Two Plays, Two Venues, One Busy Cast: House and Garden Begin April 26 at MTC | Playbill

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News Two Plays, Two Venues, One Busy Cast: House and Garden Begin April 26 at MTC John Tillinger's stagings of the New York premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's conjoined plays, House and Garden, debut April 26 at Manhattan Theatre Club's Stage I and II, respectively.

John Tillinger's stagings of the New York premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's conjoined plays, House and Garden, debut April 26 at Manhattan Theatre Club's Stage I and II, respectively.

Jan Maxwell plays the frustrated wife of a wealthy industrialist (played by Nicholas Woodeson) in House, one of a pair of related comedies presented simultaneously on two linked stages, with actors traveling between venues and stories.

A physical and timing challenge, the unique conceit by Ayckbourn (Comic Potential, Bedroom Farce, Communicating Doors) asks actors to exit House (on MTC's Stage I) and walk into a scene in Garden (on MTC's Stage II), and vice versa. Following previews, the plays open May 21.

Stagings of the plays in other cities, such as Chicago, became the must-see events of the season, as theatregoers were hungry to witness what seemed like a logistical nightmare. At MTC, the true stars of the show just might be production stage managers James Fitzsimmons (House) and Barclay Stiff (Garden), and production supervisor Kate Broderick.

The cast also includes Veanne Cox, Michael Countryman, Carson Elrod, Daniel Gerroll, Patricia Connolly, Laura Marie Duncan, John Curless, Ellen Parker, Bryce Dallas Howard, James A. Stephens, Olga Sosnovska and Sharon Washington. According to MTC, in House, "Teddy Platt (Woodeson) is a wealthy industrialist in line to become a Member of Parliament. His wife Trish (Maxwell) isn't speaking to him because of his multiple infidelities. Mayhem erupts when Lucille (Sosnovska), a French film star, arrives to open the town garden fete, which the Platts are hosting. Garden focuses on the Platts' neighbors, Giles (Countryman) and Joanne Mace (Cox), whose marriage is dissolving while two bumbling caterers, Barry (Curless) and Lindy Love (Parker) wreak havoc, a backyard tent collapses, and Lucille (the French film star), has had a little too much to drink."

The design team includes John Lee Beatty (scenic), Jane Greenwood (costume), Duane Schuler (lighting) and Bruce Ellman (sound). The productions feature original music by John Pattison.

The performance schedule for House and Garden is 8 PM Tuesday-Saturday, with 2:30 PM matinees. Sunday performances are at 2:30 PM and 7 PM. Tickets for House ($60) and Garden ($50) can be reserved by calling (212) 581-1212. For group ticket information, call (212) 399-3000, ext. 134. Student tickets at $20 are on sale for all performances based on availability, one hour before showtime (limit four per student with valid identification). Call (212) 581-1212 for further information, or visit manhattantheatreclub.com.

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Like many American theatres with twice the theatre space, Houston's Alley Theatre is staging Ayckbourn's House and Garden, April 12-May 12 on both the Large Stage (House) and the Neuhaus Arena Stage (Garden). Visit http://www.alleytheatre.com.

Ackybourn is the author of over 60 plays including Absurd Person Singular, How the Other Half Loves, Bedroom Farce and Henceforward. He was most recently represented on Broadway with the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, By Jeeves.

— By Kenneth Jones

 
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