Copperstate
Dinner Theatre mounts RumorsMark S.P. Turvin
mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Received 4/15/04
Copperstate
Dinner Theatre mounts RumorsWHAT: RUMORS‚ BY NEIL SIMON
WHERE: PHOENIX GREYHOUND PARK
3801 E. WASHINGTON
WHEN: MAY 7 THROUGH JULY 11
TIME: FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENINGS DINNER 6:30, CURTAIN 8:00
SUNDAY SUPPER SHOW DINNER 5:30, CURTAIN 7:00
PRICE: $32.95 PER PERSON INCLUDES DINNER, THE SHOW, TAX AND GRATUITY
PHONE: (602) 279-3129
THE COPPERSTATE DINNER THEATER AT PHOENIX GREYHOUND PARK IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE OPENING OF NEIL SIMON‚S RUMORS, MAY 7TH THROUGH JULY 11, 2004
RUMORS WILL PLAY AT THE COPPERSTATE DINNER THEATER, 3801 E. WASHINGTON INSIDE THE PHOENIX GREYHOUND PARK. PERFORMANCES ARE FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENINGS DINNER 6:30, CURTAIN 8:00. AND SUNDAY SUPPER SHOWS WITH DINNER 5:30 AND CURTAIN 7:00. THE TICKET PRICE FOR ALL PERFORMANCES IS ONLY $32.95 PER PERSON WHICH INCLUDES DINNER AND THE SHOW AS WELL AS TAX AND GRATUITY. DINNER IS A SIT-DOWN SERVICE, NOT BUFFET. WITH A CHOICE OF FOUR DELICIOUS ENTREES: PRIME RIB, GRILLED SALMON FILET, TERIYAKI CHICKEN BREAST, AND VEGETABLE LASAGNA. MEALS COME WITH SIDE DISHES, SALAD WITH CHOICE OF DRESSING, ROLLS AND BUTTER. APPETIZERS, DESSERTS AND BEVERAGES ARE EXTRA. A FULL BAR IS AVAILABLE. RESERVATIONS CAN BE MADE AT (602) 279-3129.
RUMORS IS DIRECTED BY COPPERSTATE DINNER THEATER‚S PRODUCING DIRECTOR, PETER J. HILL WHO‚S BEEN CALLED ŒARIZONA‚S PREMIER FARCEUR‚. VALLEY FAVORITE JON GENTRY HEADS UP A VALLEY ALL-STAR CAST ALONG WITH MARTHA BROOKS, JAN CLEVENGER, SCOTT CONNELLY, BEAU HECKMAN, JUDI HOLMBERG, RON HUNTING, KATRINA REYES, PHIL PEULECKA AND ATHENA REISS.
In RUMORS, four couples gather in a Manhattan suburb to celebrate a tenth wedding anniversary of their best friends, only to discover the host, the deputy mayor of New York, wounded by gunfire. An attempted suicide∑ or is it? A missing wife, a missing cook, a damaged car, whip lash, reoccurring back spasms and rumors galore add to the comedic mayhem as circumstances get progressively more difficult when nobody can remember who has been told what to and about whom.
Neil Simon's first farce was a departure from his typical autobiographical comedies. The play, directed by Gene Saks, opened at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California, on September 22, 1988. It moved to the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City on November 17, 1988, where it ran for 531 shows. Simon‚s 23rd Broadway play in 28 years earned Christine Baranski her second Tony Award for her role as Chris Gorman.
"This is completely different for me," Simon said days before RUMORS opened on Broadway. "A farce is relentless. There are so many more obligations. It‚s relentless in its needs for plot twists, and to keep the comedy going."
Through the 60's and 70's, Simon turned out hit after hit. During the 1966/67 Broadway season, he had four plays running simultaneously; three were running during the 1970/71 season. In 1983 he achieved something no living playwright ever had: A Broadway theatre was dedicated in his name. RUMORS followed his highly acclaimed autobiographical trilogy BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS (1983), BILOXI BLUES (1985) and BROADWAY BOUND (1986).
QUOTABLES:
"Broadway has something to cheer about again! This maze of mendacity is light, frothy and fun." -The New York Post
"Has nothing on its mind except making the audience laugh." -The New York Times
"If there were computer tabulations of such things, I‚m sure the laugh count for RUMORS would be as high as for many of Mr. Simon‚s previous hits." -The Wall Street Journal
"Old-fashioned, door-slamming, crockery-smashing farce." -Time Magazine
"Neil Simon makes people laugh-a lot!" -USA Today
"Not only side-splitting, but front and back-splitting." -NBC TV