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Event
The Arsonists by Max Frisch
INCENDIARY HILARITY ALERT! A Greek chorus of Keystone Kops guides us through a retelling of Frisch's absurdist classic, where sparks fly as an unemployed circus wrestler and his pyromaniacal partner pervade the life of a morally bereft hair rejuvenator magnate. "Well, who you gonna believe, ME or your own eyes?" Chico Marx
Featuring:
Liam Castellan
Jesse Delaney
Ethan Lipkin
Mark Knight
Kirsten Quinn
Kristen Egermeier
John D'Alonzo
Michael Dura
Tomas Dura
Jaime Pannone
Lee Pucklis
Bob Schmidt
Monah Yancy
Mrs. Knechtling
Directed by Tina Brock
Costume Design: Brian Strachan
Set Design: Meghan Jones
Lighting Design: Josh Schulman
Sound Design: Aaron Oster
A new translation of Max Frisch's classic 1958 "morality play without a moral," written for the Royal Court Theatre in 2007, will have its regional premiere during Philadelphia's 2011 Live Arts and Fringe Festival. The Arsonists, translated by Alistair Beaton, will close out the IRC's sixth season of producing classic and seldom seen absurdist gems in the Philadelphia area. The Arsonists will begin previews Wednesday, August 31 and run through Sunday, September 18 at The Walnut Street Theatre Studio 5 in Philadelphia.
An allegorical and absurdist black comedy, The Arsonists examines middle class complacency in the face of great evil: sparks fly when an unemployed circus wrestler and his pyromaniacal partner pervade the life of a morally bereft hair rejuvenator magnate. A Greek chorus of Keystone Kops guides us through Frisch's absurdist classic -- an extended metaphor for the weakness of personal ethics in the face of evil. Exactly what that evil is, Frisch never says, though as a Swiss citizen he felt keenly the stifling and hypocritical nature of middle-class morality.
The Arsonists is a rousing retelling of Frisch's classic The Firebugs (originally Biedermann und die Brandstifter), and is the first major revival of the play since its premiere in 1961, also at the Royal Court Theatre. Max Frisch was an architect, novelist and playwright, and is considered one of the most influential Swiss writers of the 20th century. Frisch wrote The Firebugs after World War II, during which he served as a Swiss Army officer. Frisch was greatly influenced by Bertolt Brecht; his works often explore issues of class, identity, individuality, responsibility, morality and man's alienation from society.
The Arsonists cast of fourteen features many IRC veterans from past productions, including Liam Castellan, John D'Alonzo, Jesse Delaney, Michael Dura, Tomas Dura, Kristen Egermeier, Mark Knight, Ethan Lipkin, Jamie Pannone, Lee Pucklis, Kirsten Quinn, Bob Schmidt, Monah Yancy and Tina Brock. The Arsonists design team includes Brian Strachan (Ionesco's The Chairs, The Lesson; Jean Giraudoux's The Madwoman of Chaillot), Costume Design; Josh Schulman (Tennessee Williams' The Gnädiges Fraulein), Lighting Design; Meghan Jones (Boris Vian's The Empire Builders), Set Design and Aaron Oster, Sound Design. Producing Artistic Director Tina Brock will direct The Arsonists.
The Arsonists will conclude the IRC's sixth season and continue their mission of presenting and preserving difficult and rarely produced absurdist works from authors including Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter and Eugene Ionesco. The IRC recently completed critically-acclaimed productions of Jean Giraudoux's The Madwoman of Chaillot in September 2010 and The Empire Builders by French author Boris Vian in February 2011. Toby Zinman of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote of The Madwoman of Chaillot, "a fine production of a rarely seen French classic a sweet fantasia about joy conquering evil." Jim Rutter of The Broad Street Review wrote of The Empire Builders, "deep and philosophically dazzling this intense and creepy production is tremendously entertaining."
The Arsonists will have seventeen performances at the Walnut Street Theater Studio 5. Curtain is 7:30 pm Tuesday through Saturday and 2:30 pm for the Sunday matinee. The Arsonists will have preview performances on Wednesday, August 31st and Thursday, September 1, and will open Friday, September 2, with performances continuing Saturday, September 3; Sunday, September 4; Tuesday, September 6; Wednesday, September 7; Thursday, September 8; Friday, September 9; Saturday, September 10; Sunday, September 11; Tuesday, September 13; Wednesday, September 14; Thursday, September 15; Friday, September 16; Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18.
Doors open 30 minutes before curtain. Tickets are $20.00 (discounted for the previews). Seating is very limited, advance reservations are recommended. Reservations may be made online by visiting the IRC website at www.idiopathicridiculopathyconsortium.org or www.livearts-fringe.org. This year's festival runs September 2 through September 17.
The IRC is a 501C3 non-profit organization, and a member of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia and The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance; the IRC proudly participates in the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre, a program of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. The Arsonists is funded in part by a generous grant from The Philadelphia Cultural Fund.
Walnut Street Theater Studio 5, 825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Tickets: $20.
Seating is very limited.
Order online: www.idiopathicridiculopathyconsortium.org or www.phillyfringe.org
or call: 215.285.0472
Previews (August 31 and September 1) are $15.00.
Doors open one half-hour before curtain.
Inquire about student, senior and group discounts.
IRC. We bring good nothingness to life.
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LocationWalnut Street Theater Studio 5 (View)
825 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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