|
|
|
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO SAVE YOURSELF? Minds Eye Theatre Presents Extremities by William Mastrosimone
August 26, 2009—Minds Eye Theatre’s latest offering, William Mastrosimone’s controversial drama EXTREMITES opens Friday, September 11 at the Just Off Broadway Theatre in Penn Valley Park, 3051 Central Kansas City, Mo. Tickets are $13 and are available online at mindseyetheatrekc.com or at the box office. A portion of the proceeds from EXTEMITIES will be donated to the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA) and to the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project (KCAVP).
First performed off Broadway in 1982, the themes in this powerful drama resonate as loudly today as they did more than two decades ago. But “Rape and revenge are not the only themes of this show,” said Director Sara Crow, “the show also speaks about how women react to one another, how they see one another and how society, still today, defines a victim.”
The story centers on Marjorie who is attacked in her home by rapist Raul, but she is able to turn the tables on her attacker. What follows is a study on the differing views of rape in society as seen through the eyes of Raul, Marjorie and her two roommates. EXTREMITIES is not just a story of victim and perpetrator, vengeance and power, but also it is an exploration into self-preservation.
As Artistic Director of Minds Eye Theatre, Crow had wanted to bring this show to life in Kansas City for quite awhile. “Because of the violence and the subject matter of this show, many theaters wouldn’t touch it,” Crow said, “even though it’s a tough story, it is an important story to tell and we at Minds Eye love a challenge.”
The decision was made, early on, to donate a portion of the proceeds to MOSCA and KCAVP in order to help these organizations address not just violence against women, but against people in general. Both organizations have been invited to have information available to audience members at all of the shows.
The performance schedule for EXTREMITIES at Just Off Broadway Theatre is as follows:
Friday, September 11 8:00 p.m. Saturday, September 12 8:00 p.m. Thursday, September 17 8:00 p.m. Friday, September 18 8:00 p.m. Saturday, September 19 8:00 p.m. Thursday, September 24 8:00 p.m. Friday, September 25 8:00 p.m. Saturday, September 26 8:00 p.m.
Tickets are $13 and are available online at www.mindseyetheatrekc.com or at the box office prior to each performance. EXTREMITIES is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. For more information about MOCSA, visit www.mocsa.org. For more information about KCAVP, visit www.kcvap.org.
Minds Eye Theatre is a 501-C3 Not For Profit arts organization committed to stretching the boundaries of local, non-professional theater with works never before, or rarely seen. We strive to bring together a diverse and talented group of actors and artists to create and to explore the craft of theater. ### For Immediate Release Craig Aikman (craigaikman@mindseyetheatrekc.com) President/Director of Public Relations 816.721.2978 MINDS EYE BRINGS THE AGE OF AQUARIUS BACK TO KC
HAIR The Tribal Love-Rock Musical Opens at the Just Off Broadway Theatre April 24, 2009 March 27, 2009--For the past decade, Minds Eye has pushed Kansas City theater out of the ordinary. The theater company continues this tradition as it celebrates its 10th anniversary with the Rock Opera that forever changed the face of Musical Theater, HAIR April 24-25, 29-30, May 1-2 and 6-9 at the Just Off Broadway Theatre. Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors and can be purchased by visiting mindseyetheatrekc.com. The show, created by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, looks into the lives of a group of young people in New York’s East Village who came together during a time of uncertainty and war in an effort to find hope and a new way of living. Wild, unkempt and free, these “flower children” reject society and in the process find themselves and a new freedom of expression. They live, love and play in “crash pads”, the parks and the streets of New York and hold on to the philosophy of Peace and Love. Forced to fight and die, in a war they wanted nothing to do with, they struggle and long for the light.
Still as relevant today as it was in 1968, HAIR speaks to the youth of America as well as to a generation who grew up in the turbulent 60s. The musical takes the audience on a trip, to the age of Aquarius a beyond.
