Photo Flash: First Look at The Human Race Theatre Co's ONE SLIGHT HITCH

Spring has sprung and while love is in the air at The Human Race, April showers loom for the characters of the theatre company's latest production, ONE SLIGHT HITCH. The production at The Human Race's downtown Dayton home at The Loft Theatre is directed by Margarett Perry and features actors Brian Dykstra and Rita Rehn, with Dana Berger, Alex Curtis, Cecily Dowd, Kyle Nunn and Alex Sunderhaus. The preview performance of ONE SLIGHT HITCH is tonight, April 7. Opening night is tomorrow, April 8. The production runs through April 24. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Life in suburban Cincinnati is good for Doc and Delia Coleman on the morning they're about to throw their eldest daughter the perfect wedding they never had, that is until her vagabond exboyfriend arrives on their doorstep and turns their best laid plans into total chaos. The result is a zany, door-slamming comedy about stressed-out parents, less-than-helpful siblings and interruptions galore from the mind of comedian Lewis Black. Will their daughter make it down the aisle or will the day end up a perfect disaster?

Black wrote ONE SLIGHT HITCH in the early 1980s, inspired by his breakup with a girlfriend who married quickly after their separation. Confused and upset over her nuptials, he turned his pain into a comedy that had some initial success with readings at various regional theatres and festivals. It was even optioned for Broadway before interest in the script faded for the better part of 30 years. Now a published work, Black attributes the play's newfound success to his celebrity status as the "King of Rant," but cautions that it is very different than his stand-up persona. "If my name weren't on it," he says, "nobody would know that I wrote this play."

Perry has assembled a seven-member cast, most of whom will be new to Loft Theatre audiences. New York City actor and playwright Brian Dykstra (Lucky Guy on Broadway, The Body Politic and Call Me Waldo Off-Broadway, All the Way at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis) is the harried father of the bride, "Doc." Rita Rehn (Nine on Broadway, Last Dance and Defiance Off-Broadway) plays his wife, "Delia." Alex Curtis (The Grapes of Wrath at Trinity Rep and Yellowjackets at Berkeley Rep) is "Ryan," the ex-boyfriend with the worst timing. New York-based actress Dana Berger (Elementary on CBS, Seminar at Kitchen Theatre Company) is the bride, "Courtney," and the oldest of three daughters. Cincinnati native Alex Sunderhaus (HRTC's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the Victoria Theatre and August: Osage County, HRTC's collaboration with Wright State University) plays middle sister "Melanie." Centerville High School junior Cecily Dowd (Muse Machine's Mary Poppins) is teenage daughter "PB." Cincinnati Conservatory of Music alum Kyle Nunn (HRTC's Miracle on South Division Street) returns for his second comedy at The Loft as Courtney's fiancé, "Harper," a role for which he was hand-selected by Lewis Black himself.

Dayton area artist Ray Zupp takes his first turn as scenic designer at The Human Race, having created sets for a number of regional performing arts organizations. ONE SLIGHT HITCH marks frequent Human Race costume designer Janet G. Powell's twelfth production at The Loft. Resident Artist John Rensel is the lighting designer. Todd Mack Reischman (HRTC's Seussical, Big River), resident sound designer at Indiana Repertory Theatre, serves as the sound designer. Kay Carver is the production stage manager. Biographies on the cast and creative team can be found on The Human Race Theatre Company's website. The Human Race Theatre Company's production of ONE SLIGHT HITCH is sponsored by India and John Clarke and the Theda and Tamblin Clark-Smith Family Foundation, Doug Annala and Sam Rinehart, Heidelberg Distributing Company, Burhill Leasing Corporation and Matthew J. Scarr, CPA LLC.

Tickets for the preview performance of ONE SLIGHT HITCH on April 7 start at $35 for adults, $32 for seniors and $17.50 for students. For all performances April 8 - 24, single ticket prices start at $40 for adults, $37 for seniors and $20 for students. All performances are at the Metropolitan Art Center's Loft Theatre, located at 126 North Main Street in downtown Dayton, Ohio. Tickets and performance information on ONE SLIGHT HITCH are available at www.humanracetheatre.org or by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630, and at the Schuster Center box office.

Photo Credit: Scott J. Kimmins

Dana Berger, Rita Rehn, Alex Sunderhaus, Cecily Dowd and Brian Dykstra

Rita Rehn and Brian Dykstra

Dana Berger, Rita Rehn, Kyle Nunn, Alex Curtis, Cecily Dowd, Alex Sunderhaus and Brian Dykstra