For Immediate Release

Press Info.: James Breen (805) 965-5400 x103 jbreen@ensembletheatre.com www.ensembletheatre.com Box Office (805) 965-5400 July 15, 2011

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Ensemble Theatre Company Presents the 2011-12
A Season Filled with Engaging and Entertaining Theatre

(Santa Barbara, CA) Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara (ETC), under the artistic direction of Jonathan Fox, will inaugurate its 32nd season with an entertaining combination of classic work, madcap farce, and costume drama. The 2011-12 season promises to be a year of engaging, funny and entertaining works, with the exceptional production standards Ensemble has become known for. The five-play season starts on October 13, 2011 and runs through early July 2012. All performances will be at the Alhecama Theatre.

Opening the season is the comic-mystery, Underneath the Lintel, by Glen Berger.
A by-the-book librarian sets out to find the culprit who returns a book 113 years overdue. A clue scribbled in the margin of the book sets him on a cosmic journey around the globe and through his own psyche. As the mystery unravels, we travel back in time to the Crucifixion. A one-man multi-media production that “makes The Da Vinci Code seem like a game of hide-and-seek,” says Variety. The production will be directed by ETC Executive Artistic Director, Jonathan Fox. Performance dates are October 13 to 30, 2011.

Great entertainment for the holiday season is the witty costume drama, The Lion in Winter, by James Goldman. In the year 1183, King Henry II is planning to choose his successor. But he must first run a gauntlet of conniving by his wife, his mistress, his three sons, and his enemy, the 18 year old King of France. Starring Stephanie Zimbalist as Eleanor of Aquitane, the play is packed with humor, mind games, and clever plot twists. This hit play about the ultimate dysfunctional family was nominated for two Tony Awards and was the basis of an Academy Award winning film. The production will be directed by Jenny Sullivan. Performance dates are December 1 to 18, 2011.

The season follows with the Tony Award-winning madcap farce The 39 Steps, adapted by Patrick Barlow. Hilarity meets Alfred Hitchcock as Richard Hannay, a debonair gentleman, becomes embroiled in intrigue and espionage. With lightning quick costume changes that are reminiscent of The Mystery of Irma Vep, a cast of 4 plays over 140 characters in this fast-paced farce that owes as much to Monty Python as it does to Hitchcock. Performance dates are February 2 to 19, 2012.

A sexy and savage tale of betrayal and revenge, filled with intrigue and wit, is August Strindberg’s Creditors. At a seaside resort, Adolph, a young artist, is frustrated by his marriage to the older, domineering Tekla and begins to doubt her love for him. He receives instruction from Gustav, a mysterious figure who teaches Adolph how to regain the upper hand in the relationship. But in this acerbic triangle of love and war, no one is certain who ultimately wields the power. Jonathan Fox directs a modern adaptation of this classic take-no-prisoners comic-drama, considered by many to be Strindberg’s best play. Performance dates are March 29 to April 15, 2012.

The 2011-12 season concludes with Black Pearl Sings! by Frank Higgins, a heartfelt and touching play with music. A song collector for the Library of Congress travels the country seeking little-known melodies. When she encounters Pearl in a Texas prison, she discovers dozens of musical treasures rooted in the African tradition. Together, the two women form a bond that transcends race, class, and cultural heritage. Performance dates are June 14 to July 1, 2012.

“I am very excited about our plans for next season,” said Jonathan Fox, Executive Artistic Director. “As always, we not only plan to present work that is provocative, lyrical, and entertaining, but in the process we continue to expand our own artistic boundaries.”

The 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. ETC is Santa Barbara's longest running, most award-winning professional resident theatre company.

Subscriptions are now available and range from $136 to $240. Ensemble now offers a Saturday at 4PM matinee series and a youth 26 and under series for only $75. Orders for subscriptions and group sales are available now; single performance tickets will go on sale in mid-September.  For more information, please call the Ensemble Theatre box office at 805-965-5400, or visit www.ensembletheatre.com.

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Calendar Listing — STAGE
Ensemble Theatre Company 2011-12 Season

Schedule:
Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 pm.
and Sundays at 2:00 & 7:00 pm.
Saturday 4:00 pm matinee (2nd Saturday of the performance schedule)

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

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

Admission:
$34.00 – 54.00. Discounts are available to seniors, students and groups of 10 or more.

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.

2010-11 Season Descriptions:

UNDERNEATH THE LINTEL by Glen Berger
October 13–30, 2011
A clue scribbled in the margin of the book sets him on a cosmic journey around the globe and through his own psyche. As the mystery unravels, we travel back in time through the ages. A one-man multi-media production that “makes The Da Vinci Code seem like a game of hide-and-seek,” says Variety. Directed by ETC Executive Artistic Director, Jonathan Fox.

THE LION IN WINTER by James Goldman
December 1–18, 2011
In the year 1183, King Henry II is planning to choose his successor. But he must first run a gauntlet of conniving by his wife, his mistress, and his three sons. Packed with humor, mind games, and clever plot twists, this hit play about the ultimate dysfunctional family was nominated for two Tony Awards and turned into an Academy-Award winning film. Starring Stephanie Zimbalist as Eleanor of Aquitaine. Directed by Jenny Sullivan.

THE 39 STEPS adaptation by Patrick Barlow
February 2–19, 2012
Richard Hannay, a debonair gentleman, is at a London theatre, when a fight breaks out and shots are fired. In the ensuing panic, he finds himself holding the hand of the frightened Annabella, a spy who tells him that she has uncovered a plot to steal vital military secrets by an espionage organization called the "39 Steps". The next morning, when she turns up dead, he finds himself on the run. With lightning quick costume changes that are reminiscent of The Mystery of Irma Vep, a cast of 4 plays over 140 characters in this fast-paced farce that owes as much to Monty Python as it does to Hitchcock.

CREDITORS by August Strindberg
March 29–April 15, 2012
At a seaside resort, Adolph, a young artist, is frustrated by his marriage to the older, domineering Tekla and begins to doubt her love for him. He receives instruction from Gustav, a mysterious figure who teaches Adolph how to regain the upper hand in the relationship. But in this acerbic triangle of love and war, no one is certain who ultimately wields the power. Jonathan Fox directs a modern adaptation of this classic take-no-prisoners comic-drama, one of August Strindberg’s most powerful plays.

BLACK PEARL SINGS! by Frank Higgins
June 14–July 1, 2012
A song collector for the Library of Congress travels the country seeking little-known melodies. When she encounters Pearl in a Texas prison, she discovers dozens of musical treasures in the African tradition. Together, the two women form a bond that transcends race, class, and culture.

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