osage County) as Dr. Ruth Covington. The production is directed by Margarett Perry (Human Race's God of Carnage and The Retreat from Moscow) with set design by Scott J. Kimmins, costume design by Ayn Wood, lighting design by John Rensel and sound design by Nathan D. Dean. Aaron Vega is the stage manager.

"We're very excited to be able to work with The Carnegie Center on Under a Red Moon," says Human Race Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore. "We share a similar mission and I've long admired their willingness to do daring work. We've been looking for a show on which we could collaborate for years, and when Michael presented us with this script, all the pieces just fell into place." The co-production opportunity allows both companies to present this brand new work to their audiences while sharing expenses and combining resources.

Production sponsors for Under a Red Moon are Rob and Leesa Comparin and the Berry Family Foundation/The Marsha Hanna Memorial Fund.

PERFORMANCE AND SPECIAL EVENT INFORMATION
Tickets for the preview performance of Under a Red Moon on October 18 are $31 for adults, $29 for seniors and $15.50 for students. For all performances October 19 – 27, single ticket prices are $36 and $40 for adults, $34 and $38 for seniors and $17.50 and $19.50 for students. Prices vary depending on the day of the week desired. Group discounts are available. The Human Race Theatre is offering a pair of discount ticket opportunities. Twenty-five special $25 tickets are available at each performance, on sale two weeks prior to that performance. The Sunday, October 21 7:00 p.m. performance is "Sawbuck Sunday", when available seats can be purchased in person for just $10 at The Loft Theatre box office two hours prior to the show. Discounts are subject to availability and some restrictions apply.

All performances are at the Metropolitan Art Center's Loft Theatre, located at 126 North Main Street in downtown Dayton, Ohio.

Show times for Under a Red Moon are 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday evenings and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday and Tuesday evenings. The Sunday matinee is at 2:00 p.m. The Pay-What-You-CAN rehearsal is Wednesday, October 17 at 8:00 p.m. and is open to the public with a cash gift for AIDS Resource Center of Ohio or donation of a canned good or non-perishable food item for The Food Bank. The "Inside Track" pre-show discussion begins at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 17, prior to the 8:00 p.m. performance. "Lite Fare at The Loft" with food and drink provided by Citilites begins in The Loft Theatre lobby at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 23. The "While We're on the Subject" post-show talkback in on Sunday, October 21, immediately following the 2:00 p.m. performance.

Tickets and performance information on Under a Red Moon are available online at www.humanracetheatre.org or by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630, and at the Schuster Center box office.

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