The Hypocrites Returning to Actors Theatre of Louisville

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Jennifer Bielstein are delighted to welcome back Chicago's theatre renegades The Hypocrites to Louisville with their playful reimagining of H.M.S. Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan. Director Sean Graney and his multi-talented ensemble of actors will lead audiences on an extended voyage through a reel of rare delights as they turn W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's classic operetta on its head in this charmingly silly interpretation. Co-adapted by Sean Graney, Andra Velis Simon and Matt Kahler, H.M.S. Pinafore will run as part of the Brown-Forman Series with preview performances beginning on November 1 7, opening on November 19 and running through December 13, 2015. Single tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at ActorsTheatre.org or by calling 502.584.1205.

Join Chicago theatre renegades The Hypocrites on the high seas-or, in this case, at a slumber party full of pajama-clad sailors-in their playful reimagining of the popular Gilbert and Sullivan classic. Joseph, the Captain's son, falls for lowly sailor Ralphina Rackstraw...but duty demands that he marry the lofty Admiral Dame Jo-Ann instead! Replete with guitars, ukuleles, and reversed gender roles, this comic tale of love, intrigue, and social satire comes to life as you've never seen it before.

HMS Pinafore features an ensemble of ten talented actors, including Doug Pawlik as Joseph, Dana Omar as Ralphina Rackstraw, Emily Casey as Captain Cat Coran/Sailress Bobbi, Rob McLean as Lil' Buttercup, Erik Schroeder as Cousin Heebies, Lauren Vogel as Dame JoAnne Porter/Sailress Billi, Kate Carson-Groner as Dot Dead Eye, Erin O'Shea as Tiff'ni, Patrick Martin and Danny Goodman as Manfolk.

The Creative Team includes Tom Burch and Michael Smallwood (Co-Scenic Designers), Alison Siple (Costume Designer), Heather Gilbert (Lighting Designer), Rick Sims (Sound Designer), Andra Velis Simon (Music Director), and Mario DeFabo (Properties Designer).

Artistic Director Sean Graney created The Hypocrites in 1997. The Hypocrites are recognized as groundbreakers that defy the audience's expectations. Their recent production of Graney's All Our Tragic, a twelve-hour adaptation combining all 32 surviving Greek Tragedies, garnered the company six 2015 Equity Jeff Awards in its first year of eligibility. The company has grown significantly in the past few years, receiving acclaim for productions at the Steppenwolf Garage, Goodman Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art, DCASE Storefront, Chopin Theater and nationally at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. The company's smash-hit production of Our Town, directed by David Cromer, transferred in 2009 to Off-Broadway, Los Angeles and Boston. The American Theatre Wing, best known as the creator of the Tony Awards, presented The Hypocrites with one of the 2013 National Theatre Company awards. Since the company's founding, they have produced over fifty mainstage productions and eight festival pieces, securing twenty-nine Joseph Jefferson Citations and two After Dark Awards. In Greek, the word "hypocrite" means "actor," or someone who pretends to be what they are not. However, the company's name is actually inspired by Eugène Ionesco's Notes and Counternotes. According to the playwright, a person cannot be held to one idea. Ionesco consistently contradicts himself throughout the book, hence its title and The Hypocrites' name. For more information, please visit www.the-hypocrites.com.

Actors Theatre is committed to providing an accessible theatre-going experience and offers an open captioned performance on Saturday, November 28 at 4 p.m. and an audio described performance on Sunday, November 29 at 2.30 p.m. For more information on our facilities and all services offered, visit http://actorstheatre.org/your-visit/seat-charts-and-accessibility/.

Plus, join us aboard the H.M.S. Pinafore by purchasing promenade seating. For a truly unique immersive experience purchase a promenade ticket for a memorable perspective of this musical-comedy that you won't soon forget. Come prepared to move around as a promenade ticket lets you share the space with the cast and allows you to sit or stand practically anywhere on the stage deck. Promenade seats are limited and tickets start at just $20 (ticket fees apply) Single tickets are on sale to the public and can be purchased by calling the Actors Theatre Box Office at 502.584.1205 or online at actorstheatre.org. Discount rates for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 502.585.1210.

H.M.S. Pinafore is made possible in part by Brown-Forman, Kentucky Arts Council and Fund for the Arts. Additional support for Actors Theatre's educational outreach is provided by Yum! Brands Foundation through their sponsorship of Actors Theatre's Student Matinee Series.

To post a comment, you must register and login.