Flat Rock Playhouse presents ‘Laughter on the 23rd Floor’ from April 3-19

Press Release

From Flat Rock Playhouse:

Flat Rock, NC (3/29/2014) – Flat Rock Playhouse presents the classic Neil Simon comedy, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, from April 3-19 at The Clyde and Nina Allen Mainstage.

Inspired by Simon’s early career experience as a junior writer for Your Show of Shows, the play focuses on Sid Caesar-like Max Prince, the star of a weekly comedy-variety show circa 1953, and his staff who maintain a running commentary on the writing, fighting, and wacky antics which take place in the writers’ room. The harried writing staff frantically scrambles to top each other with gags while competing for the attention of star madman “Max Prince.” Along with The Odd Couple this is considered one of Simon’s most enduring comic masterpieces.

The show is directed by Michael Kostroff. Kostroff is a television and stage actor, best known for his five seasons on HBO’s smash hit, The Wire, and for his guest appearances on dozens of TV shows including The Good Wife, Louie, Banshee, Blue Bloods, Damages and the upcoming Gotham and The Black Box. He’s toured in The Producers and Les Miserables, appeared at Goodspeed and Paper Mill, and understudied for Broadway’s The Nance, starring Nathan Lane.

Cast members are Scott Treadway, Bob Ader, James Beaman, Adrienne Griffiths, Gary Littman, Michael MacCauley, Nick Santa-Maria, Amy Toporek and Ben Rosenbach.

Scenic design is by Dennis C. Maulden. Lighting design is by Stephen Terry. Sound design is by Bryan Delaney. Costume design is by Ashli Arnold.

TICKETS AND SCHEDULE
Allergy Partners of Western North Carolina presents Laughter on the 23rd Floor at The Clyde and Nina Allen Mainstage at Flat Rock Playhouse, April 3-19. Performances will be Wednesday through Saturday at 8:00 pm; matinees Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm. All tickets are $40 and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse box office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-732-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org. Discounts available for seniors, AAA members, military personnel, students and groups. The Clyde and Nina Allen Mainstage is located at 2661 Greenville Hwy in Flat Rock, NC.

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE
In 1937, a group of struggling performers, led by Robroy Farquhar, organized themselves as the Vagabond Players. The Vagabonds worked in a variety of places over the course of three years, and in 1940 found themselves in the Blue Ridge region of Western North Carolina. The local and tourist community welcomed them with open arms when they presented their first summer season of plays in a 150-year-old grist mill they converted into The Old Mill Playhouse at Highland Lake. So successful was that summer, they returned in 1941. After WWII, the Vagabond Players reorganized, came back to the region and opened a playhouse in nearby Lake Summit. The Lake Summit Playhouse thrived during the post war years and soon the Vagabond Players were looking for a larger and permanent home. In 1952, the troupe of performers, and a newly formed board of directors, made an offer to buy an 8-acre lot in the Village of Flat Rock. This new home made the Vagabonds “locals” and a rented big top gave birth to Flat Rock Playhouse. As the beautiful Western Carolina region continued to grow, so did the Playhouse and in 1961, by a Act of the North Carolina General Assembly, Flat Rock Playhouse was officially designated The State Theatre of North Carolina. What began as a few weeks of summer performances in 1940 is now an eight-month season of plays including Broadway musicals, comedy, drama, and theatre for young audiences. The Playhouse’s dual mission of producing the performing arts and providing education in the performing arts includes a professional series; a summer and fall college apprentice and intern program; performances and cabaret series by the YouTheatre; year-round classes and workshops for students from kindergarten through adults. Flat Rock Playhouse now hosts over 90,000 patrons annually and is a major contributor to the local economy and the Arts in North Carolina.

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About Hayley Benton
Current freelance journalist and artist. Former culture/entertainment reporter at the Asheville Citizen-Times and former news reporter at Mountain Xpress. Also a coffee drinker, bad photographer, teller of stupid jokes and maker-upper of words. I can be reached at hayleyebenton [at] gmail.com. Follow me @HayleyTweeet

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