FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Meg Lewis
Director of Marketing &
Communications
(334) 271-5326
Email: mlewis@asf.net
Thursday, September
20, 2012
The Alabama Shakespeare Festival Opens its 20012-13
Season with
Mark Twain’s THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER,
Adapted by Laura Eason
Montgomery, AL -
The
waters of the mighty Mississippi will flow through the stage of the Alabama
Shakespeare Festival when Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer comes
to the theatre October 3-20. Public performances will take place at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
on October 6, 13 and 20. The
remainder of the performances is scheduled for Schoolfest, ASF’s student matinee
program.
Tickets
for the public shows may be obtained by calling 1.800.841.4273, visiting online at www.asf.net
or in person at the ASF box office located at 1 Festival Drive in the heart of
Montgomery’s beautiful Blount Cultural Park. Information for Schoolfest
productions is available by contacting 334.271.5345.
The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer,
adapted for the stage by Laura Eason,
tells the classic tale of two of the nineteenth century’s best known teens, Tom
Sawyer and Huck Finn, who seek hidden treasure, witness a murder, attend their
own funerals, and get lost in a maze of caves as they try to stay one step
ahead of the evil Injun Joe. The adaptation stays true to Mark Twain’s engaging
language, characters, setting and fast moving adventure.
Eason’s
adaptation is making the rounds across the country where it has delighted adults
and children alike at major theatres such as the Denver Theatre Center, the New
Vic in New York City and the Hartford Stage, where the show was commissioned
and first produced.
The New York Times raved that Eason’s adaptation is
“sassy, ingeniously staged and deeply affecting.” Denver Westward Arts declared the play is “terrific” and filled
with “energy and charm.”
The
cast includes Jim Staudt as Tom
Sawyer and David Umansky as Huck
Finn. Performing in a variety of roles will be Seth Andrew Bridges, Michelle Geisler, James Hall, Jason Martin, Chris
Pappas and JillianWalker.
All
of the performers in the play are part of ASF’s renowned Professional Intern
Acting Company. The actors were picked from hundreds who auditioned in New York
City this summer. In addition to The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the company members will perform in a variety
of plays at ASF throughout the 2012-13 season.
The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer
is directed by ASF’s associate artistic director Nancy Rominger. Rominger directed last season’s hit comedy The Thirty Nine Steps.
Other
artistic staff include Peter Hicks
(Scenic Design), Elizabeth Novak
(Costume Design), Tom Rodman
(Lighting Design) and Brett Rominger
(Composer and Sound Design). Dr. Susan
Willis will serve as dramaturge and the play will be stage managed by Hannah-Jean Farris.
The Alabama Shakespeare Festival is among
the largest Shakespeare theatres in the world. Designated as The State Theatre
of Alabama, ASF has been located in Montgomery since 1985 when it moved from
Anniston as a result of Mr. and Mrs. Wynton M. Blount’s gift of a performing
arts complex set in the 250-acre Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park. This
program/project has been made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council
on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. # # #
Alabama Shakespeare Festival
Public Service Announcement
Media
Contact:
Meg
Lewis
Director of Marketing
& Communications
(334) 271-5326
email: mlewis@asf.net
RE: The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Oct 6 – 20
Saturdays ONLY!
:15
ASF brings you and an adventure as
mighty as the Mississippi! Tom and Huck are just one step ahead of danger!
Treasure, murder and their own funeral bring them to the edge of disaster. From
the greatest American humorist of all time comes this tale of danger and
adventure, rich with unforgettable images of life on the Mississippi. Only Six
Performances! For more
information call800.841.4273 or
visit www.asf.net.