Comedy WHAT THE BUTLER SAW Opens At Marin Theater 6/4

Marin Theatre Company presents the final show of its highly successful 2008-09 season with a seminal work of modern comedy, Joe Orton's uproarious farce What the Butler Saw in MTC's Boyer Theatre beginning June 4.

The all-star cast includes Charles Shaw Robinson (seen recently in Gore Vidal's The Best Man at Aurora Theatre) and Stacy Ross (who just appeared in Sarah Ruhl's In the Next Room at Berkeley Rep) as Dr. and Mrs. Prentice. Andy Murray, last seen at MTC as Sharky in the acclaimed production of The Seafarer, appears as Dr. Rance. The cast also includes Bay Area favorites Rowan Brooks as Nicholas Beckett, Kevin Rolston as Sargeant Match, and Cat Walleck as Geraldine.

When psychiatrist Dr. Prentice tries to seduce an aspiring secretary, his botched efforts lead to comic bedlam involving his insatiable wife, a randy bellhop, a befuddled police officer, and ultimately, the formidable manhood of Sir Winston Churchill. Wild, risqué, and ferociously playful, What the Butler Saw has been delighting audiences since it was first produced on the London stage in 1969.

"I love Joe Orton and am thrilled to be reviving one of his great comedies this season. We welcome back Amy Glazer, who has directed many hit productions at MTC over the years, to work with some of the Bay Area's best comedic actors. I promise that this hilarious play will put you in stitches!" says MTC Artistic Director Jasson Minadakis.

British playwright Joe Orton had a short but prolific career, ending early when he died at the age of 34 in 1967. He shocked, outraged, and amused audiences with his scandalous black comedies including Entertaining Mr. Sloane (1964 London Critics ‘Variety' Award as Best Play), Loot (1966 Evening Standard Drama Award for Best Play), and Crimes of Passion. Orton's final play, What the Butler Saw, was staged in 1969 at the Queen's Theatre, and went to off-Broadway in New York where it won an OBIE Award.

Well-known director Amy Glazer has worked at almost every theater in the Bay Area. Her recent productions include directing Donald Margulies' The Model Apartment at Traveling Jewish Theatre and the 2008 production of Conor McPherson's Shining City at SF Playhouse. At MTC, she last directed Bryony Lavery's Frozen in 2007.

THE FACTS
For more information visit www.marintheatre.org or call 415.388.5208.
Marin Theatre Company is located at 397 Miller Ave, Mill Valley CA 94941.

Previews-Thursday, June 4 through Sunday, June 7, 2009

Opening Night Gala-Tuesday, June 9 at 8:00 pm

Performance Schedule
Tues, Thu, Fri and Sat 8:00 pm
Wed 7:30 pm
Sun 7:00 pm
Matinees: Thu 1:00 pm | Sat and Sun 2:00 pm
Please check www.marintheatre.org <http://www.marintheatre.org> or call box office at 415.388.5208 for exact performance dates and times.

Ticket Prices $20-51
Previews: Thu through Sun: $31
Tues: $31 in advance or Pay-What-You-Can (excludes Opening)
Wed, Thu, & Sun Evenings: $34 & $41
Fri: $39 & $46
Sat Evenings: $44 & $51
Wed, Thu, Sat & Sun Matinees: $34 & $41
Opening Night (Tues) with Cast Reception: $44 & $55
Student tickets: $20, all performances
Senior discounts available
Rush tickets $10, available one-half hour prior to show, based on availability

MTC ENGAGED!
Programs for What the Butler Saw include:
Post-Show Q&As-After most performances (except Saturday performances and Opening Night), MTC hosts a Q&A with a member of MTC's Artistic staff and members of the cast.

After Words-Sunday, June 7
After our Sunday Preview matinee in the Boyer Theatre, Margot Melcon, MTC's Literary Manager/Dramaturg, will interview a personality onstage (TBA).

