Beowulf Alley Theatre Company- Presents LEAR & More

Shakespeare on the Baron Stage!

Action! Intrigue! Suspense!

LEAR

by William Shakespeare
as adapted and directed by
Michael Fenlason
October 27-November 20, 2011

Lear’s decision to divide his kingdom among his three daughters ignites a firestorm of greed, betrayal, and murder. Cast out as patriarch, upended by pride and anger, Lear walks into the night with a madman and a fool. One of the greatest plays in world literature, Shakespeare’s tragedy strips away the trappings of society to reveal the unforgiving truth about the human condition: love and deceit, power and poverty, good and evil. This play’s special understanding of old age explains in part why this most devastating of Shakespeare’s tragedies is also perhaps the most moving. Considered to be the ultimate Shakespearean tragedy, we bring you this contemporary adaptation of a classic work.

Director Michael Fenlason describes this piece as follows:

“KING LEAR by William Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest plays written in our language. And it was written in our language. So often we’re a little frightened by Shakespeare because of the poetry and the renaissance grammar. But Lear is very clear, very evocative and very much about the characters in the story. The reason I submitted this play and intend to perform it in modern dress is that many of the themes Shakespeare portrays are still with us today in stark forms: political divineness, the gap between rich and poor, the myriad issues of aging parents, the pervasiveness of greed. The characters in Lear are in the news, they are your neighbors, they are your friends, they are timeless. Whether its ambitious, ruthless Edmund or honest and decent Cordelia, whether it’s the brave Kent or the ungrateful Goneril, they are fully realized. The bad have some good in them, the good some bad. It’s often said that if Shakespeare were alive today he would be a heck of a screenwriter. His plays, this one in particular, are full of action, intrigue, suspense and sensuality. After all, what is theatre, but hi-def, 3-D entertainment and you don’t have to wear funny glasses. There’s not a bad seat in the house at Beowulf Alley Theatre. Lear will be all those things: funny, tragic, sexy, action-packed, shocking, but mostly, it will Shakespeare’s play, a towering achievement to our language and our humanity.”

Fenlason just earned the Arizona Theatre Company’s “2011 Arizona Playwright of the Year” award for his play, THE LAST RED BOOK. He directed the MAC Award-nominated SEASCAPE by Edward Albee for Beowulf Alley Theatre in the fall of 2010. Michael has directed at such diverse theaters as The Van Brugh in London and Raw Space in New York. He is a founding director of The Unlikely Theatre Company and Joan is Burning Content. Michael currently serves as BATC’s Development Director, co-chair of Late Night Theatre and Chair of Page on the Stage and is an active member of the Artistic Development Committee.

The cast includes Bree Boyd, Jacob Brown, Kate Cannon, Cody Davis, Bill Epstein, Bri Giger, Alex Greengaard, Aaron Guisinger, Mark Klugheit, and Amy Loehrs.

The production team includes Nicole Scott and Tristyn Tucci.

Performance Dates/Times:

Preview -
7:30pm Thursday, October 27

Evenings -
7:30pm Fridays, October 28, November 4, 11 and 18
7:30pm Saturdays, October 29, November 5, 12 and 19

Matinees -
2:30pm Sundays, October 30, November 6, 13, and 20

Approx. Running Time: 2 hours and 35 minutes, including intermission

Tickets:

Preview -
$15 by phone, online, at the door

General -
$20 in advance, $23 day of performance by phone or at the door.

Specially priced reserved tickets for each performance may be purchased on our website (click here) or by phone at (520) 882-0555 until 4 hours before the performance, then tickets are available by phone or at the door only for $23.

Want to help a high school student enjoy this production? A donation of $10 will ensure a seat for a high school student to experience this educational production of Lear. We will provide our local schools the ability to offer this exquisite literary piece to their students. Donations of $50, or five tickets, will allow the donor to choose the school. Please help us put arts education back in the schools. Our children need your support!

Location, Accessibility, Parking and Other Information:

- Beowulf Alley Theatre is located at 11 South 6th Avenue, just off-Broadway.
- We are wheelchair accessible.Please call the box office at (520) 882-0555 for assistance.
- Parking is available at street meters (no fees on weekdays after 5 p.m., all weekend days. The County lot at 6th Avenue and Broadway is open during those hours as well.
-Secured parking in several City garages within a short walk is available for an after-hours fee of $3.

Leave home a little early to enjoy the active, vibrant Downtown shops, restaurants and bars before and after the play and find a great parking spot! For parking locations and a map, please use the City’s website at http://parkwise.tucsonaz.gov/index.pho?q=parkwise.

We thank our wonderful sponsor: The Janet S. Brunel Residuary Trust for making this production possible.

