Detroit Mercy Theatre Company Closes Its 2017-18 Season With THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (ABRIDGED)

The Detroit Mercy Theatre Company concludes their 47th season with The Complete History of America (abridged), April 6 - 22. From the founders of Reduced Shakespeare Company and authors of the world renowned, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). Performances will be at The Marlene Boll Theatre inside of the Boll Family YMCA in downtown Detroit.

The Complete History of America (abridged) is a 90-minute romp of slapstick and breathlessly paced vaudevillian take of our country's history. Detroit Mercy Theatre Company members take us on a series of sketches at breakneck speed, portraying a loony tabloid style of history we all wished would've been a required course. The Complete History of America (abridged) is a quick clipped evening of unmitigated patriotism, political intrigue, and cross dressing - J. Edgar Hoover approves!

The Complete History of America (abridged) will be performed at 7:30 p.m. April 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21, and 3 p.m. on April 8, 15 and 22.

Directed by associate guest artist and veteran actor and improv great of over two decades, Dave Davies. The Detroit Mercy Theatre Company's cast - a mix of resident professionals with students from the acclaimed University of Detroit Mercy acting program - includes professional actor and Assistant Professor of Theatre, Andrew Papa, with Preston Cornelius and T'elay Forbes.

The production team features, Alan Devlin as scenic designer and technical director, Seth Amadei as lighting designer, Assistant Professor of Theatre Melinda Pacha as costume designer, Christian Plonka as properties designer, Bridget Smith as sound designer and Associate Professor of Theatre Greg Grobis as managing director. Other members of the production team are Damian Torres-Botello, S.J., as outreach and audience development coordinator, Evans Tasiopoulos as ticket office coordinator and photographer, and students Sidney Mains as stage manager and Nina Carlson as assistant stage manager.

The Complete History of America (abridged) events and special engagements include:

• Apr. 7: Cast Party! - Celebrate opening weekend with the cast and crew at the Detroit Beer Co.!
• Apr. 8: "Detroit in a Nutshell" - Join us after the performance as we for another installment of our Detroit Theatre Discussion Project We will delve into the history Detroit with some of Detroit's well-versed historians. Listen as we are taken through some of the highs and lows, the significant and mediocre, the trend setting and everyday moments chronicling the Motor City. Before the show you can also take-in some Detroit cityscapes photographed by local artists in our theatre lobby.
• Apr. 13: Community Night - Celebrate our Detroit community with $10 discounted tickets. Then gather with your friends after the show to connect, network, and enjoy discounted bites and beverages - up to 50% off!
• Apr. 15: "The Complete History of Detroit Mercy (abridged)" - Are you an alumnus of the University of Detroit Mercy? A retired or current faculty/staff member? Or maybe a longtime friend of the university? Gather with us after the show to reminisce and tell stories about Detroit Mercy. Wax poetic about some of the most memorable times you've had, the friends, the professors, or moments never forgotten. This Act Three is an oral history of Detroit Mercy brought to life by proud Titans!

• Apr. 21: Community Night - Celebrate our Detroit community with $10 discounted tickets. Then gather with your friends after the show to connect, network, and enjoy discounted bites and beverages - up to 50% off!

More information about events and special engagements can be found at www.TheTheatreCo.com.

Tickets to The Complete History of America (abridged) can be purchased online at www.DetroitMercyArts.com or over the phone at 313-993-3270. Individual ticket prices are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors, $10 for veterans and $10 for students (with valid ID). All groups of 10 or more receive an exclusive ticket price of $15 per ticket, a $10 savings off the regular price - contact Damian Torres-Botello, S.J., for further details at 313-993-3273.

Detroit Mercy Theatre Company's 47th season will be presented at The Marlene Boll Theatre at the Boll Family YMCA at 1401 Broadway St. in Detroit. This intimate black box theatre seats an audience between 90-120 people depending on the production. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. Due to limited seating, patrons are encouraged to secure their tickets early.

Discounted parking is available in The Z Park located at 225 Gratiot Avenue - use the Grand River Avenue entrance. A credit card is needed to enter the parking structure; a charge is only applied at the time of exit. After the production, be sure to stop by the ticket office to receive a discount parking voucher.

Detroit Mercy Theatre Company Ticket office is located in Room 43 in Reno Hall on University of Detroit Mercy's McNichols Campus. Hours are Wednesdays - Fridays; Noon - 5 pm. To order tickets call 313-993-3270.

For more information about Detroit Mercy Theatre Company please visit us at www.DetroitMercyArts.com or www.TheTheatreCo.com.

About University of Detroit Mercy

University of Detroit Mercy is Michigan's largest and most comprehensive Catholic university, sponsored by the Religious Sisters of Mercy and the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). Today's University boasts the heritage of two founding institutions: University of Detroit, founded in 1877 by the Jesuits, and Mercy College of Detroit, founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1941. The two consolidated as University of Detroit Mercy in 1990. Detroit Mercy offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional academic degrees and programs through seven schools and colleges. For more information, please visit www.udmercy.edu.

About Detroit Mercy Theatre Company

• OUR MISSION: To train students to develop the intellectual, ethical and practical skills for a creative future.

