Friday, March 23, 2012

TIS THE SEASON FOR SEASON ANNOUNCEMENTS: PART THREE OF FOUR


North Coast Rep’s 31st Season is getting ready to drop its drawers. Opening with Steve Martin’s hilarious farce “The Underpants,” NCR has something for everyone with its well rounded line up of shows for 2012-2013, which also includes a world premiere musical, a durable Neil Simon comedic confection, a commissioned world premiere drama set in war-torn Cuba, and ending with a “Perfect Wedding.” Here are the full details of their season lineup with show summaries adapted from NCR.

THE UNDERPANTS

By Steve Martin

Previews: September 5 – 7, 2012

September 8 – September 30, 2012

Adapting Carl Sternheim’s 1910 comedy, Steve Martin has reinvigorated this hilarious, laugh out loud farce. Theobald Maske has an unusual problem: his wife’s underpants won’t stay on. One Sunday morning they fall to her ankles right in the middle of town…a public scandal! Mortified, Theo swears to keep her at home until she can find some less unruly undies. A San Diego premiere.

WORDS BY, Ira Gershwin and the Great American Songbook
By Joe Vass

Previews: October 17 – 19, 2012

October 20 –November 11, 2012

A world premiere musical about the lesser-known lyricist brother of the famous Gershwin duo guides us on a trip through some of the greatest American songs ever written. Insights and tales about the colorful George, as well as a glimpse at the more private life of Ira, frame this pastiche of amazing and beautiful music, which includes some classic collaborations between Ira and Harold Arlen, Vernon Duke, and Jerome Kern. David Ellenstein will direct this pseudo-musical revue, which will feature an actor playing Gershwin as well as two performers who only sing.

EDUCATING RITA

By Willy Russell

Previews: January 9 – 11, 2013

January 12 – February 3, 2013

NCR kicks off 2013 with an award winning comedy by the author of “Shirley Valentine.” In this smart and witty play, Frank, a university lecturer, agrees to tutor Rita, a brash and earthy hairdresser with a newly discovered passion for higher education. The result is a delightful Pygmalion-style comedy filled with self-discoveries, temptation, and heartfelt humanity that tackle personal and social issues with insight and grace.

TIME STANDS STILL

By Donald Margulies

Previews: February 20 – February 22, 2013

February 23 - March 17, 2013

Widely hailed as one of the best new plays on Broadway (with a Tony nomination for Best Play of 2010), “Time Stands Still” is the story of James and Sarah, a journalist and photographer, who have been together for nine years and who share a passion for documenting the realities of war. But when injuries force them to return home to New York, this adventurous couple must confront their battle scars of war (some visible, some not) and learn how to return to a more conventional, civilian lifestyle. David Ellenstein will direct this San Diego premiere.

THE ODD COUPLE

By Neil Simon

Previews: April 10 – 12, 2013

April 13 – May 5, 2013

NCR is bringing Neil Simon back after a 13-year absence by staging one of his most famed comic masterpieces, “The Odd Couple.” Revisit two of the most memorable characters in the history of Broadway and broadcast television (Oscar Madison and Felix Unger) and rediscover the genius of the original play that remains a gold standard for comedy writers to this day.

BECOMING CUBA

By Melinda Lopez

Previews: May 29 – 31, 2013

June 1 – 23, 2013

Commissioned by NCR Board Member Jenie Altruda, this world premiere drama is set in 1890’s Cuba and introduces a family coping with the changing landscape of their country as it struggles for independence. Melinda Lopez’s knack for dialogue and drama, mixed with her knowledge and research of the time, opens the door on issues of loyalty and family, fighting for a cause, and finding happiness, all in the course of one powerful and often humorous drama.

PERFECT WEDDING

By Robin Hawdon

Previews: July 10 – 12, 2013

July 13 – August 4, 2013

If “Lend Me A Tenor” tickled your funny bone, “Perfect Wedding” will make you fall off your seat! Following the classic farce formula, Robin Hawdon weaves a pure love story into full throttle and manic fun. Mistaken identity, wit, and wordplay plus fantastical physical comedy add up to an evening of full-blown entertainment. A San Diego premiere!

For more information about NCR, visit www.northcoastrep.org.

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