NOISES OFF Opening Soon At The Long Beach Playhouse

For those who love a good British farce, imagine the joy of being able to watch the mayhem going on behind the scenes as well as that taking place on the stage. British playwright Michael Frayne's hysterically funny play, Noises Off, does exactly that. He takes audiences "backstage" for rehearsals and then onstage performances of a comedy that goes hilariously wrong during its 10-week run. As the actors struggle to produce a flop called Nothing On, doors are slammed, cues are missed, and sardines are spilled as lives and careers dangle in the balance.

"Noises Off has been called 'the funniest farce ever written'," said Executive Director, Madison Mooney. "We get to follow the actors and the show from rehearsal to final performance. With each act we witness the deteriorating relationships between the cast and relish the romantic rivalries and quarrels that lead to all kinds of hilarious shenanigans."

Noises Off was written in 1982 and played in London to enthusiastic audiences and reviews. During its first Broadway run in 1984, it was nominated for both Tony and Drama Desk Awards. For nearly 40 years, the play has been a staple of both professional and community theaters on both sides of the Atlantic.

This is its first production at the Long Beach Playhouse, partly due to the complexities of the set which requires shifting between backstage happenings and the onstage performance. Sean Gray, Artistic Director for the Playhouse, felt Larry Mura, the theater's technical director as well as the show's set designer, had the expertise to make it work.

About the production Gray said, "Noises Off has been described as a theatrical turducken in which each peeled back layer reveals another. We see the theater, we see the farce and we see the foibles of human beings. We see how much must go right for so much to go wrong. As one character philosophically observes, it's a lot like life."

The show's director is Gregory Cohen, a veteran Playhouse actor and director. Cohen's acuity with comedy and all its possibilities makes him the perfect choice for the show. He and Gray assembled a cast of actors who will bring forth all the comedic possibilities. The cast includes returning actors: Andrea Stradling, John Vann, Amara Phelps, Travis Wade, and Lewis Leighton. Making their Playhouse debuts are Eric Schiffer, Jensen Higley, Lyndsay Palmer and P J Cimacio.

Drawing upon on of the classic scenes in the play, Mooney says, "Come laugh your sardines off as you experience one of the funniest shows ever written." Noises Off opens February 22 and runs through March 21, 2020.

Tickets are available at www.lbplayhouse.org, or by calling 562-494-1014, option 1.

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