Ground UP Presents Simon's BAREFOOT IN THE PARK 7/7-25 At MTS

Ground UP Productions (Kate Middleton, Producing Artistic Director) presents Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park July 8 through 25, 2009 at Manhattan Theatre Source (177 MacDougal Street, between Waverly Pl. and West 8th St.), located in the heart of Greenwich Village.

In this intimate revival of the classic New York comedy, the audience members are as close as eavesdropping neighbors to newlywed couple Paul and Corie Bratter. Married for just six days, the Bratters move into a fifth floor walk-up brownstone apartment with a lack of heat, a major leak in their closet, a hole in their skylight and five exasperating flights of stairs. Nonetheless, free spirit Corie finds the small abode and its odd neighbors charming. Uptight lawyer Paul yearns for comfort and conventionality. After Corie plays matchmaker for her mother and eccentric neighbor Victor Velasco, she re-evaluates her bohemian ways and whether it's wise to walk barefoot in the park, particularly in February.

Barefoot in the Park opened in October 1963 at the Biltmore Theatre and played for 1,530 performances, the longest Broadway run for any of Neil Simon's plays. It was nominated for four Tony Awards, winning Best Director for Mike Nichols.

Lon Bumgarner directs. The cast includes Brian Lafontaine (Phone Guy), Kate Middleton (Corie), Tom Moglia (Delivery Man), Guy Olivieri (Paul), Eric Purcell (Victor Velasco), and Amelia White (Mrs. Banks). The design team includes Travis McHale (set and lighting), Stacey Berman (costumes) and Wade Dansby 3 (graphic). Kate August serves as the stage manager.

Scheduled July 8 through 25, Barefoot in the Park performs at Manhattan Theatre Source (177 MacDougal Street, between Waverly Pl. and West 8th St.; Subway: A/C/E or B/D/F/V to West 4th) Wednesday through Friday at 8:00 pm; Saturday at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased by calling (212) 352-3101 or on-line at www.theatermania.com. .

Ground UP Productions produced the New York premiere of the smash hit musical The People vs. Mona by Jim Wann and Patricia Miller. The production was hailed as "good natured, down home fun" by the New York Times, "consistently inventive" by the New York Post and a "hootin' good time" by Variety. The company has also produced critically the world premiere of Jason Chimonides' The Optimist ("deliriously entertaining" - New Yorker) as well as the acclaimed revivals of Baby with the Bathwater, Proof and Burn This. Ground UP Productions continues to break ground with the new classics, reviving well-known theatre in unique ways and producing new works destined for greatness. For additional information, visit www.groundupproductions.org.

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