Portland Center Stage Announces Casting for THE IMAGINARY INVALID, Opens 1/14

With gaseous energy and outrageous jokes, the first rehearsals of The Imaginary Invalid at Portland Center Stage are underway, in a new adaptation by Constance Congdon of the classic comedy by Molière. The Imaginary Invalid previews on Tuesday, January 11, 2011, with opening night set for January 14, and performances through February 6. Performance times are Tuesday through Sunday, 7:30 pm, with matinees at 2:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, and some Thursday matinees at noon. Tickets start at $33 for full adult prices, with student and under age 30 discounts available. Rush tickets may be available for some performances at $20 each. For a full calendar of performances and ticket availability, visit the show page at http://www.pcs.org/invalid.
 
All the world's a fart joke in Congdon's hilarious new take on Molière's skewering of a health care crisis from an entirely different century. To quell his growing pile of medical bills, Monsieur Argan, a chronic hypochondriac attended by Dr. Purgeon, will go to any length to marry his daughter Angelique off to a doctor's nephew, Claude De Aria. Of course, his daughter has other ideas, in love as she is with Cleante. Toinette, a servant in the household, uses her wiles to keep this comic roundelay alive, as Argan's much younger and beautiful wife Beline has designs for her own romantic aspirations. A narcotic cocktail of romantic triangles, double entendres and mistaken identities ensues, promising to leave you gasping, giggling and possibly... in stitches. Artistic Director Chris Coleman, who is also directing the production, has assembled a cast of actors from both Portland and from around the country.
 
David Margulies (Argan) appeared last season at PCS in The Chosen, as Reb Saunders. A Broadway and regional theater veteran, David has also been seen in the Ghostbusters films, All That Jazz, Dressed to Kill, and many more. He also played played Tony Soprano's lawyer Neil Mink on the HBO series "The Sopranos." Christine Calfas (Beline) was last seen at PCS as the spy/blonde/lass in the hit production of The 39 Steps, and also appeared on stage here in A Christmas Carol, Misalliance, and several other productions. Sharonlee Maclean (Toinette) is well-known on Portland stages (PCS roles include 15 productions such as The Receptionist, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Underpants) in addition to her work at other theaters and on the national stage as an Emmy-nominated actor on the soap "Santa Barbara." John Wernke (Cleante) has appeared in two previous productions at PCS, the rotating repertory productions of Twelfth Night and The Beard of Avon.
 
The cast of The Imaginary Invalid also includes a numbers of actors who are appearing at PCS for the first time. Barry Del Sherman (Dr. Purgeon) is making his first appearance at PCS, bringing credits from theaters all over the U.S., from Center Theater Group in LA to Circle Rep and The Public Theatre in New York. He recently received an Obie Award for his performance in Mystery of Attraction at the Tribeca Playhouse. Hollye Gilbert (Angelique) joins the cast following recent productions in NY and elsewhere, including Lincoln Center in NY and the Watertower Theater in Texas. Danny Wolohan (De Bennefoi/Claude) has been featured on the cover of American Theater magazine as one of seven actors in the nation one should travel to see; bringing him to Portland will save local theater patrons some time and money. Danny is a member of Campo Santo and the ESP Project, the resident theater and dance theater companies at San Francisco's Intersection for the Arts.
 
Scenic Design, depicting a 17th century bedchamber and all its trappings, is by William Bloodgood. Period costumes are by Jeff Cone, lighting design is by Peter Maradudin, and sound designer is Casi Pacilio. Original music is by Randall Tico.
 
Production Sponsors for The Imaginary Invalid are Umpqua Private Bank and Ten01.
 
Portland Center Stage's 2009/10 season is funded in part by Umpqua Private Bank, the Regional Arts & Culture Council and Work for Art; the Oregon Arts Commission; the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation; and Tim & Mary Boyle.
 
Portland Center Stage inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways.  Established in 1988 as an off shoot of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, PCS became an independent theater in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director Chris Coleman since May 2000.  The company presents a blend of classic, contemporary and original productions in a conscious effort to appeal to the eclectic palate of theatergoers in Portland.  PCS also offers a variety of education and outreach programs for curious minds from six to 106, including discussions, classes, workshops and partnerships with organizations throughout the Portland metro area.
 
THE GERDING THEATER AT THE ARMORY houses a 599-seat Main Stage and the 200-seat black box Ellyn Bye Studio.  It was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The Gerding Theater at the Armory opened to the public on Oct. 1, 2006.  The capital campaign to fund the renovation of this hub for community artistic activity continues.