Tom Dudzick’s Comedy OVER THE TAVERN Plays on The Rep’s Mainstage 12/1-12/26

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents Over The Tavern by Tom Dudzick. This hilarious and poignant production will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, December 1-26, 2010.

Curtain times are Tuesday at 7 pm; Wednesday-Friday at 8 pm; selected Wednesday matinees at 1:30 pm; Saturday evenings at 5 pm; selected Saturday nights at 9 pm; Sunday matinees at 2 pm; and selected Sunday evenings at 7 pm. Due to the holidays, there will be an additional performance on December 20 at 8 pm.

Ticket prices start at just $15 (previews) and $18.50 (regular performances). To purchase, visit The Rep Box Office, located inside the Loretto-Hilton Center, charge by phone by calling (314) 968-4925, or visit The Rep's Online Box Office at http://www.repstl.org.

Major sponsorship for this production is provided by Boeing and The Mary Ranken Jordan and Ettie A. Jordan Charitable Foundation.

Life is certainly no picnic for the Pazinskis. In 1950's Buffalo, Chet and Ellen live above their tavern with their four teenagers, each more mischievous than the next. Wisecracking and clever 12 year-old Rudy is working on his Ed Sullivan impression instead of studying for the Catechism. With a plethora of religions in the world, Rudy would rather shop around for a more "fun" religion. Meanwhile, his older brother Eddie and sister Annie are both fraught with guilt over their awakening sexual feelings. Adding to the uproarious mayhem is Rudy's cognitively disabled brother Georgie, who has added a few questionable words to his limited vocabulary. Throw in a knuckle-busting nun, mood-swinging parents and a cupboard full of sugary cereals and audiences of all ages and faiths will be rolling in the aisles.

Over The Tavern premiered at Buffalo's Studio Arena Theatre in 1994 and won the local ArtVoice Theatre Award for Outstanding New Play. Due to popular demand, Over The Tavern has been reprised by Studio Arena several times since its premiere and has appeared in countless regional theatres across the country. In 2000, The Rep produced Over The Tavern to sold-out audiences, who simply couldn't get enough of the Pazinski family and the life lessons doled out by Sister Clarissa.

The cast of Over The Tavern at The Rep is Celeste Ciulla (last seen in The Heidi Chronicles) as Ellen, Kevin Cutts as Chet, Darrie Lawrence as Sister Clarissa (last seen in The Retreat from Moscow), Katie McClellan as Annie, Spencer Davis Milford as Rudy, Eric Nelsen as Eddie and Braden Phillips as Georgie.

The Rep's production of Over The Tavern is directed by Michael Evan Haney.

The creative staff also includes Paul Shortt, set designer; Dorothy Marshall Englis, costume designer; Dennis Parichy, lighting designer; Rusty Wandall, sound designer; Glenn Dunn, stage manager; and Shannon B. Sturgis, assistant stage manager.

For more information about The Rep's production of Over The Tavern, including a guide introducing the characters, plot and background on the play; photos related to the production; and more, visit The Rep's comprehensive public website at http://www.repstl.org.

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