HAIR opens April 24 at the Just Off Broadway Theater and runs April 25, 29-30, May 1-2 and 6-9. Curtain is at 8:00 p.m. each night. Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. The Just Off Broadway Theater is located at 3051 Central in Penn Valley Park. Tickets are available by visiting www.mindseyetheatrekc.com. HAIR is produced through special arrangement by Tams-Witmark. Minds Eye Theatre is a proud member of the Just Off Broadway Theater Association. ### For production photos and more info, contact:
Craig Aikman
President/Media Relations
913-831-4840
craigaikman@mindseyetheaterkc.com What Secrets Do We Keep and Are They Better Hidden? Minds Eye Theatre Presents
RULES FOR WIDOWS by local playwright Michael Ruth August 14, 2008 Minds Eye Theatre closes the summer with a Kansas City premier by local playwright Michael Ruth. RULES FOR WIDOWS opens at the Just Off Broadway Theatre Friday, September 5. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors and can be purchased by visiting www.mindseyetheatrekc.com. RULES FOR WIDOWS takes a look into the lives of a family coming to terms with the death of its patriarch. Iris not only has to deal with the loss of her husband, but she must come to terms with the duplicity of his life while dealing with a busy-body sister, a lazy son and an angry daughter. She must decide if knowing the truth is better than living in denial and remember the number one rule for widows, according to her sister, “…make peace with the past, because you are stuck with it now”. RULES FOR WIDOWS is the first produced full-length play written by local playwright Michael Ruth. Ruth is treasurer and board member of The Barn Players and has had other short plays produced by EMU Theater (Lawrence, Kans.) and BareStage Theater (Red Bluff, Calif.). Seeing his work come to life has been an interesting and exciting experience. “We are really creating this show together. The teamwork is incredible”, said Ruth Artistic Director Sara Crow was immediately interested in the play after the first read. “I am attracted to a good story”, said Artistic Director Sara Crow, “It is the kind of show you leave with more questions than answers and to me that defines a good story”. Crow was also attracted to the piece because it was written by a local playwright and had never been produced before. “Our mission is to produce works never before or rarely seen in Kansas City and I was very interested in supporting a local playwright”, said Crow. RULES FOR WIDOWS opens September 5 at the Just Off Broadway Theater and runs September 5-6, 10-13 and 17-20. Curtain is at 8:00 p.m. each night. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors and may be purchased by visiting www.mindseyetheatrekc.com. The Just Off Broadway Theater is located at 3051 Central in Penn Valley Park. Call 816.721.2762 or visit www.mindseyetheatrekc.com for more information. For production photos and more info, contact:
Craig Aikman
President/Media Relations
913-831-4840
craigaikman@mindseyetheaterkc.com THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE TRASHY
Del Shores’ Classic SORDID LIVES
Coming to the Just Off Broadway Theater
May 22, 2008 Minds Eye Theatre kicks off the summer with the re-staging of Del Shores’ cult hit SORDID LIVES, coming to the Just Off Broadway Theatre June 20. Tickets are available at $15 for adults and $10 for students /seniors and can be purchased by calling 913.897.2348.
SORDID LIVES tells the story of Texas’ trashiest family. Peg, the matriarch, has just died after a tragic accent during a romantic rendezvous with GW, the husband of her daughter LaVonda’s best friend Noleta. GW’s wife Noleta wants revenge, Peg’s other daughter Latrelle wants to live in denial, Sissy wants a cigarette and Juanita wants her Vacation Bible School chicken back. Add a son coming to terms with his sexuality and a brother who wants to be Tammy Wynette and you have a hilarious, heartwarming dysfunctional story not to be missed.
SORDID LIVES opens June 20 at the Just Off Broadway Theater and runs June 20-22, 26-29, and July 3-5. Curtain is at 8:00 p.m. each night (7:00 p.m. July 4). Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. The Just Off Broadway Theater is located at 3051 Central in Penn Valley Park. Call 913-897-2348 for reservations. Visit www.mindseyetheatrekc.com for more information and directions during street construction.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Craig Aikman
President/Media Relations
913-831-4840
craigaikman@mindseyetheaterkc.com
MINDS EYE CAMPS IT UP
Tom Eyen’s WOMEN BEHIND BARS
At the Just Off Broadway Theater
August 26, 2007 Minds Eye Theatre has a reputation for bringing Kansas City audiences edgy, risk-taking theater and its newest production is no exception. WOMEN BEHIND BARS by Tom Eyen takes a dark and comical look at women’s exploitation films of the 1950s. This Kansas City premier opens at the Just Off Broadway Theater September 21.