Opening Night-Tuesday, June 9
The theater's most festive evening! Meet the cast and director at an informal post-show reception and enjoy a complimentary glass of Korbel champagne and treats provided by Whole Foods.

Director's Night- Wednesdays, June 10 & 24
Lively post-show conversations with the director and/or cast members on two Wednesday evenings.

Wine Tasting Series-Saturday, June 13
Complimentary pre-show tasting (one hour prior to show) beginning at 7pm. Wine provided by Taft Street Winery Barefoot Wines and Bubbly.

Perspectives-Thu Matinee, June 18
Topical lecture one hour prior to the Thursday matinee, speaker TBA.

Happy Hour-Wednesday, June 17
All drinks half-off one hour before a Wednesday evening performances.

CAST BIOS
Joe Orton (Playwright) was born in Leicester in 1933 and died in August 1967. He left school at 16 and two years later went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His first staged play was Entertaining Mr. Sloane in 1964, winning the London Critics ‘Variety' Award as Best Play. In 1966, Loot won the Evening Standard Drama Award for the Best Play. The Ruffian on the Stair and the Erpingham Camp were performed as adouble bill at the Royal Court in 1967, under the title of Crimes of Passion. Orton's last play, What the Butler Saw, was staged in 1969 at the Queen's Theatre, and went to off-Broadway in New York where it won an OBIE Award. Film versions have been made of both Entertaining Mr Sloane and Loot. The Good and Faithful Servant was presented as a television play 1967, and the television play Funeral Games in 1968. Up Against It, Orton's only screenplay was commissioned by The Beatles in 1967 as a film to follow Help. The Beatles never made the film but the screenplay stands as a testament to Orton's extraordinary talent for social satire and farce. Recent revivals of Orton plays include Entertaining Mr. Sloane in 2001 at Arts Theatre, What the Butler Saw in 2005 at the Criterion Theatre, London, and Loot at the Tricycle Theatre in 2008.

Amy Glazer (Director) has directed many productions at MTC including Frozen, Displaced, Life x 3, My Old Lady, The Music Lesson, Misalliance, Candida, and Indiscretions. She has directed numerous world, American, and West Coast premieres including recent productions of The Model Apartment at Traveling Jewish Theatre, and Shining City and The Scene at SF Playhouse. Amy was an associate artist at Magic Theatre for many years where her productions included Sam Shepard's The God of Hell, Rebecca Gilman's The Crowd You're in With, The Sweetest Swing in Baseball, Blue Surge, and The American in Me; Steven Belber's Drifting Elegant and Tape; and Barry Gifford's Wyoming. For Eureka Theatre, she directEd Stonewall Jackson's House and Trust, and for TheatreWorks she directed Spinning into Butter, Pride's Crossing, An American Daughter, Conversations with My Father, Marvin's Room and Mrs. Klein. Amy's short film, Ball Lightning, premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival, and her feature film, Drifting Elegant, premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival. She is currently in post-production for her latest feature film, The Scene, by Theresa Rebeck. She is a theater and film professor at San Jose State University.

Rowan Brooks (Nicholas Beckett) has appeared in The Lieutenant of Inishmore at Berkeley Rep; Octopus at Magic Theatre; A Skull in Connemara and What the Butler Saw at B Street Theatre; A Midsummer Night's Dream at San Francisco Shakespeare Festival; Restoration Comedy, The Tempest, and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Part 2 at Cal Shakes; Serjeant Musgrave's Dance and Loveplay at TheatreFIRST; and Cabaret at Shotgun Players. Regional credits include Romeo and Juliet and Measure for Measure at Harlequin Productions; The Shrew Tamer at Northern Stage; A Midsummer Night's Dream at Artemis; The Wild Things at Central Park, New York; and Hay Fever, Henry VI Parts 1 & 2, and Taming of The Shrew at Pacific Repertory Theatre. London credits include Shadow of a Gunman, Dangerous Liaisons, and Blood Wedding. Rowan received his 3-Year Acting Diploma from The Oxford School of Drama.

