FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Cindy Moran, Public Relations Director, 414-224-1761

November 18, 2005

TAKE A HILARIOUS BACKSTAGE PEEK WITH
LAUGHING STOCK
Written by Charles Morey
Directed by J.R. Sullivan

Quadracci Powerhouse Theater

Previews: November 30 & December 1, 2005 Opens: December 2, 2005 Closes: January 8, 2006

Watch the magic of theater come to life in this story of an acting troupe that encounters madness and mayhem while performing in an old barn in New England. Purchase tickets for this Quadracci Powerhouse production in person at The Rep Ticket Office at 108 East Wells Street or by telephone at 414-224-9490. Tickets can also be purchased online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com. The Rep . . . See it LIVE!

Charles Morey’s LAUGHING STOCK gives us a backstage look at a small troupe of actors and their backstage mischief. Gordon Page, a middle-aged artistic director of a summer stock barn theater in New Hampshire, embarks on the theater’s 67th season that takes the random and comical cast and crew on a wild ride that includes giant mosquitoes, eccentric directors and a very limited budget while the group valiantly attempts to keep the ship afloat. The group intends to stage three rotating productions. HAMLET, CHARLEY’S AUNT and DRACULA have never been performed like this! LAUGHING STOCK is a hectic and hilarious testament to theaters everywhere that never seem to have enough time, staff, money or talent to pull off the show, yet in the end, everyone gives it their all. LAUGHING STOCK captures the magic of theater showing how the art form tells a story while at the same time creating a temporary family amongst the cast and crew no matter where the show goes on.

This show was written by Charles Morey. He has been the Artistic Director of the Pioneer Theatre Company, the professional theater in residence at the University of Utah, since 1984. While there, he has directed more than 60 productions. Morey’s other directing credits include New York’s Ark Theatre Company and Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City, in addition to numerous theaters throughout the country such as the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Meadow Brook Theatre, American Stage, PCPA Theatrefest and Utah Shakespearean Festival. Morey wrote adaptations of five 19th-century classic novels in addition to his two original works LAUGHING STOCK and DUMAS’ CAMILLE. LAUGHING STOCK had its world premiere was at the Pioneer Theatre Company on February 7, 2001 It was nominated for the 2001 American Theatre Critic’s Association New Play Award, won the Best Original Play Award from the New Hampshire Theatre Association in 2004 and will soon be published by the Dramatists Play Service. Of LAUGHING STOCK, Charles Morey says, “Everyone in the theater has their own “Playhouse.” The place where there was never enough of anything . . . where sometimes the doors fell off their hinges and the sound cues ran backwards, but where you gave yourself over wholly to the making of plays. . . . It is those places, and especially those people, this play celebrates.”

The show is directed by J.R. Sullivan. J.R. Sullivan has been Associate Artistic Director of Utah Shakespearean Festival since 2002. Additionally, he founded and was Producing Director of New
American Theater in Rockford, Illinois, from 1972-1994. He is a returning director at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Directing credits at The Rep include YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, THE FOREIGNER, BARRYMORE, PROOF, WIT, OF MICE AND MEN, DRACULA, THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO, INSPECTING CAROL, ALL IN THE TIMING, and THE PUPPETMASTER OF LODZ. His directing credits around the country include Northlight Theatre, Madison Repertory Theatre, American Players Theatre, Theatre X, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, The Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., Delaware Theatre Company, Theatre 1010 and The Pearl Theatre Company in New York City. Sullivan is currently a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and the Actors’ Equity Association.

Resident Acting Company members in LAUGHING STOCK include Jonathan Gillard Daly (Henry), Laura Gordon (Sarah), James Pickering (Vernon), Rose Pickering (Daisy) and Deborah Staples (Susannah).
Completing the cast are Shaun K. Anthony (Braun), Eddie Collins (Jack), Richard Halverson (Richfield), Matthew Humphrey (Ian), Jenna Johnson (Karma), Donald Sage Mackay (Gordon), Cristina Panfilio (Mary), Dan Rivkin (Craig) and Brian Vaughn (Tyler).

(To learn more about our Resident Acting Company, Guest Actors or our Artistic Intern Company, please visit milwaukeerep.com.)

The production/design team for LAUGHING STOCK includes Bill Clark (Scenic Designer), Bill Black (Costume Designer), Joseph Appelt (Lighting Designer), Lindsay Jones (Sound Designer), Stephanie Miller (Lighting Design Assistant), Mark S. Sahba (Stage Manager), Valerie Rosile (Assistant Stage Manager) and Lauren Shepard (Assistant Director).

Tickets to LAUGHING STOCK range in price from $7.50 to $50.00. Students and senior citizens may purchase half-price RUSH TICKETS with proper identification 30 minutes before curtain time for all Quadracci Powerhouse Theater performances at The Rep Ticket Office. For more information or to charge tickets, call 414-224-9490. Tickets can be purchased online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com. For group sales of 20 or more, call The Rep Ticket Office at 414-224-9490.

