The Arvada Center Presents The House of Blue Leaves

The House of Blue Leaves
A Bizarre Comedy that Leaves You Gasping...

Written by John Guare
Directed by Billie McBride

Cast: Jessica Austgen (US Nuns/US Bunny), Juliana Black (Little Nun/US Corrinna Stroller), Amy Board (Corrinna Stroller), Rhonda Brown (Bunny Flingus), Paul Dwyer (MP/US Artie), Beth Flynn (2nd Nun), Ethelyn Friend (Bananas Shaughnessy), Kevin Hart (Artie Shaughnessy), Josh Robinson (White Coat Man/US Ronnie) Kyle Steffen (Ronnie Shaughnessy), Marcus Waterman (Billy Einhorn), Edith Weiss (Head Nun/US Bananas)

Production Staff: Billie McBride (Director), Brian Mallgrave (Set Designer), Gail Gober (Lighting Designer), Nicole M. Harrison (Costume Designer), Steve Stevens (Sound Designer), Lance Copeman (Props), Lisa Kurtz (Stage Manager), Adam Stolte (Technical Manager), Nick Cimyotte (Technical Director), Jon Olson (Master Electrician), Dave Cimyotte (Lead Technician), Grant Evenson (Lead Sound Technician), Elizabeth Zumfelde (Head of Wardrobe), Kathleen Murphy (Business Manager), Rod A. Lansberry (Artistic Producer)

ARVADA, CO – The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities presents the Tony Award-winning® The House of Blue Leaves, an absurd retro comedy, running April 8 – May 4, 2008 in the new Black Box Theater.

It's 1965: the Pope is coming to New York City and comical chaos is about to reign. The House of Blue Leaves is a dark comedy filled with neurotic characters. This social commentary of the '60s follows Artie Shaughnessy, a zookeeper by day and a hope-to-be songwriter by night, who fears he is "too old to be a young talent." Artie's creative space is interrupted by a cast of crazy characters—nuns on the roof, his loony wife Bananas, manic mistress Bunny and his psychotic son Ronnie, who is preparing to assassinate the Pope. This absurd comedy brings to light the lengths people will go to for their 15 minutes of fame.

Written by John Guare, The House of Blue Leaves first opened off-Broadway on February 10, 1971. The 1986 Broadway revival, starring Swoosie Kurtz, John Mahoney, Stockard Channing, Danny Aiello, Ben Stiller and Julie Hagerty, garnered four Tony Awards®, including Best Featured Actor, Best Featured Actress, Best Direction of a Play and Best Scenic Design. Guare's breakthrough play also won several Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Revival.

The House of Blue Leaves is directed by Billie McBride. Billie returns to the Arvada Center after previously directing The Subject Was Roses and As Bees in Honey Drown. Billie has also performed in the Center's productions of Moon over Buffalo, Picnic, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Fully Monty, The Women and Over the Tavern, which won her an Ovation Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Kevin Hart makes his Arvada Center debut as Artie Shaughnessy. Kevin was last seen locally as Bruce in the Avenue Theater's production of Beyond Therapy. Favorite roles include Pozzo in Waiting for Godot, Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman, Cliff in The Woolgatherer and Chris Wren in The Mouse Trap.

Ethelyn Friend also makes her Arvada Center debut as Artie's loony wife Bananas. Ethelyn has been seen locally with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival and Curious Theatre Company, where she was twice recognized with an Ovation Award for Best Actress in a Comedy (Fuddy Meers and Bright Ideas).

Rhonda Brown plays Bunny, Arnie's mistress. Rhonda was named top actress in the 2006 edition of "Top of the Rockies" in the Rocky Mountain News, and won an Ovation Award for Best Actress in 2005, in addition to receiving the first annual Henry Lowenstein Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in Curious Theatre's Bug.

Arvada Center favorite Beth Flynn returns to the Arvada Center as one of the nuns on the roof. Also returning to the Center for this production are local favorites Juliana Black, Amy Board, Paul Dwyer, Kyle Steffen, Marcus Waterman and Edith Weiss.

TICKET INFORMATION:
For tickets, call the Arvada Center box office at (720) 898-7200, log on to arvadacenter.org or visit the Arvada Center box office at 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, CO.

Prices start at $23.

PERFORMANCES:
April 8 – May 4, 2008
Tuesday – Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday matinees at 1:00 p.m.
Preview performances run April 4 – 6 at 7:30 p.m.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Friday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m.—FIRST FRIDAY! Put on your tie dye shirt, bell bottoms and mood ring for this 1960's retro reception. Do you recall what the trendy snacks and drinks were in the 60's? Well, we do! Funky food and flash-back music will set the scene for a fun and bizarre night of entertainment. Call (720) 898-7200 by April 8 to make your reservations.

Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. & Wednesday, April 23 at 1:00 p.m.—Talk back with members of the cast and production team following the performance.

Saturday, May 10 at 2:00 p.m.—Audio-described performance, to accommodate patrons who are blind or have low vision.

The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is one of the metro area's largest cultural attractions, devoted to all aspects of the arts. It is generously supported by the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) and located two and a half miles north of Interstate 70 on Wadsworth Blvd.

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