April 30 - May 16, 2009: “Loot” by Joe Orton
The 4th and final show this season is also our entry in the North Island Zone Drama Festival in May. Joe Orton's comedy with a twist, "Loot" is directed by the award-winning team of Derek and Debbie Burke.
Director Derek Burke writes, “Joe Orton’s LOOT was given the Evening Standard’s award for Best Play - 1966, and was described by the Sunday Telegraph as “the most genuinely quick witted, pungent and sprightly entertainment by a new young British playwright for a decade”. The term “Ortonesque” soon entered the language - and LOOT is the prime example of the Ortonesque play: a black farce which outrageously satirises religion, the integrity of the police force and social attitudes to death. Hal and Dennis have robbed the local bank - the urgent problem is where to hide the stolen money now that the psychopathic Inspector “Truscott of the Yard” is closing in on them. Hal’s mother is about to be buried; could they use her coffin for hiding their loot? The mother’s very religious, much-married, murderous, gold-digging nurse is sniffing around for the hidden money and also for another husband - will she ensnare young Dennis with his share of the loot, or will it be Hal’s still grieving father and his bank account? It all ends well; or does it? Appearances can be deceiving.”
The cast of “Loot” includes James Brook, Brent Ronning, Diena Tyne, Dave McGarry, Chris Arthurs and John Milne. “Loot” features a mature theme.
Tickets to “Loot” are now available from Rollin Art Centre, Echo Centre, Curious Coho Books and The Graphics Factory. Loot plays for 9 performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from April 30 to May 16, with a 10th performance on May 20 as part of the North Island Zone Drama Festival. All shows start at 7:30 pm, with theatre doors opening at 7:00 pm. Open seating at The Capitol means the earlier you arrive, the better your choice of seats.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2009
capitoltheatre@shaw.ca
http://www.atthecapitol.org
Injury Causes One-Week Delay in Opening Night of Mystery/Comedy, "Accomplice"
Port Alberni - Due to an unfortunate injury, Portal Players Dramatic Society is uncertain if Chris Arthurs will be able to perform in “Accomplice”, the 3rd play of the group's season. Show producer Mary Ellen Shimell has announced that Arthurs may be out for the count while he recovers, but in the meantime has located a full-time actor from Vancouver who will come to Port Alberni to understudy Arthurs’ role for the run of the show. As a result, “Accomplice” has postponed opening night for an additional week to prepare. “Accomplice” now opens on Thursday, February 12, at The Capitol Theatre.
In addition to Arthurs’, local actors in "Accomplice" include Yvette Van Metre & Megan Cathers, and PPDS President Elliot Drew. All have performed in PPDS shows the last couple of seasons, and are anxious to work with visiting actor Paul Delgado.
Delgado has performed numerous character roles in a variety of productions in the lower mainland, while understudying major roles in the those same plays. Producer Mary Ellen Shimell worked tirelessly to locate an actor appropriate to the role, and has been dedicated to ensuring that a quality production is put on at The Capitol Theatre for Portal Players’ audiences. Shimell has been the driving force behind having “Accomplice” produced. “We’re very fortunate that Paul Delgado is of similar build and height as Chris Arthurs - with very few adjustments, we'll be able to use the same costumes,” Shimell says. “It’s really remarkable, actually, how closely the two actors resemble each other.”
“Accomplice” is a mystery-comedy-thriller written by Rupert Holmes, who has plays, musicals and pop music hits to his artistic credit. Readers may recall “Escape, The Pina Colada Song”, a pop hit in the late 70’s, which was written and sung by Holmes. With “Accomplice”, Holmes has devised a script that contains twists-a-plenty, with a dynamic ending that no one will see coming, likely even those who watch carefully.
Many reviews have been written about “Accomplice”: "A delight. It is humorous, odd, scary, wildly dramatic, adult, adolescent in short, impossible to dislike."-Pasadena Star News; "Miss it a your peril."-LA Herald Examiner; "A breathless ride through an ever shifting series of planes."- Cleveland Plain Dealer; "Part murder mystery, part sex farce and completely entertaining. ... Suspenseful, charming and funny."-USA Today.
"Accomplice" plays on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, for two weeks opening February 12, at The Capitol Theatre; a third week of the run will skip the Friday night show, performing February 26 & 28 evenings. One Sunday matinee is scheduled, on February 15. Evening shows start at 7:30 pm, with the box office and theatre doors opening at 7:00 pm. For the matinee, doors open at 1:30 and the show starts at 2:00 pm. "Accomplice" carries a warning for brief nudity and mature themes.
Tickets are available now from Rollin Art Centre, Echo Centre, Curious Coho Books and The Graphics Factory. Adult tickets are $15.00 each, while senior (65+) and student (full time studies) tickets are $13.00 each. Charge-by-phone purchases for out-of-town buyers can be made by calling 250-723-6227 during weekday business hours. Tickets are available on show nights from the box office. With open theatre seating, audience members are encouraged to arrive early for their best choice of seats.
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