OpenStage Theatre Presents THE ONE-EYED MAN IS KING, 10/31-11/28

The One-Eyed Man is King is a charming modern fable that challenges our views on life and love. Opening Oct. 31 at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center, OpenStage Theatre's production of Carter Lewis' witty play centers on the charismatic Bendalli, a blind thief who struggles to "see" his way into the lives of those he robs, and Lise, a lonely woman trying to cope with the impending loss of her terminally ill husband and the anger of her stepdaughter.

The One Eyed Man is King is inspired by the H.G. Wells short story "The Country of the Blind," in which a sighted man stumbles into a mythical society where everyone is blind. The man, hoping to lead the people out of the valley and into a better life, soon discovers that the villagers view him as a handicapped outsider.

Playwright Lewis turns Wells' story on its head by creating a blind man who often sees the world more clearly than the woman he has "marked." Night after night, Bendalli returns to Lise's house, threatening to rob her "blind" while she looks forward to his visits simply for the company. Their evenings together forge an unlikely bond, and when lines of sight begin to blur Bendalli and Lise find their approach to life dramatically altered.

"Carter Lewis catches the tone and sense of H.G. Wells' short story while maintaining an ambiguous attitude towards the morality of the tale's fable," said OpenStage Director Bruce K. Freestone. "The characters help each other recognize and illuminate their own situations. She helps him come to resolution and he helps her break out of a trap."

Freestone is focusing on the script's tension between light and dark, movement and stillness. "This contrast forms the basis of the play and makes it an intriguing world to enter," said Freestone. "Ultimately, like any good fable, it's also a good story."

Performances of The One-Eyed Man Is King are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights from Oct. 31 to Nov. 28, with Sunday matinées at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15 and Nov. 22.  Performances are at the Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia in Fort Collins. Audience members who attend in costume on opening night, Saturday, October 31, will be eligible to win a costume contest that will include prizes donated by local restaurants and hotels. A free performance for students and educators, funded by The Thornton Family Foundation, will be presented on Thursday, October 29, at 7:30 p.m. To make reservations for the student/educator performance, contact OpenStage Theatre at (970) 484-5237.

Individual tickets are $20 adults, $15 seniors and students and groups of 10 or more. Matinee tickets are $13 per person. Tickets for FAB Friday, sponsored by Boulder Beer, on Nov. 6, are $12 and include a free beer at intermission. Tickets are available from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, through the Lincoln Center box office at (970) 221-6730 and online at www.LCTIX.com.

A play guide containing information on the play and the playwright is available online at www.openstage.com. Click on The One-Eyed Man Is King on the home page and then on the Play Guide icon at the top of the show page.

Audiences are invited to meet the cast of The One-Eyed Man Is King following every performance. Free covered parking is available exclusively for OpenStage audiences at Lincoln Office Center, 419 Canyon Ave.

Major funding for The One-Eyed Man Is King is provided by KRFC-fm and Scene Magazine with additional funding provided by The Armstrong Hotel.

Currently celebrating its thirty-seventh season, OpenStage Theatre is supported by grants from the Colorado Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Fort Collins Fort Fund and the Thornton Family Foundation.

For more information, visit OpenStage's website at www.openstage.com or call 970-484-5237. Founded in 1973, OpenStage Theatre is a recipient of the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts and a member of Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for not-for-profit professional theatres.

A not-for-profit organization, OpenStage Theatre relies heavily on the support of sponsors and patrons who help make each season a success. With assistance from corporations, foundations and the general public, OpenStage has been able to maintain high quality productions for 37 years. For information on sponsorship and charitable gifts and how you can support OpenStage Theatre, please call (970) 484-5237.

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