Florida Rep To Debut Newly-Renovated ArtStage Studio Theatre with CAMPING WITH HENRY & TOM, 11/2 - 11/25

Florida Repertory Theatre is pleased to announce the grand opening of its Newly-Renovated ArtStage Studio Theatre with Mark St. Germain's CAMPING WITH HENRY & TOM, a witty and entertaining evening with Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and President Warren G. Harding. Based on true events, this delightfully funny docu-comedy plays Nov. 2nd through 25th with two nearly sold-out previews on Oct. 31st and Nov. 1st.

"This really is the perfect play to debut in our renovated ArtStage Studio Theatre," said Producing Artistic Director Robert Cacioppo, "it's a play is about Edison and Ford that will really resonate with Southwest Florida audiences, and will create wareness about our new performance venue. It's even more special because these men actually spent time in Southwest Florida - and in this building. They watched some of the first movies in the Arcade Theatre, and we'll be performing just steps away from where these men actually stood."

The newly renovated ArtStage Studio Theatre is an adaptable and intimate theatre space where no seat is farther than nine feet from the stage, and Camping with Henry and Tom will be presented "in-the-round" - which means the audience is seated on four sides with the stage in the middle. Furnished with 120 comfortable new chairs, higher ceilings, and assigned seating, the renovation allows Florida Rep to expand its programming in that room, and makes it possible to present larger shows with more actors and bigger sets than in previous seasons. The renovation was made possible, in large part, through the generous support of Florida Rep board member, Arthur M. Zupko, as well as a significant anonymous contributor.

In CAMPING WITH HENRY & TOM, it's the summer of 1921, and Edison and Ford are on one of their famous camping trips, this time with the President in tow, when they get stranded in the Maryland Wilderness after Ford drives his Model-T off the road. This deftly comic play is an exploration of friendship, industry, and politics, where the President finds himself caught in a clash between two of the greatest minds of the 20th century, and is the perfect play for an election year.

CAMPING WITH HENRY & TOM features regional theatre veterans Graham Smith (Ford) and Ed Pilkington (Edison) – both making their Florida Rep debuts, as well as Florida Rep ensemble member, Peter Thomasson (Black Tie; Rumors) as Harding, and Florida Rep intern and recent Rollins College graduate, Brian Hatch, as the President's Secret Service agent.

Producing Artistic Director, Robert Cacioppo (Red; Rumors), directs the production, and is joined by an expert team of designers, including set designer Richard Crowell (The Mystery of Irma Vep), lighting designer David M. Upton (Bedroom Farce), resident costume designer, Roberta Malcolm (It's a Wonderful Life), sound designer Kate Smith (Lend Me a Tenor), and stage manager Audrey M. Brown (The Santaland Diaries).

CAMPING WITH HENRY & TOM by Mark St. Germain plays November 2nd through November 25 with previews October 31 at 2pm and November 1st at 8pm in the newly renovated ArtStage Studio Theatre. Regular performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8pm, with matinees on Wednesday, Sunday, and selected Saturdays at 2pm with a 7pm twilight performance on Sunday, November 4th.

CAMPING WITH HENRY & TOM is the first of four plays that will make up the 2012-13 ArtStage Studio Series, and later this season, Florida Rep is pleased to present David Sedaris' The Santaland Diaries, the multiple Tony-nominated drama, Time Stands Still, and the world's longest running musical, The Fantasticks.

Single tickets are now on sale through the box office at 239-332-4488, online at floridarep.org, and are $40 and $25 for discounted previews. Subscriptions for the 2012-2013 Season offer the best savings, and packages start as low as $120 for 6 plays, and offer up to 40% off single ticket prices. Ask about their special introductory ArtStage Studio Theatre offer where subscribers can choose any 3 shows for just $75!

CAMPING WITH HENRY & TOM is sponsored by Naomi Bloom & Ron Wallace and Northern Trust Bank. 

Florida Repertory Theatre is located on Bay St. between Jackson & Hendry with ample free parking in the Fort Myers River District. Follow Florida Rep on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube by visiting them online at www.floridarep.org.

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