A WEENIE HALLOWEEN
Active Imagination Theatre

A stuffy princess wants to ban Halloween from her kingdom, so she instructs her evil wizard to erase everyone’s memory of it. Candy, black cats, pumpkins, everything to do with Halloween is banned, but one little girl remembers that she used to have a black cat named Spookers. With help from the audience, our heroine goes in search of Spookers and rediscovers the fun of Halloween. This play runs approximately 45 minutes and is ideal for children ages 4 – 8 – and not a scary story.

Performances at the theatre are on Saturdays and Sundays, October 15, 16, 22, 29 and 30 at noon. On Sunday, October 23, there will be a special performance presented at the Children’s Museum at their F.A.M.E. event. Take advantage of our adult ticket discount before 10/15! Buy now for just $8 each. On 10/15 and beyond, adult ticket prices will be $10. Children, ages 4-10 are always $5 and 3 and under are free. To purchase tickets, go to our website (click here) or call (520) 882-0555 and leave a message with your name and phone number and we’ll call you back.

ABOUT ACTIVE IMAGINATION THEATRE

Directed by John Vornholt, the Active Imagination Theatre Ensemble Company includes: Saralynn Cano, Meagan Jones, Charlie Middagh, Robin Carson and Mike Saxon. Active Imagination Theatre performs original plays in which children from the audience are invited onstage to enjoy the fun and creativity of theater. We also tour schools, churches, and community events to foster an appreciation of theater.

Parking near the theatre

Parking is available on the street at meters Monday-Friday after 5 p.m. and all day on Saturdays and Sundays except when meters are hooded. The County lot is available to us Monday-Friday after 5 p.m. and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. There are three parking garages and two public parking lots within a two-block walk of the theatre. Each charges a small fee for secured parking. We suggest you refer to the Parkwise map at http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/sites/default/files/parkwise/DT%20Parking%20Map.jpg to locate parking areas downtown.

Tickets are on Sale Now for the Holiday World Premiere

A CACTUS CHRISTMAS directed by Pat Timm

Here’s something fun for the holidays for families to enjoy straight from the creative mind of local writer, John Vornholt. John is the chair person and director of Active Imagination Theatre at Beowulf Alley Theatre where he’s developed and directed five plays for children. He’s also written two plays that have been produced at Beowulf Alley Theatre: The First Third for Page on the Stage 2010, and Off Leash for Out to Lunch Theatre. He has also acted and directed at Old Tucson Studios. John is probably best known for writing 65 published books, including 30 Star Trek novels and The Troll King series.

In the ghost town of Wishbone, AZ is a run-down saloon. Two desert rats, Alice and Pete, have taken up residence declaring squatter’s rights. They are in search of TheTreasure Trove of the Lost Turk. When a family of well-off East Coast visitors arrives looking for a tour of ghost towns, Pete drums up a plan to take advantage of the Easterners’ good fortune but somehow that darned ghost keeps interfering.

Performance dates and times (Please note special family-friendly times):

Preview: Thursday, December 8, 7:00 p.m
Opening Night with reception: Friday, December 9, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: December 10-11, 2:30 p.m. then

Wednesday-Friday , December 14-16 & 21-23, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday Matinees, December 1718, & 24, 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now! Click here to go to our website or call the office at (520) 882-0555 to make your reservations. Don’t delay. Have some family holiday fun this season with us!

Season Subscribers and Flex Pass Holders – Please call the box office for special discount pricing.

Coming in November 2011…
Out to Lunch Theatre presents
TENURE OR DUST!
Fridays, November 4, 11 and 18 at 12:15 p.m.

Developed with the intent to provide downtown employees a mid-day escape but fun for everyone, Out to Lunch Theatre delivers half-hour performances based on original material by local playwrights. Lunches may be ordered a day ahead of time or patrons may opt to bring their own brown bag. Tickets: $6 play only and $14 when we add a lunch ordered from us (sandwich, chips and drink) at least the day prior to the play. Purchase online or call (520) 882-0555.

About TENURE OR DUST:

For love of an extra hot non-fat no-whip Chai, a famous Bulgarian Poet goes missing. Tenure is at stake and the search leads two bungling English professors to Casey’s, a dog-eared, down-home watering hole, deep in the heart of Tucson.

Approx. Running Time: 30 minutes, no intermission

Location, Accessibility, Parking and Other Information:

- Beowulf Alley Theatre is located at 11 South 6th Avenue, just off-Broadway.
- We are wheelchair accessible.Please call the box office at (520) 882-0555 for assistance.
- Parking is available at secure City garages within a short walk, some with the first hour free.
- For parking locations and a map, please use the City’s website at

http://parkwise.tucsonaz.gov/index.pho?q=parkwise.

Pastiche Modern Eatery’s
Philanthropy with Phlavor is back for the month of October!

PASTICHE WILL DONATE
5% OF SALES
TO THE
CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE
(BEOWULF ALLEY THEATRE, RIGHT?)
THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS OF
JUNE AND OCTOBER 2011.

