Threshold Stage Company Presents The Seacoast Premiere THE ROOMMATE

"The Odd Couple" meets "Breaking Bad" in Threshold Stage Company's Seacoast premiere of Jen Silverman's critically acclaimed comedy "The Roommate" at the Star Theatre in Kittery. "The Roommate" revolves around two middle-aged women with completely opposite life-experiences as they become roommates and forge an unlikely friendship. Robyn, a vegan lesbian slam poet with an enigmatic past, moves from the Bronx, NY to Iowa City. Sharon, a somewhat sheltered and naïve recently-divorced housewife in need of a roommate, welcomes Robyn into her home and becomes increasingly intrigued and inspired by the mysterious past that Robyn is attempting to leave behind. The friendship and unlikely partnership the two form results in unpredictable and outrageously humorous situations and revelations about the cultural roles that are expected of us, the choices we make and who we are versus who we wish we could be.

"The Roommate" is a very current cutting-edge comedy that is typically produced by large regional theatres. "We were very fortunate to obtain the rights to Silverman's critically acclaimed play" says Threshold co-artistic director Peter Motson. "We wanted to focus on the acting this season by producing a play with a small cast, well-written roles and a compelling dynamic dramatic structure; and 'The Roommate' fits the bill perfectly". Reuniting award-winning actress and Seacoast favorite Heather Glenn Wixson as Sharon with the accomplished Arizona-based equity actress Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda as Robyn, under the direction of A. Nora Long for "The Roommate", Threshold looks to re-capture the magical and mesmerizing chemistry that the trio achieved in last season's critically acclaimed production of "The Clean House". The improbable relationship between Robyn and Sharon unfolds in the kitchen of Sharon's two-story Iowa home. The kitchen is beautifully imagined by renowned Boston-based set designer Shelley Barish and masterfully realized by Ogunquit Playhouse Technical Director Geof Dolan. Their collaborative creation, extenuated by Kelly Gibson's lighting scheme, evokes a classic post-modern kitchen with an ethereal sense of whimsy within the strikingly intricate and realistic space. Rather than simply encompassing the actors, the set itself extends organically out and above the audience creating a wonderful feeling of intimacy and a sense of magic that is impossible to achieve through conventional staging.

At its core, "The Roommate" is about personal transformation and transcendence, and with their production of "The Roommate", Threshold Stage Company successfully transforms the Star Theatre into a vibrant living world that transcends the usual constraints of traditional theatre and brings Silverman's brilliant comedy, "The Roommate" vividly and hysterically to life.

Box Office: Ticket cost $25.00 (Tickets available online at kitterycommunitycenter.org/star-theatre or call (207) 439-3800)

Run Time: (90minutes - with no intermission)

Rating: Recommended PG-13: (For language, drug usage and suggestive sexuality)

Photo Credit: Photo 1- From L to R - Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda Heather Glenn Wixson in Threshold Stage Company's Production of "The Roommate" at the Star Theatre Kittery, Maine - Photos by (Monica Bushor)

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