The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis will put on its own Last Night of Ballyhoo Feb. 10-Mar. 12 on the Mainstage. The 1997 Tony Award winning Alfred Uhry play officially opens Feb. 12.
Originally commissioned for the Olympics Arts Festival in Atlanta, where the play debuted in summer 1996, Ballyhoo is set in that state, where prejudice against (and among) Southern Jews arises during plans for the German-Jewish community's annual Ballyhoo ball. It's also the time of the release of the film classic, Gone With The Wind, which takes place in Atlanta and deals with the Civil War and Reconstruction era. Ballyhoo centers on first cousins Lala Levy and Sunny Freitag, thrilled as they prepare for the social event of the season for the cream of Southern Jewish society. Ballyhoo ran 557 performances on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre.
Rep associate director Susan Gregg directs Ballyhoo, an assignment she already carried through at UT's Pioneer Memorial Theatre. The Rep's cast features Robert Elliot (the Rep's Death of a Salesman) as Adolf Freitag, Mandy Fox as Lala Levy, Darrie Lawrence (the Rep's Three Tall Women) as Boo Levy, Jordan Matter as Peachy Weil, Aaron Serotsky as Joe Farkas, Michelle Six as Sunny Freitag and Sherry Skinker (the Rep's Off The Ice) as Reba Freitag.
The Rep's design team includes Rob Odorisio (sets), James Scott (costumes) and M. L. Geiger (lighting).
Other Uhry works include the Pultizer Prize and Academy Award-winning Driving Miss Daisy and the libretto for the Broadway musical, Parade. Tickets are $44-$9 and available by calling the Rep box office at (314) 968-4925.
