Terrence McNally's A PERFECT GANESH next up for Rhubarb Theater Company

Paul Cook directs four of Nashville's favorites actors in the upcoming Rhubarb Theater Company production of Terrence McNally's A Perfect Ganesh, April 8-23, at The Darkhorse Theater.

"McNally's emotional and historical themes fit snugly into Rhubarb's focus on tolerance and diversity in slice-of-life-situations," according to company artistic director Trish Crist.

Like Crist's four original works produced by Rhubarb during the past two years (What, The Nashville Monologues, Potty Talk and 41), McNally explores the human topics of shame and seeking with laugh-out-loud humor, Crist suggests. Widely considered one of the greatest living American Playwrights, McNally, is best known for his Tony-award-winning Master Class, Love! Valour! Compassion! and Kiss of the Spider Woman.

The cast for Rhubarb's production of The Perfect Ganesh features Jaime Janiszewski, Chris Bosen, Wilhelm Peters and Crist.

A Perfect Ganesh is a four-person play weaving the story of two middle-aged women, bored with their lives and routines and husbands, who decide to go on an adventure to India in search of something (they don't know what). Their comfortable longstanding friendship becomes intense as each woman battles her own prejudice, shame, fear and longing.

Much of the humor in the women's banter and their interaction with "the locals" derives from what Crist describes as "their boldfaced Americanism and cultural ignorance." With "Ganesha" (the Hindu religion's Remover of Obstacles) as their spiritual guide and "The Man" who portrays a dozen key people they meet along the way, our women go on a wildly foreign and enlightening journey, both literally and figuratively.

According to Crist, this production brings together key members of some of Nashville's most popular theater companies, with the five first-time collaborators representing a combined resume of more than 350 shows in Tennessee, New York Chicago, Europe and beyond.

All performances are at The Darkhorse Theater, 4610 Charlotte Avenue in Nashville, opening Friday April 8 and running through Saturday April 23. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows at 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees on April 10 and 17 at 2:30 p.m.

A Perfect Ganesh is intended for adult audiences. All tickets are $12. Reservations and information at (615) 397-7820 or rhubarbnashville@gmail.com.

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