Moon Comes to Grand Rapids Civic Jan 15 - 31

Dec. 29, 2009 - PRLog -- Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts
Contact: Jennifer Prater
Marketing Director, (616) 222-6658, jprater@grct.org
November 2, 2009

PRESS RELEASE : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MOON OVER BUFFALO
Comedy by Ken Ludwig : January 15 - 31

Critics, audiences and actors alike love Ludwig’s comedies. USA Today reported that “Moon Over Buffalo packs more comic genius onto the stage than anything in recent memory,” and The New York Times called Ludwig “one of those rare contemporary playwrights who thinks in terms of old-fashioned knockabout farce, and that’s something to be cherished.”
In the madcap comedy tradition of Ludwig’s smash, Lend me a Tenor, the hilarious Moon Over Buffalo centers on George and Charlotte Hay, fading stars of the 1950's. At the moment, they’re playing Private Lives and Cyrano De Bergerac in rep in Buffalo, New York with 5 actors. On the brink of a disastrous split-up caused by George’s dalliance with a young ingénue, they receive word that they might just have one last shot at stardom: Frank Capra is coming to town to see their matinee, and if likes what he sees, he might cast them in his movie remake of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Unfortunately for George and Charlotte, everything that could go wrong does go wrong; abetted by a visit from their daughter’s clueless fiancé and hilarious uncertainty about which play they’re actually performing, caused by Charlotte’s deaf old stage-manager mother who feels about George as only a mother-in-law can.
Add mistaken identities, some unrequited love, a bottle of bourbon poured into a pot of coffee, a lot of slamming doors and the comic possibilities arising from doing both those plays at once, and you'll see why Knight-Ridder critic Clifford Ridley observed, "It's safe to say that you have never seen a ‘Private Lives' like this one [and] you've never seen a funnier one.”
"[This] comedy has audiences rolling in the aisles. The second act has a show-within-a-show spoof of “Private Lives” with everybody in the wrong costumes reading the wrong lines. This has to be one of the most hysterical things ever put onstage. I have seen Moon Over Buffalo three times!” -New York Post (Liz Smith)
“Moon Over Buffalo is hilarious! Ludwig stuffs his play with comic invention, running gags and neat sense of absurdity. An evening of farcical delight. Go and enjoy!” -New York Post (Clive Barnes)
“Moon Over Buffalo is by far Broadway’s funniest, most enjoyable lighthearted play. Buy a ticket!” -Entertainment Weekly
Director: Bruce Tinker
Season Sponsor: The Porter Foundation
Production Sponsor: Centennial Securities
Content Advisory: This comedy includes suggestive sight-gags, chase scenes, mistaken identities, etc. typical of the genre. There are instances of strong language, stage fog and loud sounds including gunshots. Our recommendation: Suitable for most persons aged 12 and up.


MOON OVER BUFFALO - Cast
George Hay   Jon G. March
Charlotte Hay   Margi Hankins
Rosalind Hay   Julie Kehr*
Ethel   Carole McNulty*
Howard   Alex Kempsell*
Richard   Doug Everse
Eileen   Candice Rowlands*
Paul  Jerry Borths*
*First Civic Theatre appearance.

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GR Civic Theatre - 4th largest community theatre in the country and the nation's leading school of theatre arts. Pro-quality productions offer avocational performance and technical opportunity and school instructs movement, dance, voice, acting and tech.