TREAT YOURSELF WHILE TREATING OTHERS!

YOU GET TO DECIDE WHERE THE MONEY WILL GO!

This is how it works: Each June and October, Pastiche’s customers receive a simple ballot with their check when they come in and dine, or get take-out food. They are asked to designate the non-profit group of their choice on this ballot. Pastiche then contributes 5% of the customers’ checks (not including discounts or sales tax) to the non-profit organization. Patrons may participate as many times as they wish during these two months. The more they “do”, the more beneficial to our worthy and hardworking non-profits!

Pastiche has been sponsoring this unique contributions campaign twice a year since June 2000. Philanthropy With Phlavor has been an extremely successful and popular fundraising activity for Tucson non-profits, with over $60,000.00 being given to date.

Some of the big “winners” are Community Food Bank of Tucson & Pima County, Humane Society of Southern Arizona, Casa de los Niños, Beowulf Alley Theatre, Arizona Cancer Center, Cancer Society – Tucson Office, Arizona Cancer Center, Hermitage Cat Shelter, Youth On Their Own, Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Primavera Foundation, and Wingspan.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 325-3333
OR CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE – WWW.PASTICHEME.COM

The WALL OF FAME Is Back!

The 2011-2012 Wall of Fame has begun.

If you are an individual donor and would like to have a name inscribed on this year’s Wall, it’s just a $30 donation per name or two names for $50. Individual donations of $70 or more will also receive a choice of a Beowulf Alley coffee mug or t-shirt. All donations of $10 or more will be listed in our main stage programs. Please help us bring the joy of theatre to our community. Your fully tax-deductible support helps us keep our ticket prices affordable and our doors open to the community.

Business contributions begin at just $100 to have your name on the wall and posted in our program. At $250, we will add your logo on the wall, a 1/2 page ad in the program and a link to your business on our website.

To make a donation and have your name placed on the Wall of Fame, click here or call (520) 882-0555 and please leave a message for Michael Fenlason, Development Director, or Beth Dell, Managing Director and thank you for your continued support!

Some important things to know:

All Tickets may be purchased on our website or by phone at (520) 882-0555. If you receive our voicemail, please leave a message with your name and phone number. We will return your call. Of you have a discount coupon code for online purchasing, both Paypal and Google will ask for that code at the very end of the transaction.

We Do Not Ship Tickets. Tickets are held at the box office for will-call pickup the day of your chosen performance. If you do not receive a confirmation of your purchase from Paypal or Google within just a few minutes via e-mail, please contact us. This is your purchase receipt and confirmation. We recommend that you bring it with you the night of performance.

General Seating. Seating in our 95-seat (7 rows) theatre is on a first-com, first-served basis. Patrons with hearing, visual or physical conditions that might require special seating are asked to please advise the Box Office in advance. Purchase your tickets and just call us at 882-0555 giving us your name, date, phone number and the type of accessibility need you have so that we can properly plan your seating. We cannot guarantee seating without advance notice as our space is small.

All Ticket Sales Are Final. Tickets are transferable and may be exchanged for another performance within your chosen production if you call the box office before the day of your ticketed performance.

About Beowulf Alley Theatre Company

Beowulf Alley Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to enriching the community and enhancing appreciation of the arts through the production of innovative, invigorating theatre and theatrical education with the highest standards for acting and production. Funding is provided through ticket sales and the generous support of individuals and businesses, with smaller support from granting agencies and foundations. Founded in 2001, the intimate, 95-seat theatre provides a facility that meets professional standards where performing artists, educators and technicians can present their skills. Beowulf Alley has received critical acclaim, including five Mac Awards and eleven MAC nominations, as well as recognition in the Tucson Weekly’s “Best of…” Awards for acting, set design and new play presentations. The company has presented over 400 performances to Tucson audiences and provides performance and rehearsal space for rent by other organizations.

OLD TIME RADIO THEATRE
October/November/December 2011

Enjoy Radio Stories Just Like You Were in the Studio Audience

Performances by our Old Time Radio Theatre Company are on the first and third Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Tickets purchased online at least the day before a performance are $8.00. On the day of performance, tickets by phone or at the door are $10. Children 12 years and under are free. The box office phone number is (520) 882-0555.

October 18, 2011

OZZIE & HARRIET: Haunted House
MERCURY THEATRE: Dracula

November 1, 2011

FIBBER McGEE & MOLLY: Fall Housecleaning
SUSPENSE: Three Skeleton Key (March 17, 1950)

November 15, 2011

NBC’S GREAT MOMENTS IN HISTORY: The Landing of the Pilgrims
LIGHTS OUT: Bon Voyage

December 6, 2011

ARCHIE ANDREWS: Christmas Shopping (December 13, 1947)
RADIO CITY PLAYHOUSE: Twas the Night Before Christmas (December 24, 1949)

December 20, 2011

ORSON WELLES: A Christmas Carol