Ensemble Theatre Presents

The Mystery of Irma Vep

A Comic Romp for the Holidays

Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara continues its 2010-11 season with Charles Ludlam’s outrageous hit comedy, The Mystery of Irma Vep. Named one of the ‘Best Plays’ of [the year] by both Time Magazine and The New York Times, this zany side-splitting gothic spoof, complete with vampires, werewolves and damsels in distress, is a treat for the holiday season. Performances run from December 2 through 26 at the Alhecama Theatre. Opening night is Saturday, December 4, 2010.

On Mandacrest Estate, strange goings-on occur under the watchful eye of the portrait of Lord Edgar’s deceased wife, Irma Vep. There’s passion, comedy and plenty of costume surprises in this cross-dressing mash-up of Victorian melodrama, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, Wuthering Heights and The Mummy’s Curse. This outrageously funny tour-de-force will feature Jamie Torcellini and Joseph Fuqua as the two versatile actors who play the half-dozen characters who make up the non-stop action of the show.

The Mystery of Irma Vep was first produced, in 1984, by Ludlam’s infamous Ridiculous Theatrical Company in an off-off-Broadway theatre in Greenwich Village. It played to sold-out houses for over two years. Having won numerous awards, including the Drama Desk and Obie, The Mystery of Irma Vep went on to delight audience throughout the country, becoming an international hit.

“Like the recent Broadway hit, The 39 Steps, Irma Vep is all in the magic inventiveness of the performers and creative team,” said ETC's Executive Artistic Director, Jonathan Fox. “With such wonderfully comic talents on board, I am sure this production will amaze and delight.” Mr. Fox is pleased to welcome back director Jenny Sullivan, who helmed ETC’s critically-acclaimed productions of The Clean House and Tea at Five. Ms. Sullivan is an award-winning regional director who has worked at Geffen Playhouse, Rubicon Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, San Jose Rep, Odyssey Theatre and Access Theatre.

Jamie Torcellini has just completed his second straight year in the hit musical, Billy Elliot, in New York and Chicago. His other Broadway credits include Man of La Mancha, Beauty and the Beast and Cats. Regional theatre includes productions at The Old Globe, Rubicon Theatre, Music Theatre West, American Musical Theatre and Walnut Street Theatre, in such prestigious shows as Fiddler on the Roof, Crazy for You, Damn Yankees, La Cage Aux Follies, A Funny Thing Happened…, George M!, and How to Succeed. Television performances include Law & Order, The Jamie Foxx Show, Port Charles and General Hospital.

Joseph Fuqua has been a professional actor for over twenty years and is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama. Ensemble audiences will remember him as the beloved dance instructor in the hit show, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. He has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in regional theatres, including Yale Rep, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Dallas Shakespeare, Arena Stage, Rubicon Theatre and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. His guest starring appearances on television include The X-Files, The Profiler, Brooklyn South, The Pretender, Chicago Hope, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Becker. He is an acting teacher and directed the premiere of J for J, featuring Jenny Sullivan and the late John Ritter.

Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara was founded in 1979 and is housed at the intimate Alhecama Theatre located in the historic Presidio District in downtown Santa Barbara at 914 Santa Barbara Street. Now celebrating its 31st anniversary season, under the leadership of Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Fox, ETC is Santa Barbara's longest running, award-winning professional resident theatre company. The 2010-11 Season continues with Opus by Michael Hollinger (February 3 to February 27, 2010), Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen (March 31 to April 24, 2011) and The Fantasticks, with music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones (June 2 to June 26, 2011).

Performances run Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 and 7:00 pm, with a newly-added special Saturday 4:00 pm matinee performance on December 11, 2010. Single tickets for The Mystery of Irma Vep range from $30.00 to $50.00. Four-play subscriptions are now on sale for the 2010-11 Season starting at $116.00. Discounts for seniors and students apply. Subscriptions, single tickets and group tickets are available through the Ensemble Theatre Box Office at (805) 965-5400 or online at www. ensembletheatre.com.

###

Calendar Listing — STAGE

Production:
The Mystery of Irma Vep by Charles Ludlam

Dates:
Thursday, December 2, through Sunday, December 26, 2010
Opening Night Saturday, December 4, at 8:00 pm

Schedule:
Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 pm
and Sundays at 2:00 & 7:00 pm
(no evening show Sunday, December 5, 2010)
Saturday 4:00 pm matinee performances on December 11, 2010
(no performance on December 24 & 25, 2010

Producer:
Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) of Santa Barbara
Jonathan Fox, Executive Artistic Director

Director:
Jenny Sullivan

Where:
Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara
at the Alhecama Theatre
914 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Admission:
$30.00 – $50.00. Discounts are available to seniors, students and groups of 10 or more.
Students and Young Adults 26 and under are $20.00 per ticket.

Tickets:
For reservations and information call the Ensemble
Box Office at (805) 965-5400. VISA/MC.
Box office hours are: Performance days 1:00 pm. to curtain,
non-performance days 1:00 pm. to 5:00 pm. Group Sales: (805) 965-5400.

###