I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES with Richard Karn to Open 2/12 at Alhambra

In 1984 Tod Booth was hired to direct at the then-named Alhambra Dinner Theatre. The show? I Ought to be in Pictures starring Claude Akins. Five weeks later, on a return trip to watch a show, while sitting at table B15 with owner Leon Simon, Tod made an offer to buy the Alhambra. The deal was done on a napkin. In two years he took the gross revenue from $700,000 to $2,500,000 and was named "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the Jacksonville Business Journal. The rest, as Tod says, "is history." While not necessarily billed as an anniversary, it's hard to miss the parallels between the 1984 production and the 2014 production: Tod is still directing and the Alhambra is still bringing in big-name guest stars, this time Richard Karn from television's Home Improvement. I Ought to be in Pictures opens February 12, 2014 at the nation's longest running professional dinner theater.

Said Craig Smith, now-owner and Managing Partner of the Alhambra, "It is a tribute to Tod's talent and reputation as a director that he has been here for 30 years. There is no one better at putting big shows on a small stage than is Tod. We all congratulate him on his 30th year here, and look forward to this historic show with a great actor in the lead."

About the Show: Written by Neil Simon, the three-character comedy-drama involves Herbert Tucker, a struggling, writer's-blocked screenwriter who abandoned his New York family 16 years earlier. His daughter Libby arrives at the West Hollywood home of her father, whom she barely remembers. She is convinced that he can give her the Hollywood acting career she desires. Filled with guilt and demanding love, Libby not only forces Herb to deal with the responsibilities of parenthood, but to come to terms with his on-again/off-again relationship with girlfriend Steffy. Simon adapted his play for a 1982 feature film directed by Herbert Ross. Manoff reprised her role of Libby, with Walter Matthau as Herb and Ann-Margret as Steffy. Additional characters portrayed by Lance Guest and David Faustino, among others, were added to the plot.

About Richard Karn: Richard Karn is well known to America's television audience for his extraordinary success as "Al" on eight seasons of Home Improvement. The show is currently in worldwide syndication. Richard next spent four years starring as the host of the perennial hit game show Family Feud. Richard most recently starred in the Lifetime Television film A Daughter's Nightmare and recently starred in the independent family film, Gordon Family Tree. He started out in NYC performing roles in features Desperately Seeking Susan and House of Games. He worked on numerous television episodes including Carol Burnett's Carol & Company before landing Home Improvement. Currently, Richard is a recurring guest star with Tim Allen on the ABC comedy Last Man Standing.

Richard received a Masters degree from the Professional Actors Program at the University of Washington and started out in the theater, eventually performing on and off Broadway. He starred with Ben Vereen at the Pasadena Playhouse in Aladdin and His Winter Wish this holiday season. He starred in the title role in Larry Shue's The Foreigner and appeared in numerous other hit plays including Me and My Girl, Losing It, and The Other Shore. Recently, Richard starred in Game Show for Stage West in Calgary, Alberta, the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for The New Theatre in Kansas City. He performed in the feature film, Your Life as opposite his wife Tudi and son Cooper. Other stage work includes the Los Angeles premiere of the play Our Father, which was a "Critics Choice" of the Los Angeles Times.

I Ought to be in Pictures presented by WEJZ 96.9 will run at the Alhambra February 12 through March 16, 2014. Show time is 8:00 PM for evening shows Tuesday through Sunday. Doors open at 5:45 PM and dinner will be served until 7:30 PM. Matinees on Saturday are at 1:15 PM. Doors open at 11:00 AM and brunch starts at 11:15 AM. Sunday matinee is at 2:00. Doors open at noon and the meal starts at 12:15 PM. Group sales are available. Preview night pricing for the first two nights is available for $38. Regular pricing for tickets starts at $47 for adults and $35 for children. Ticket price includes dinner, show and parking. Call the box office at 904.641.1212 or www.alhambrajax.com.

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