A campy spoof of films produced by Universal, Warner and Republic Pictures, this dark comedy is set in the Women’s House of Detention in New York and centers around the virginal and innocent Mary Eleanor as she enters a harsh world where “no one will admit to evilness.” This is a story of innocence lost, of a woman forced to survive against all obstacles, a woman wrongly accused and broken by the system.
Eyen, who went on to write the book and lyrics for the Broadway smash DREAMGIRLS, was heavily influenced by the 1950 film Caged. WOMEN BEHIND BARS takes the melodrama of that film several steps further. The original production opened off Broadway in May of 1975 and was revived the following year starring Divine as the Matron. A cult following made the revival an off Broadway hit.
WOMEN BEHIND BARS opens September 21 at the Just Off Broadway Theater and runs September 22-23, 27-30 and October 4-6. The opening night performance is a fundraiser for those affected by the tragic tornado in Greensburg, Kan. in May of this year. Curtain is at 8:00 p.m. each night and tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. The Just Off Broadway Theater is located at 3051 Central in Penn Valley Park. Call 913-897-2348 for reservations. Visit www.mindseyetheatrekc.com for more information.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Craig Aikman
President/Media Relations
913-831-4840
craigtaikman@hotmail.com
Do You Fringe? Minds Eye Does
Yiddish with Dick and Jane Premiers
at the 2007 Fringe Festival
July 21, 2007
Kansas City, Kan—Minds Eye Theatre, known for bringing cutting edge premiers to the Kansas City theater scene does it again with YIDDISH WITH DICK AND JANE July 27-29 at the Kansas City Fringe Festival.
The book, written by Ellis Weiner and Barbara Davilman, takes the Dick and Jane stories of our childhood and brings them into 2007, with a difference. Dick and Jane are all grown up. Each is married, with families of their own and are trying to live in a world not as friendly as they remember. Speckled with Yiddish words and phrases, YIDDISH WITH DICK AND JANE is a hilarious parody of the Dick and Jane primers.
The play, adapted by Minds Eye Theatre artistic director Sara Crow, is true to the book. A narrator (Tom Sawyer) moves the story along and a “glossary” (Irene Blend) explains the language to the audience. Dick, Jane, Sally, Bob and the whole primer clan come to life on July 27 at the Kansas City Fringe Festival.
Admission to the festival requires a button, available at each venue and $5 at the door. Minds Eye Theater will perform July 27, 8pm; July 28, 9:30pm and July 29, 3:30pm at 412A Delaware in the River Market. To get more information on this and all the offerings of the KC Fringe Festival, go to www.kcfringe.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Craig Aikman
President/Media Relations
913-831-4840
craigtaikman@hotmail.com
Minds Eye Theatre Adds to the Madness of March
March 12, 2007
Kansas City, Kan. – After a successful 2006 season, Minds Eye Theater returns to add its own madness to the month of March. The Musical Side of Minds Eye opens March 23 at the Barn Players theatre in Mission, Kan.
The review takes the audience on a journey through Minds Eye Theatre’s irreverent past with music from The Rocky Horror Show, Sordid Lives, A Clockwork Orange and Southern Baptist Sissies. Each evening ends with a glimpse into the future with music from Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors and other shows the theater is eyeing seasons to come.
The Musical Side of Minds Eye opens on Friday, March 23 and runs through Sunday, March 25. Curtain is 8 p.m. each evening. The Barn Players theatre is located at 6219 Martway in Mission. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved by calling Minds Eye Theatre at 913-897-2348.
Minds Eye Theatre is a 501C-3 Not-For Profit theater company organized in an effort to bring something unique to the Kansas City area. The focus is to stretch the boundaries of local theater by presenting works never before or rarely seen in Kansas City.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Craig Aikman
President/Media Relations
913-831-4840
craigtaikman@hotmail.com
| |
|