Shake off the winter’s brittle cold and warm your soul at Theatrikos’ 2017 hilarious season-opener, “Rumors,” the comedic gem penned by playwright Neil Simon in an effort to lift his own spirits during a difficult time. Co-directed by Theatrikos veteran (and 2016 Viola Award nominee) Jan Rominger and Mac Groves, professor in Northern Arizona University’s Department of Theatre, the production runs three weekends—Feb. 3 through 19—at the Doris Harper-White Community Playhouse in historic downtown Flagstaff.
The story begins as guests are arriving for an elegant anniversary dinner party while the host lies bleeding from a gunshot wound in an upstairs bedroom and his wife is nowhere to be found. The victim is the Deputy Mayor of New York City and the arriving guests are an assortment of attorneys, CPAs, psychiatrists, and television cooking show hosts—all either instigating or falling prey to mounting confusion and miscommunications while trying to “get the story straight” should the police arrive.
“I’m a big Neil Simon fan because he’s such a keen observer of human behavior,” Groves said. “That’s what makes his comedy so true and so hilarious. Because it’s us—or people we know—up there on the stage.”
This play was chosen to open Theatrikos’ season because Simon is one of America’s most produced and popular playwrights with over 40 published plays, a theater named after him on Broadway, and a career spanning seven decades. He is not only a Pulitzer Prize winner, but probably the most recognized playwright in America because of plays like “The Odd Couple”, “Barefoot in the Park”, and the musical “Sweet Charity”.
The cast of 10 includes Chrissy Doba, Kyle Haynes, Joe Maatman, Molly Parafiniuk, Aaron Paul, Abigail Stokley, Amelia Swann, Michael Rulon, Viola Award-winner Becky Daggett, and Jim Dugan, who was nominated for a 2017 “Emerging Artist” Viola Award.
Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Sundays from February 3 to 19. Individual tickets for the Feb. 3 opening performance are $15 to $21 and include a post-show reception with the cast. Seating for other performances range from $11 to $17. Applicable ticketing fees also apply. A special “First Friday” pre-show reception on Feb. 3 will feature free refreshments and artwork and live music in the lobby.
Tickets can be purchased online at Theatrikos.com; by calling (928) 774-1662; or by visiting the theater’s Box Office, which is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and two hours prior to each performance.
Opening Night Reception food provided by: Toasted Owl and Weatherford Hotel/Charley’s Pub & Grill
Join us for a special “First Friday” pre-show reception at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 3 will feature free refreshments and the art of Jamey Hasapis in our lobby.
Read this preview in the Arizona Daily Sun.