THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS WIFE Runs 6/9-6/27 At Richmond Shepard Theatre

THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR'S WIFE, a new comedy by Beth Gilleland and KATHLEEN DOUGLASS with live a cappella music, directed by Richmond Shepard, will run Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. from June 9th through June 27th. Tickets are $18; $12 for students and seniors. For reservations, please call (212) 684-2690. The Richmond Shepard Theatre is located at 309 E. 26th St. at 2nd Ave.

THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR'S WIFE is a rare piece of Americana. Like OUR TOWN, PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION and SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY, it has the heart, flavor and humor of small town America as tales of the life and the foibles of the profession unfold. Co-author Douglass was married to an Iowa funeral director, and the incidents are all based on truth in that strange, unusual, fascinating environment. The Minneapolis Star and Tribune called THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR'S WIFE "a delightfully twisted commentary on marriage, the business and the small town in Iowa The seemingly random events add up to a hilarious and touching whole."

Playwright KATHLEEN DOUGLASS has won awards for her writing at Beverly Hill's Film Festival, Writemovies.com, Writer's Place, First Glance Screenplay Contest, Austin Film Festival and Script Savvy Screenplay Contest. THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR'S WIFE was produced at The Illusion Theater in Minneapolis. Her play SO NICE A DIFFERENCE, a true historical adventure, was read at The Playwright's Center in Minneapolis in April of 2005. Her play CHURCH COUNCIL was workshopped at Iowa Writers Workshop. Kathy spent three years as a creative writer for KIMT TV, a CBS affiliate, writing, producing and doing voice-overs for over 100 commercials and several industrial films.

Playwright Beth Gilleland co-wrote, with Bob Beverage, SISTERS OF SWING, The Story of the Andrews Sisters, which has been playing in theaters across the U.S. since its premiere in 2002. She has toured extensively with her one-woman show WHISTLING GIRLS AND CROWING HENS, which was initially developed and performed at the Illusion Theater in Minneapolis, and has written and performed for American Public Radio's Good Evening with Noah Adams, The First House on the Right, NPR's All Things Considered, and BBC Scotland via the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Director Richmond Shepard has directed and performed with the improvisational comedy troupes The L.A. Cabaret and Noo Yawk Tawk. In Los Angeles he produced, directed or acted in over thirty plays, including TRAVESTIES, COLD STORAGE (DramaLogue Award for Acting), LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, and several musicals. In 2008 he re-translated (with Nick Wolfson) and directed Sartre's NO EXIT, and last August directed and co-starred in Ronald Ribman's COLD STORAGE. Richmond started America's first ensemble Mime troupe and still performs solo or with his company throughout the world. He currently teaches Mime and regularly conducts workshops in Mime and in Improvised Comedy at "The Playhouse" in Derry, Ireland.

The four-member cast includes Anais Alexandra, Paul Geiger, Lisa Margolin and Sam Platizky.

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