Ron May to Direct SEMINAR at Actors Theatre, 10/24-11/9

Director Ron May doesn't hide the fact - although maybe he should - that he's a reality TV junkie, which makes him the perfect choice to direct Seminar, the first of Actor's Theatre's four Arizona premieres to be staged during the 2014-15 season.

"Seminar functions very much on reality competition show logic," May said. "Throw a handful of clashing personalities together in a situation where they're all in the same room vying for the same thing; mix in an even more ruthless, more articulate Simon Cowell; marinate in a bit of sexual tension and serve up the contact sport."

This provocative comedy from Pulitzer Prize nominee Theresa Rebeck - the first of four women playwrights Actors Theatre will feature during the season - will run from Oct. 24 to Nov. 9 at the Helen K. Mason Theatre at Black Theatre Troupe, 1333 E. Washington St. in downtown Phoenix.

The story revolves around Leonard (David Barker), a celebrity writer offering private writing lessons to up-and-comers. Four aspiring young novelists - Douglas (Andy Cahoon), Martin (Will Hightower), Kate (Kerry McCue) and Izzy (Kim Richard) sign up for the class. Under Leonard's recklessly brilliant and unorthodox instruction, some thrive and others flounder, alliances are made and broken, sex is used as a weapon and hearts are unmoored.

David Rooney wrote in the Hollywood Reporter that "Seminar is tight, witty and consistently entertaining, acquiring more muscle as the layers are peeled back to reveal both the scarred humanity and the numbness beneath Leonard's soured exterior."

"As an artist," May said, "I'm familiar with putting something I love out in the world for people to lob at it whatever unvarnished criticism they have. And it can sting. A lot. I think anyone who has put their stuff out for the world to see will be able to relate to this show."

Barker is an Actor's Theatre regular, having consistently appeared in A Christmas Carol for many years. Hightower previously worked in Body Awareness and McCue has been in Boom, Rabbit Hole and The Lieutenant of Inishmore, among others. Richard and Cahoon are making their Actors Theatre debuts.

Jeff Thomson will design the sets, Paul A. Black the lighting and Lois K. Myers the costumes. Aaron Wheeler is Stage Manager.

Single tickets go on sale Sept. 15 and range in price from $20 to $50. For more information, visit www.actorstheatrephx or call (602) 888-0368.

Following Seminar, Actors Theatre will present Annapurna by Sharr White, Jan. 16-Feb. 1, 2015; Stage Kiss by Sara Ruhl, March 13-29, and The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, May 1-17.

Season-ticket packages ranging from $108-$170. All tickets can be purchased online at www.actorstheatrephx.org.

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