Eric Simonson

Rum Bambi Run

Show Summary
In a story ripped from the headlines—that proves the truth is indeed stranger than fiction—Laurie “Bambi” Bembeneck goes from Milwaukee Police Department cop to Playboy Bunny to finding herself on trial for a murder she didn’t commit. Or did she? Fueled with punk-rock songs from the lead singer of The Violent Femmes comes a rollicking local story that took the nation by storm. You’ll find yourself cheering along as the fierce and resilient Laurie fights for truth and justice on a journey you have to see to believe. As Laurie says, “The deeper you bury me, the louder I’ll shout.”

Bio
Eric's plays and adaptations include Nomathemba (written with Ntozake Shange and Joseph Shabalala), Carter’s Way, Honest (for First Look) Fake, and Lindiwe. Other plays include Louder Faster, Magic/Bird, Bronx Bombers, Bang the Drum Slowly, The Last Hurrah, Work Song: Three Views of Frank Lloyd Wright (with Jeffrey Hatcher), Edge of the World, Lombardi: The Only Thing and Speak American. His work has been produced in Japan and throughout the United States at theaters including The Huntington Theatre Company, L.A. Theatre Works, City Theatre of Pittsburgh, The Kennedy Center, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Arizona Theatre Company, Madison Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre and Crossroads Theatre Company. His adaptation of Moby Dick at Milwaukee Repertory was chosen as one of Time Magazine’s top ten productions of 2002. Eric is also an accomplished theatre, film and opera director. His production of Steppenwolf’s The Song of Jacob Zulu received six Tony® Award nominations, including one for best direction. He received the 2006 Academy Award for his documentary short A Note of Triumph, as well as the 2005 Princess Grace Statue Award for sustained artistic achievement. His adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five (originally produced at Steppenwolf) received its Off-Broadway premiere at New York’s 59E59 Theater. He is currently overseeing the development of three new operas for Minnesota Opera’s OperaWorks. Other outstanding commissions include plays for Manhattan Theatre Club, City Theatre and Arizona Theater Company.