Northern Stage Resurrects Mad Men Era with Neil Simon's Classic Comedy LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS

Last of the Red Hot Lovers, written by Neil Simon, runs live on stage at the Barrette Center for the Arts in White River Junction, VT, February 15 - March 5. For tickets and information, call 802-296-7000 or visit www.northernstage.org. Tickets start at $15 for students and $30 for adults.

Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright Neil Simon's comedy follows long-married Barney Cashman, a forty-seven-year old seafood restaurant owner, as he tries to have one passionate tryst before opportunity passes him by. Maggie Burrows (Broadway: Assistant Director for the sold-out hit Constellations) directs, returning to the company after directing last season's world premiere of Mad Love and Fox on the Fairway in 2014. David Mason stars as Barney, having just originated the role of Teddy in Northern Stage's world premiere Trick or Treat. He was seen in last season's Living Together, and his regional credits span from the Denver Center and Public Theater to House of Cards and Law and Order: SVU on film. Joining him from the Living Together cast is Northern Stage favorite Jenni Putney, who audiences may recognize from Northern Stage's past productions of Trick or Treat, Clybourne Park, Blithe Spirit, and Fox on the Fairway. Her regional credits include the Kennedy Center and La Jolla Playhouse. Danielle Slavick (Broadway: Sharr White's The Other Place, Manhattan Theatre Club) and Deb Radloff (regional credits include work at Nebraska Shakespeare Festival and The Old Globe) are newcomers to Northern Stage and round out the cast. Producing Artistic Director Carol Dunne says, "Maggie Burrows brought us this script, knowing we were interested in producing a Neil Simon piece this season. Simon is the American equivalent of British playwright Alan Acykbourn, and after producing Ackybourn'sLiving Together last season, we wanted to tell this hilarious story of mid-life crisis - in February when we all need to laugh the cold away - American style. We purposely have two actors in this show that were seen in Living Together to offer an interesting counterpoint for our audiences and made the decision to cast three different women in the roles of Barney's would-be lovers when many theater companies have one woman play all three roles. Our desire is always to tell, not trick, the story, and having three female actors was essential to us in this endeavor."

The design team creates the world of the 1960s onstage: Jordon Janota (set designer), Hunter Kaczorowski (costume designer), Greg Solomon (lighting designer), and Ben Montmagny (Sound Designer).

Designer Gold, Four Season Sotheby's International Realty, and Lake Sunapee Bank sponsor performances. The production is recommended for ages 12 and up due to the subject matter. An optional post-show conversation with the company follows evening performances on February 25, 26, and March 2. $15 Anytime Student Tickets and $5 Access for All tickets (for EBT card holders) are available for any performance. Adult ticket prices range from $30-$55. $20Tuesday, a special discount night at the theater, is slated for Tuesday, February 21. A complimentary post-show reception with the cast follows the opening night performance on Saturday, February 18.

In conjunction with the remainder of the 20th Anniversary Season, Northern Stage's Barrette Center for the Arts is currently hosting an exhibition featuring the work of Linda Roesch (watercolors and ink), Heidi Reynolds (photographs), John Kantack (paintings), and Brian Walsh (hand-inked prints). The themes of this exhibition - Ambition and Redemption - are tied into Northern Stage's 2016-17 season, which features plays that explore these concepts from a myriad of perspectives. Thanks to the generosity of the artists, proceeds from the sale of most works on display will benefit Northern Stage's annual operations and education programs.

Northern Stage is a regional non-profit LORT-D professional theater company with a mission to change lives, one story at a time. Based at the crossroads of New England -- the Upper Valley of the Connecticut River -- Northern Stage's intimate space sets the stage for actively involving its audiences with ambitious productions and expansive educational programs. Founded in 1997, Northern Stage has offered more than 115 high-quality, professional productions of new works, classics, and musicals. The company celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season this year and annual attendance is now over 30,000.

To post a comment, you must register and login.