Durang/Durang, written by the irreverent and wickedly funny playwright Christopher Durang, and presented by Ensemble Theatre Company, will open April 11 at the Metro Theatre in Scottsdale. The show stars Bisk Consoli, Chris McCormick, Barbara McGrath, Jay Melius, Leanne Oates, Rebecca A. Siegel, and Kindra Steenerson, and is directed by Ben Weisenberg.
Durang/Durang is an evening of five comedies, one of them a simultaneous homage and skewering of The Glass Menagerie entitled For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls. Laura is transformed into Lawrence, a hypochondriac with a collection of glass swizzle sticks; the "Feminine Caller" is a good-natured and hard of hearing lesbian; Amanda Wingfield is now the acerbic Amanda Wingvalley, who cannot hide her distaste for both of her sons; and we all know why Tom goes to the movies every night!
In addition to their sheer humor, all five plays share typical Durang themes: narcissism, sexual orientation, individual identity, strangulating family ties, and the deconstruction of received values, all of which contribute to a fulfilling evening of satire and surrealism.
The New York Times gives the play the highest recommendation of all: "A production you can sink your teeth and mind into, while also laughing like an idiot!"
Christopher Durang is also the author of The Marriage of Bette and Boo (Obie and the Dramatists Guild Award), The Idiots Karamazov, Baby With the Bathwater, A History of the American Film (Tony Nomination), The Actor's Nightmare, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You (Obie Award), Beyond Therapy, Laughing Wild, Sex and Longing, and Betty's Summer Vacation (Drama Desk nomination).
Tickets to Durang/Durang are $17 for adults and $14 for students, seniors and groups of 15 or more. Performances run on weekends from April 11 through April 28, with showtimes at 8:00 pm Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:00 pm on Sundays. Please call the box office (480-874-0806) to confirm all dates and times. Box office will open 1/2 hour before curtain. Tickets are available at the door or in advance by phone, and reservations are suggested, as seating is limited. For reservations or more information, please call the Metro Theatre at 480-874-0806. The Metro Theatre is located at 8408 E. Indian School in Scottsdale, at the northeast corner of Indian School and Granite Reef.