The Jungle Theater Announces THE BIRTHDAY PARTY to Replace THE PAIN AND THE ITCH

Joel Sass will still serve as director of an all-star cast, which includes Stephen Cartmell (Stanley), Katie Guentzel (LuLu), Richard Ooms (Petey), Tony Pappenfus (Goldberg), Marty Ruben (McCann) and Claudia Wilkens (Meg).

 

"We are making this change because of unexpected conflicts in the schedules of cast members," said Artistic Director Bain Boehlke. "The Birthday Party had also been a top candidate for this spot in the season and because this cast came together beautifully, it was a natural choice for the Jungle. We plan to produce Bruce Norris' The Pain and the Itch in an upcoming season." Sass added, "I have long wanted to direct this play, whose energies are so relevant to our current world climate." 

 

The Birthday Party is the tale of Stanley Webber, the only lodger in a shabby English boarding house who senses danger when two mysterious strangers arrive on a day that his landlady insists is his birthday. What do these men want? Who are they looking for? And what's inside their briefcase? After a few glasses of whiskey and a game of blindman's bluff, Stanley's innocuous birthday party turns into a totalitarian nightmare in this deeply political and timeless classic. One of the great black comedies of the 20th century, Harold Pinter's first large-produced play is at once funny and menacing in its study of the individual's imperative need for resistance.

 

By Harold Pinter

Directed by Joel Sass

April 6-May 13, 2012

The Jungle Theater

2951 Lyndale Av. S., Minneapolis

Tickets:  $10-$35

Box office:  612-822-7063 or www.jungletheater.com

 

Over the past 21 years, the Jungle Theater has had a substantial impact on the Twin Cities theater scene, having established a reputation for excellence that stems from a commitment to high artistic standards and the contributions of many respected and celebrated local artists. A flagship example of the transformative power of the performing arts, the Jungle plays a continuing and vital role in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood's economic, social, and cultural development.