Special Events for LAUGHING STOCK

• Join actor Jonathan Gillard Daly for The Rep in Depth, which begins 45 minutes before curtain time before every performance in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater.
• There will be low-priced preview performances at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30 and Thursday, December 1.
• Talkbacks – post-performance discussions with the cast of LAUGHING STOCK – will take place following the matinee performances on Sunday, December 11 and 18, Wednesday, December 21 and Thursday, December 22.
• A Pay-What-You-Can performance, where patrons are encouraged to pay what they feel they can afford will be on Tuesday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the Pay-What-You-Can performance are available beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the performance.
• On Thursday, December 1 and Tuesday, January 3 at 7:30 p.m. there will be an Audio- Described Performance for patrons who are blind or have low vision.
• Captioned Theater will take place on Sunday, January 1, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. Lines from the
  script running concurrently with the actors’ lines will be projected on the house left wall of the theater. This is a perfect way for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing to enjoy the performance.
• A performance interpreted in American Sign Language is scheduled for Thursday, January 5 at 7:30 p.m.
  
  

Milwaukee Repertory Theater
LAUGHING STOCK
By Charles Morey

FACT SHEET

THEATER: Quadracci Powerhouse Theater

DATES: November 29, 2005 – January 8, 2006

DESCRIPTION: Summer stock has never been so hilarious as in this backstage look at a dedicated thespian’s valiant attempt to turn a dilapidated barn into a place for theater magic. With a season lineup of DRACULA, HAMLET and CHARLEY’S AUNT in the works, this stage is a world of well-intentioned mayhem and loads of laughs.

PERFORMANCES:

Wednesday 11/30/05 7:30 p.m. Preview
Thursday 12/1/05 7:30 p.m. Preview/Audio Description

Friday 12/2/05 8:00 p.m. Opening
Saturday 12/3/05 4:30/8:30 p.m.
Sunday 12/4/05 2:00/7:00 p.m. 7:00/Super Sunday

Tuesday 12/6/05 7:30 p.m. Pay-What-You-Can
Wednesday 12/7/05 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 12/8/05 7:30 p.m. Theater Thursday
Friday 12/9/05 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 12/10/05 4:30/8:30 p.m.
Sunday 12/11/05 2:00/7:00 p.m. 2:00/Smoke-Free/Family Sunday/Talkback

Tuesday 12/13/05 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday 12/14/05 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 12/15/05 7:30 p.m.
Friday 12/16/05 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 12/17/05 4:30/8:30 p.m.
Sunday 12/18/05 2:00/7:00 p.m. 2:00 Talkback

Tuesday 12/20/05 6:30 p.m. Early Bird
Wednesday 12/21/05 1:30/7:30 p.m. 1:30/Talkback/Bus matinee
Thursday 12/22/05 1:30/7:30 p.m. 1:30/Talkback
Friday 12/23/05 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday 12/27/05 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday 12/28/05 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 12/29/05 7:30 p.m.
Friday 12/30/05 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 12/31/05 4:30/8:30 p.m.
Sunday 1/1/06 2:00/7:00 p.m. 2:00/Captioned Theater

Tuesday 1/3/06 7:30 p.m. Audio Description
Wednesday 1/4/06 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 1/5/06 7:30 p.m. Interpreted
Friday 1/6/06 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 1/7/06 4:30/8:30 p.m.
Sunday 1/8/06 2:00/7:00 p.m. Close-7:00 p.m.

TICKET PRICES:
PREVIEWS: $7.50 - $35.00
WEEKDAY/SUNDAY: $10.00 - $40.00
FRIDAY/SATURDAY: $12.50 - $50.00

TICKETS/INFORMATION:
(414) 224-9490 or buy tickets on line at milwaukeerep.com

TICKET OFFICE LOCATION:
108 East Wells Street in Milwaukee’s Downtown Theater District

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Milwaukee Repertory Theater is a nationally recognized theater company that presents a critically-acclaimed selection of compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works and lively Cabaret shows on three stages from September through May. The Rep also produces an annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. The Rep’s home, the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex, accommodates the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, the Stiemke Theater and the Stackner Cabaret. The Rep is also “home” to a Resident Acting Company of 11 actors who perform with The Rep throughout the season.

The Rep is proud to be a member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), which provides major annual financial support. The Rep is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a management association of some of the nation’s largest non-profit professional theaters that collectively bargains with the unions that represent the actors, directors and designers that work at The Rep; a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the nonprofit professional theater; and a member of Theatre Wisconsin, the statewide association of non-profit professional theaters. This theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. The set, costume and lighting designers are members of United Scenic Artists, a national labor union. This theater is an equal opportunity employer. Except in plays where race itself is an issue, casting is decided based on ability, not race.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex
108 E Wells St Milwaukee, WI 53202
Ticket Office: 414-224-9490 Ticket Office Fax: 225-5490
Administrative: 414-224-1761 Fax: 414-224-9097

http://www.milwaukeerep.com