The Penny Seats to Present World Premier of THE RENAISSANCE MAN

The Penny Seats Theatre Company is thrilled to announce that its seventh summer season this year will open on Thursday, June 15th with The Renaissance Man, a World Premier from renowned Michigan playwright, Joseph Zettelmaier. The story is comedic riff on Macbeth set in the modern day at a local Renaissance Faire. It joyfully follows the lives of workers at the Faire, asking whether a disgruntled knight can-or should-take the Faire back to its Renaissance roots. Zettelmaier's work retains fundamental elements of Shakespeare's play, while exploring just how funny the story can be in context.

show will star Pat Loos in the role of Martin Mackabee, (the knight who would be king), along with Kelly Rose Voigt, Ann Dilworth, Julia Garlotte, David Galido, and RoBert Schorr. group will perform at Ann Arbor's West Park, in the band shell area, Penny Seats' habitual summer home. Performances are June 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, and July 1. All shows are at 7:00pm. More information, and advance tickets (available at a discount), are available at www.pennyseats.org or by phone at (734) 926-5346. Door tickets will also be available.

"This show gives us the rare opportunity bring Renaissance Faire elements into our very own West Park," says Penny Seats Executive Director Lauren London. "The lively, loud, grubby, intimate, and adventurous elements of the Faire are all here, as are the magnificent costumes. It's a perfect play for our setting, and we're relishing the chance to work with Joe to bring the full show to audiences for the first time." Of his inspiration for The Renaissance Man, Zettelmaier notes, "I wanted to find a way to honor the power struggle, the madness, and the supernatural elements of the show...to set them in a modern setting without losing the primal, ancient feel of it. I have a deep love of Renaissance Faires, so it seemed like a perfect fit. And if you're going to put the show in a Renaissance Faire, the comedic potential became obvious."

The Renaissance Man is the first of The Penny Seats' two-show summer season. The season continues in July with Peter and the Starcatcher, by Rick Elice, based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, directed by Phil Simmons. Peter and the Starcatcher is a clever prequel to J.M. Barrie's classic Peter Pan story, where cast members switch in and out of roles constantly, becoming part of the piratical world they weave, and creating magic along the way. Starcatcher performs at West Park on July 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, and 29. Curtain time for Starcatcher will be at 8:00pm.

ABOUT THE PENNY SEATS: Founded in 2010, we're performers and players, minimalists and penny-pinchers. We think theatre should be fun and stirring, not stuffy or repetitive. We believe going to a show should not break the bank. And we find Michigan summer evenings beautiful. Thus, we produce dramas and comedies, musicals and original adaptations, classics and works by up-and-coming playwrights. We also provide cabaret shows, acting classes, and wacky improv evenings. And you can see any of our shows for the same price as a movie ticket.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about The Penny Seats call at 734-926-5346 or Visit: www.pennyseats.org.

Photo: Patt Loos (L) as Martin and David Galido as Eli. Photo by Megan Paruta; photo editing by Josie Lapcyzinski.

To post a comment, you must register and login.