Town Hall Event Unveiling Cast For Asolo Rep New Season 12/2

Asolo Rep unveils the cast for the rest of our season at a Town Hall event on December 2, 2008 at 5:00 pm. Asolo Rep's Town Hall events have become a tradition in Sarasota where new and loyal audiences come together to meet the cast and creative teams of each production and to hear Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards address the themes and highlights of each production and special events of the year.

Town Hall is free and open to the public. Seating is first come first seated; no reservations are needed. Refreshments will be served in the lobby afterwards. Town Hall will be held in the Mertz Theatre of the FSU Center for the Performing Arts - 5555 North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Call the Asolo Rep Box Office for information - 941-351-8000.

Representatives of the media are invited to take photographs and high resolution photos and video will be available afterwards by request.

About the Asolo Rep 2008-2009 Season:

THIS WONDERFUL LIFE
a one-man stage adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life
By Steve Murray; Conceived by Mark Setlock
An Asolo Rep production in the Historic Asolo Theater
OPENS ON DEC. 5TH AND RUNS TO DEC. 28TH
Marvelously adapted by award-winning playwright Steve Murray from one of the most treasured "what if" stories of all time. A beloved American film classic comes to the stage. Experience a memorable tour de force performance as one gifted actor brings 31 characters to life, telling the heartwarming tale of an angel who must convince George Bailey that the world is better with him in it. Bring the whole family!

THE IMAGINARY INVALID by Moliere; adapted by Constance Congdon
An Asolo Rep production in the Mertz Theatre
Jan. 2 - March 1, 2009
Relevant, timely, and deliriously funny. This clever new adaptation of Moliere's classic satire on the medical profession prescribes hilarity with doses of love triangles, mistaken identities and double entendres. A chronic hypochondriac's finances fall ill due to his incessant appetite for ailment. His only way out is to marry off his daughter to a doctor, only she has other plans. You'll laugh till it hurts!

INVENTING VAN GOGH by Steven Dietz
An Asolo Rep production in the Mertz Theatre
Jan. 9-April 16, 2009
A thrilling tale of love, deception, and obsession. When Patrick Stone is approached by an art authenticator and asked to forge a van Gogh painting - a mysterious self-portrait that may never have existed - it sets in motion a chain of events that reveals the secrets of both Patrick and van Gogh's haunted lives. Part mystery, part quest, Inventing Van Gogh explores the very essence of creation.

THE WINTER'S TALE by William Shakespeare
An Asolo Rep production in the Mertz Theatre
Jan. 23 - May 16, 2009
In this breathtaking masterpiece, Shakespeare transports you on a sweeping journey from mistrust and rage to deliverance and wonder in this inspired celebration of joy and life. King Leontes, convinced of his wife's infidelity with his best friend, takes matters into his own hands. The bitter consequences of his insecurities lead to neglect, a star-crossed love affair, death and one of the most famous Shakespearean stage directions ever written: Exit, pursued by a bear.

VISITING Mr. Green by Jeff Baron
An Asolo Rep production in the Historic Asolo Theater
Jan. 30 - Feb. 21, 2009
DIRECTED BY HOWARD MILLMAN AND STARRING David S. Howard
Translated into 23 languages and seen in more than 300 productions, this revered two man show imparts a message of caring and acceptance to all who experience it. A young executive's reckless driving leads to nearly hitting a pedestrian and a sentence of court-ordered weekly visits with his elderly victim. This touching and deeply moving piece travels from comedy to gripping drama through a series of vignette encounters between the two vastly different characters.

MURDERERS by Jeffrey Hatcher
An Asolo Rep production in the Mertz Theatre
March 13 - May 23, 2009
A kooky comedy filled with murderous twists and turns. Join Gerald, Lucy and Minka for a murderous evening at Florida's Riddle Key Luxury Retirement Community and Golf Course. All three have murder on their minds, but why? An offbeat, killer comedy of greed, revenge, and electric golf carts.

THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE by George Bernard Shaw
An Asolo rep production in the Mertz Theatre
March 20 - May 24, 2009
DIRECTION, SCENIC & COSTUME DESIGN BY Tony Walton
A timely, crackling comedy presented in true Shaw style set in New Hampshire during the American Revolution. Self-professed "devil's disciple" Dick Dudgeon rejected Puritan values to follow his will. The Reverend Anderson follows his heart and practices what he preaches. Mrs. Anderson is the picture of piety until British soldiers mistakenly arrest Dick instead of the Reverend. This thoroughly enjoyable production comes to Asolo Rep fresh from a critically acclaimed NY run.

PERFECT MENDACITY by Jason Wells
An Asolo Rep production in the Cook Theatre
WORLD PREMIERE
May 15 - June 14, 2009
Spies, Lies and Polygraphs. Audiences and critics raved about Wells' Men of Tortuga during its Asolo Rep world premiere last season; Jason is back with a new thriller. Walter works in the world of secrets. His personal and professional lives collide when his past comes back to haunt him. This politically charged thrill ride will leave you on the edge of your seat to the last second.

SOUVENIR: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins
A New Play with Music by Stephen Temperley
An Asolo Rep production in the Mertz Theatre
June 5 - June 28, 2009
Hailed by the NY Daily News as "Hilarious and deeply touching...a loony triumph!" This wildly entertaining play answers the question, "What if you believed in yourself so much that nothing could stand in your way?" It is the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins a socialite so lost in her love of music that in spite of being tone-deaf, she and her pianist, Cosme McMoon enjoyed a successful concert career. It's a captivating tale of friendship and a joyful musical salute to one woman's unwavering belief in herself.

About Asolo Rep: Asolo Repertory Theatre is Florida's premier professional theatre and one of the most important cultural forces in the Southeastern United States. Having built a 50-year reputation as a center for theatrical excellence, Asolo Rep crafts the highest quality productions of classical, contemporary, and newly commissioned work all performed in the rarest form of rotating repertory. Featuring an accomplished resident company - complemented by distinguished guest artists - Asolo Rep offers audiences a unique and dynamic theatre experience. Under the skillful leadership of Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards and Managing Director Linda DiGabriele, this world-class institution has taken a bold step toward the future, building landmark partnerships and collaborations which will add to its success over the next 50 years.

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