Member News

A VERY TIMELY STAGED READING FOR OUR TIMES: PANDORA PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS “8"

Limited 3-Day Run begins this Thursday, January 3 at The Henry Clay Theatre

LOUISVILLE, KY – January 2, 2013 – Just 6 weeks after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision to hear arguments regarding California’s Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Pandora Productions proudly presents “8”, an unprecedented account of the Federal District Court trial in Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now known as Perry v. Brown).

The story for “8”, by Dustin Lance Black who penned the Academy Award-winning feature film Milk, is all about the case filed by the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) to overturn Proposition 8, which stripped gay and lesbian Californians of the fundamental freedom to marry.  Black based his work on actual words of the trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families; it is framed by the trial’s historic closing arguments in June 2010 and features the best arguments and testimony from both sides.

“Our first production of the New Year clearly reinforces Pandora’s mission of powerful, provocative, theatre,” states Michael J. Drury, Pandora Productions Producing Artistic Director. “Not only is “8” topical, it is a reminder to our core constituents that the 'fight' is not over for equality on all levels, least of all marriage equality.  And as this issue becomes more and more prominent in the national discourse, the public can expect to see more plays being written about it, with Pandora being the first to produce them for our audiences.”

This limited-run production premiers Thursday evening, January 3, at 7:30 p.m., with performances continuing on Friday, January 4, and Saturday, January 5, both at 7:30 p.m. at The Henry Clay Theatre, 604 South Third Street, 3rd Floor, Downtown Louisville; each performance will be followed by a discussion on Marriage Equality.  Tickets are now available for $18 online at http://www.PandoraProds.org or by phone at 502.216.5502. A portion of the production’s proceeds will go to the American Foundation for Equal Rights.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Pandora Productions: Michael J. Drury, 502.592.6009, pandora.productions@insightbb.com

Press & Media: Craig Harden, 502.299.9088, walterc_5@hotmail.com

Coffee Cup Theatre News

COFFEE CUP THEATRE COMPANY BRINGS SISTER MARY IGNATIUS EXPLAINS IT ALL FOR YOU & FOR WHOM THE SOUTHERN BELLE TOLLS TO THE STAGE

Coffee Cup Theatre Company (CCTC) is staging Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All for You andFor Whom the Southern Belle Tolls by Christopher Durang. The production will be performed on January 24, 25, 26, 31, February 1, 2 at The Rudyard Kipling, located at 422 West Oak Street

Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You revolves around a nun, Sister Mary Ignatius, explaining to the audience the basic tenets of Catholicism. She is assisted by her favorite student, seven-year-old Thomas. From time to time, she asks him catechism questions and gives him a cookie for every right answer. Half-way into her speech, some of her former students, now grown up, enter to perform a mock Christmas pageant from their childhood days and reveal to Sister Mary the deep psychological trauma her teachings left on them. Sister Mary's unwavering dogma combined with the absurdist nature of the play add elements of a biting comedy.

For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls is a parody of The Glass Menagerie. The fading Southern Belle, Amanda tries to prepare her hypersensitive son Lawrence for the “feminine caller”. Terrified of people Lawrence just wants to play with his cocktail stirrers and brother Tom just wants to go to the movies where he meets sailors who need to be put up in his room. Amanda tries to face everything with “charm and vivacity” but sometimes she just wants to hit somebody.

Under the direction of Coffee Cup Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Dan Welch the cast includes Lance Flint, Lillian Goban, Zach Gombosky, Nick Johnson, Lydia Kennebrew, Allison Moore, Jamie Shannon, and Cate Willard

Tickets are now on sale and reservations can be made by calling (502) 299-8501 or e-mailing coffeecuptheatre@gmail.com. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors (Cash & Checks only).

ACTOR’S CHOICE PRESENTS           

TOPDOG/UNDERDOG                             

JANUARY 10 – 20 AT HENRY CLAY THEATRE

Louisville, KY, December 9, 2012 – Actor’s Choice will start the new year with a production of Kentucky’s own Suzan-Lori Parks’ highly celebrated and Pulitzer prize-winning play,Topdog/Underdog. The play depicts the adult lives of two African-American brothers, Lincoln and Booth, as they cope with women, work, poverty, gambling, racism, and their troubled upbringings.

Topdog/Underdog debuted at the Public Theatre in 2001 starring Don Cheadle and Jeffrey Wright.

It enjoyed an extended run on Broadway in 2002 with Mos Def joining Wright in one of the two roles.

It has been characterized as a deconstruction of this country’s uneasy relationship with race and history

through the relationship of two brothers who were abandoned by both of their parents while they were

still in their teens. Veering from dark comedy to bittersweet familial dynamics, the play takes its

audience on an hilarious and heartbreaking journey.

According to Ben Brantley in the New York Times, “The play vibrates with the clamor of

big ideas, audaciously and exuberantly expressed. Like Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison's landmark

novel of 1952, 'Topdog/Underdog' considers nothing less than the existential traps of being

African-American and male in the United States, the masks that wear the men as well as vice versa.

Director Mike Seely, “especially during the time when our community will be celebrating the birthday

of famed civil rights leader Martin Luther King. This play helps to demonstrate the need for vigilance

and the fact that some jobs are never done.”

Under the direction of Kathi E. B. Ellis, the Actor’s Choice production of Topdog/Underdog

features Keith McGill and Brian Lee West as the brothers.  Said Ellis, “I’ve loved ‘Topdog/Underdog’

since its Broadway production and have wanted to direct it ever since. It’s been worthwhile

waiting for the right combination of actors to do this script.”

Performances are January 10,11,12,13,17,18,19 and 20 at the Henry Clay Theatre,

604 South Third Street. Thursday through Saturday performances are at 7:30 pm and Sunday

matinees are at 2:30 pm. Tickets are  $20 general admission and  $17 for students and seniors. Tickets available by calling 502-495-8358.