Andy Murray (Dr. Rance) returns to MTC after his recent appearance as Sharky in the hit production of The Seafarer. He also appeared in the 2002 MTC production of The Hairy Ape. Andy appeared in 2008 Cal Shakes productions as Astrov in Uncle Vanya and Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. Andy has also worked at Berkeley Rep, A.C.T., San Jose Rep, Center Stage, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, McCarter Theatre, and Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC, among others. He teaches at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre and Cal Shakes.

Charles Shaw Robinson (Dr. Prentice) recently appeared in Gore Vidal's The Best Man at the Aurora Theatre Company and in the world premiere of Rebecca Gilman's The Crowd You're In With at Magic Theatre. He appeared in the West Coast premiere of Tony Kushner's Homebody/Kabul at Berkeley Rep; Othello at Cal Shakes; Henri in Magic Fire at Berkeley Rep and the Old Globe Theatre; and Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? at A.C.T. Charles played the role of the Father in Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice-the acclaimed production that began at the Berkeley Rep, was later mounted at Yale Repertory Theatre, and finally transferred for an extended run at the Second Stage Theatre in New York. New York credits include a starring role in the American premiere of Frank McGuinness' Gates of Gold; The Common Pursuit; John Houseman's production of The Cradle Will Rock; and Battery, directed by R. J. Cutler. Regional credits include the title roles in Hamlet at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Pericles at Centerstage, and Scaramouche at The Empty Space Theatre. Film work includes Carrier, No One Sleeps, Send Word, Bear Mother, and Presque Isle. He trained at Juilliard.

Kevin Rolston (Sergeant Match) appeared as Father Flynn in Doubt at Center Repertory Theatre, three world premieres at the Magic Theatre (including Rebecca Gilman's The Crowd You're in With); two tours with the San Francisco Mime Troupe; and has worked with PCPA Theatrefest, foolsFury, the San Francisco Playhouse, Word for Word, the New Federal Theatre, and the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (company member 2000-03). He recently understudied Lilian Groag's War Music at A.C.T. Kevin is a founding ensemble member of OutLook Theater Project.

Stacy Ross (Mrs. Prentice) has appeared at MTC in Frozen, Killer Joe, and Splittin' the Raft. She recently appeared as Annie in Sarah Ruhl's In the Next Room at Berkeley Rep, where she has also appeared in Cloud 9 and The Green Bird. Additional credits include The Gamester and The Rivals at A.C.T., An Ideal Husband and Triumph of Love at Cal Shakes, Major Barbara and Rabbit Hole at San Jose Repertory Theatre, and Misalliance and Three Sisters at Baltimore Centerstage. Her TV credits include America's Most Wanted and Nash Bridges.

Cat Walleck (Geraldine) recently graduated from the A.C.T. MFA program where she was most recently seen in the world premiere of Volleygirls at the Zeum, and A Christmas Carol (Mary), Good Breeding, Great Catherine, La Ronde, The Orphan Muses, and Romeo and Juliet (Juliet). She received a BA in romance languages and literature from Harvard University where she appeared in Equus, Twelfth Night, Rhinoceros, Lulu (title role), and The Playboy of the Western World, among others. She participated in The Guthrie Experience program in 2008, where she collaborated with a group of M.F.A. students from around the country to conceive and perform a musical film-noir comedy, Caviar on Credit.

ABOUT MTC
In its 42nd year, Marin Theatre Company is one of only five LORT theaters in the Bay Area, and is the largest professional regional theater company located in San Francisco's North Bay. It produces an annual season of more than 200 performances on its two stages. MTC provides a forum for contemporary, classic and emerging playwrights and, through the new Expanded Programs forum, an environment that introduces people of all ages to the transformative power of theater. Through its public performances, school tours, and various educational programs, MTC serves more than 40,000 people annually.

 

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