Mesa Encore Theatre to present Neil Simon's God's Favorite
Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Received 10/11/00

MESA ENCORE THEATRE OPENS ITS 64TH SEASON SAVING SOLES WITH
NEIL SIMON'S GOD'S FAVORITE

Mesa Encore Theatre opens its 2000/2001 season with God's Favorite by Neil Simon on Friday, November 10 at 8:00 PM at the Mesa Arts Center, 155 N. Center Street in Mesa. It will run through Sunday, November 26. Tickets are $12 General Admission, $11 Seniors & Students. Group rates are also available. Theatre patrons can bring a pair of gently worn children's or adult shoes to the performance and be registered to win dinner for two at the historic Landmark Restaurant in Mesa. All shoes collected will be donated to Mesa's homeless shelters, PreHab's La Mesita and Save the Family. For reservations and information call 480-834-9500.

Mesa Encore Theatre, formerly Mesa Little Theatre, will be collecting soles for the homeless during their production of Neil Simon's hilarious comedy, God's Favorite, directed by Frank Sprague. The theatre is asking all patrons who attend a performance to contribute a pair of gently worn shoes that can be donated to Mesa's homeless shelters, PreHab's La Mesita and Save the Family.

God's Favorite was written during a time that Simon was dealing with personal tragedy in his own life. The play is filled with poignant humor and brilliant wit for which Simon is so well known and carries an underlying message of absolute faith during adversity. As a modern day Book of Job, the action takes place in a Long Island mansion where Joe Benjamin, a wealthy manufacturer of cardboard boxes, along with his wife, a prodigal son and pair of kooky twins reside. One night, a messenger from God appears with a big G on his sweatshirt. From that point forward, Benjamin faces one challenge after another, including getting an itch, neuralgia, tennis elbow, hemorrhoids, and losing his home and business, all in an effort to get him to denounce God. Director, Frank Sprague, describes the play as ".the Book of Job, Simonized! Simon's main character, Joe Benjamin, has the advantage over the biblical Job. The one in the bible didn't know there was a bet on!"

Sprague is more than familiar with Neil Simon's works. He has directed Broadway Bound and Fools and played the role of George in Chapter Two. "We're excited to have Frank back on board for the opening of Mesa Encore Theatre's new season," said Marie Kennedy, MET President. In 1991, Mr. Sprague directed Mesa Little Theatre's production of My Three Angels for which he was named MLT's Director of the Year. His biggest challenge of the production, "casting. Even though it's a comedy, these people have to be real for it to work," comments Sprague. With MLT veteran, David Plummer playing the role of Joe Benjamin and new comer John Webster appearing as Sydney, God's messenger, Sprague feels he's got exactly what he needs to make it work. When asked what his impression was after reading God's Favorite, his first reaction was, "Simon's done it again!"

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