• OUR CORE VALUES: Discovery - we foster exploration of courage, compassion and connection in a safe atmosphere through relevant projects and productions. Collaboration - we value integrative programming that promotes teamwork, problem solving, diverse perspectives and professionalism. Skills - we teach students effective presence through verbal, physical and imaginative expression to convey ideas in compelling performances and presentations. Mentorship - students receive personal guidance provided by faculty, staff and artistic associates. An emphasis on small class size enhances student's potential for rapid development. Future Opportunities - from theory to practice our network of professional associates and alumni help students enter the world through auditions and interviews for internships, apprenticeships, graduate studies and many other careers.

About Director Dave Davies:

Davies has been an improviser/actor for over two decades. He began directing shows in 2001 and has extensive experience teaching improvisation through Second City Detroit, Planet Ant, Tipping Point, The Detroit Creativity Project, and several other venues. He is also a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and can be seen in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, Restitution, Lifetime channel's Last Man Standing, Needlestick, and the upcoming second season of Comedy Central's Detroiters.

About the Playwrights:

Adam Long is the co-creator, co-writer and director of the Reduced Shakespeare Company's The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) which ran in London's West End for nine years and was nominated for an Olivier Award. The Complete Works also ran Off-Broadway twice and continues to enjoy numerous successful tours throughout the world. His feature-length film The Barn won The Raindance Award at the British Independent Film Awards. Long has written for Disney, PBS, Channel Four UK, BBC Radio Four and Lucasfilm & BSkyB. Other stage shows include Dicken's Abridged, Satan Sings Mostly Sondheim, The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged), The Complete History of America (abridged), and Deconstructing Albert. Long also provides the voice of Mr. Small for the BAFTA and Emmy Award winning The Amazing World of Gumball on the Cartoon Network.

Reed Martin co-created and performed in the original productions of eight Complete (abridged) stage comedies. Martin is a managing partner of the Reduced Shakespeare Company and has performed in London, all across America, and in eleven foreign countries. He has performed in Travesties and The Government Inspector (American Conservatory Theatre), as well as in Moving Right Along (Magic Theatre), written and directed by Elaine May, featuring Marlo Thomas. He toured for two years as a clown/assistant ringmaster with Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Circus. His voice was heard in the animated feature film Balto, and just about every other part of him was seen in the British film, Carry On Columbus. Reed has written for the BBC, NPR, Britain's Channel Four, RTE Ireland, Public Radio International, The Washington Post and Vogue magazine. With Austin Tichenor, he co-authored the book The Greatest Story Ever Sold (John Knox/Westminster Press) and Reduced Shakespeare: The Complete Guide for the Attention-Impaired (abridged) (Hyperion Books). His work has been nominated for an Olivier Award (London), a Helen Hayes Award (Washington, D.C.) and a Theatre Critic's Circle Award (San Francisco). He has a BA in Political Science/Theatre from UC Berkeley, an MFA in Acting from UC San Diego and is a graduate of Ringling Brothers/Barnum & Bailey Clown College. Reed is a member of the Dramatists Guild and The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Austin Tichenor is a playwright, lyricist, songwriter, director, and actor. As co-managing partner of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, he has performed with them around the world, Off-Broadway, in London's West End, in the PBS version of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), and at several theaters between New York and the Midwest. He's the co-author of nine Complete (abridged) stage comedies, which have been produced around the world, published in two countries, and translated into over a dozen languages. Additional notable projects include the The Ring Reduced for UK's Channel 4; the TBS pilot, The Week Reduced; the six episode Reduced Shakespeare Radio Show for the BBC World Service; the comic memoir, How The Bible Changed Our Lives (Mostly For The Better); the irreverent reference book, Reduced Shakespeare: The Complete Guide for the Attention-Impaired (abridged), and the illustrated Pop-Up Shakespeare. He also produces and hosts the weekly Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast, which was named one of Broadway World's Top Ten Podcasts for Theatre Fans. On TV, Austin played recurring roles on 24, Alias, Felicity, Ally McBeal, and The Practice, and guest starred as Guys in Ties on The West Wing, The X-Files, ER, The Mentalist, Nip/Tuck, Gilmore Girls and on many other hours of episodic television. He's also performed his own material several times on NPR and the BBC, performed with the Oakland Symphony and in Disney Hall with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and appeared in the Midwest premiere of Lauren Gunderson's The Book of Will (Chicago's Northlight Theatre) and the world premiere of In the Garden: A Darwinian Love Story (Lookingglass Theatre Company). Tichenor is an alumnus of the BMI Musical Theatre workshop and has written over a dozen plays and musicals for young audiences. His full-length one-act, Dancing on the Ceiling (an adaptation of Kafka's The Metamorphosis) and adaptation of Frankenstein are both published by Broadway Play Publishing, and he directed the world premiere of his adaptation of New York Times bestselling author Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair in 2016. Tichenor is a member of the Dramatists Guild, has a BA in History and Theatre from UC Berkeley and an MFA from Boston University.

Short Blurb for Listings: The Complete History of America (abridged) is a ninety minute romp of hilarity and hijinx hilariously zooming through the illustrious imbroglio that is American History. Brought to life by members of the Detroit Mercy Theatre Company, it's an evening of unmitigated patriotism, political intrigue, and cross dressing - J. Edgar Hoover approves!

The Complete History of America (abridged) will have performances at 7:30 p.m. Apr. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21, and 3 p.m. on Apr. 8, 15 and 22.

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