THE RED VELVET CAKE WAR Plays Lyric Arts' Main Street Stage, Now thru 6/14

Lyric Arts is thrilled to bring The Red Velvet Cake War to life on the Main Street Stage from today, May 30th through June 14th, 2014.

In this riotously funny Southern-fried comedy, the three Verdeen cousins, Gaynelle, Peaches, and Jimmie Wyvette could not have picked a worse time take over planning the family reunion, but they can't back out now. They face an uphill battle as a parade of wildly eccentric Verdeens gathers on the hottest day of July, smack-dab in the middle of Texas tornado season.

The show will be directed by Dann Peterson, a veteran director at Lyric Arts with titles like My Fair Lady and the critically acclaimed Oklahoma! under his belt. Peterson noted, "Scout from 'To Kill A Mockingbird,' says, 'you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family, and they're still kin to you whether you acknowledge them or not, and that's very true of The Red Velvet Cake War. But beneath all the chaos is a good-heartedness and love that gives the whole pistol-packing Verdeen bunch a strong family foundation."

The Red Velvet Cake War was written by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten, the same team that created The Dixie Swim Club and Hallelujah Girls. Playwright Jamie Wooten even wrote for The Golden Girls before working on Red Velvet. "She gave a voice to Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sofia for many years," says Peterson, "so you may be able to see elements of those characters in the Verdeen family throughout the show."

Lyric Arts will be holding a bake sale in conjunction with this show, as well as raffling off a designer cake from local café Truffles and Tortes each night of opening weekend. In addition to Truffles and Tortes' red velvet cupcakes available at the concession counter, Lyric Arts is looking for treat submissions from local baking enthusiasts for audience members to enjoy during the show and take home afterwards. Contact Sharon Broscha at 763-233-0802 to sign up.

All the funds raised from the bake sale will go directly to Lyric Arts to help with production and overhead costs not covered by ticket sales. The growing nonprofit theater relies on donations to make up over 30% of annual expenses not accounted for by ticket sales and general income.

The Red Velvet Cake War opens May 30th and runs through June 14th, 2014. Tickets for the production are available by calling the box office at 763-422-1838 or by visiting the Lyric Arts website at www.lyricarts.org. For questions about the bake sale or raffle, call 763-233-0802.

Theater enthusiasts are also welcome to join Lyric Arts' "Page & Stage" event on June 8th, 2013, sponsored by the Anoka County Library. Registered guests are provided a free script of The Red Velvet Cake War, and are invited to participate in a facilitated discussion before the show. Guests are also invited to stay for an exciting question and answer session with the cast and crew immediately after the performance. All talk-back events at Lyric Arts take place after the show and are open to the public.

About Lyric Arts Main Street Stage: Located in the heart of historic downtown Anoka, Lyric Arts Main Street Stage offers a full season of live theater and intimate live music events as part of their "Music in the 'Burbs" Concert Series. Founded in 1995 and relocated to Anoka's Main Street in 2001, Lyric Arts' mission is to build community, inspire audiences, and nurture artists using the transformative power of the performing arts. The 501(c)(3) non-profit theater accomplishes this mission through year-round performances, theater workshops, and education outreach programs.

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