Sarah Ruhl's Offbeat Comedy DEAD MAN'S CELL PHONE is Coming to the Alley Theatre This Spring

The Alley Theatre and Artistic Director Rob Melrose will present Sarah Ruhl's offbeat comedy, Dead Man's Cell Phone. The play will be directed by the Alley's Associate Producer & Casting Director, Brandon Weinbrenner and runs April 17 - May 10, 2020 in the Hubbard Theatre. Tickets are available at alleytheatre.org or by calling the Box Office at 713.220.5700.

Dead Man's Cell Phone begins with an incessantly ringing cell phone in a quiet café, a stranger at the next table who has had enough, and a dead man. The off-the-wall play is a wildly imaginative comedy by Sarah Ruhl (Eurydice, The Clean House) that follows the odyssey of a woman forced to confront her own assumptions about morality, redemption, and the need to connect in a technologically obsessed world.

"Sarah Ruhl has created a world in Dead Man's Cell Phone unlike any other. The audience, like the characters living in the world, has to adjust its perception of reality, language, and time to navigate this whimsical tale," said Brandon Weinbrenner. "By using the generation-defining gadget, the cell phone, Ruhl incites a quest for her protagonist that is completely relatable yet utterly bizarre. The result is nothing short of magic. I'm humbled to bring all the unifying and isolating moments of Dead Man's Cell Phone to the Hubbard Theatre at The Alley Theatre."

The cast is comprised of five Alley Theatre Resident Acting Company members: Elizabeth Bunch as Jean, Chris Hutchison as Gordon, Melissa Pritchett as The Other Woman, Jay Sullivan as Dwight, and Todd Waite as Mrs. Gottlieb. The cast also includes Michelle Elaine (Quack, All the Way) as Hermia.

Dead Man's Cell Phone's creative team includes Scenic Design by Michael Locher, Costume Design by Tricia Barsamian, Lighting Design by Isabella Byrd, Sound Design by Matt Starritt, Stage Manager Rachel Dooley-Harris, and Assistant Stage Manager Rebecca R. D. Hamlin.

Dead Man's Cell Phone begins previews April 17, opens April 22, and runs through May 10 in the Hubbard Theatre. Performances of Dead Man's Cell Phone are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dead Man's Cell Phone is recommended for mature audiences, ages 14 and up.

SPONSORS: The Alley Theatre is supported by the 2019-20 Season sponsor United Airlines, the official airline of The Alley Theatre. Dead Man's Cell Phone is generously sponsored by Deloitte, Stephen and Donna Greenlee, and Thomas R. Walters and Hollis B. Kazmann.

TICKETS: Tickets to Dead Man's Cell Phone are now on sale and start at $28. Discounted tickets are available for military, seniors, educators, and any student, regardless of age, with a valid student/school ID for designated performances. Tickets can be ordered online (alleytheatre.org) or by phone (713.220.5700).

DESIGNER TALK: An hour before the Sunday, April 19 matinee preview performance (2:30 p.m.), a member of the artistic staff will lead a discussion with the production's creative team to give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the design process. This pre-show talk will offer audiences an exclusive opportunity to ask questions about the designers' work and learn how they brought the script to life. The Designer Talk will take place in the Texas Room.

ALLEY CHAT: The Alley Theatre will present a post-show discussion following the Saturday, April 25 at 2:30 p.m. performance, which will feature civic leaders, distinguished academics, and area professionals discussing the themes of the play and how they are reflected in our lives today. The Dead Man's Cell Phone cast will be featured during a post-show discussion following the Tuesday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. performance.

To post a comment, you must register and login.