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NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release:
April 23, 2012
Photos available on April 30, 2012
For further information contact:
Christi Courian
Jim Beaver
[email protected] [email protected]
541-552-6347
541-552-6093
Southern Oregon University Department of Performing Arts
presents “Lucky Stiff”
(Ashland, Ore.) – The Theatre Arts program of the Department of Performing Arts at Southern
Oregon University presents the musical “Lucky Stiff” in the Center Stage Theatre on the SOU
campus. Book and lyrics are by Lynn Ahrens and music is by Stephen Flaherty. Performances
are at 8 p.m. on Thursday-Saturday, May 17-19, May 24-26 and May 31-June 2 and at 2 p.m. on
Saturday, May 26 and June 2 and Sunday, May 27 and June 3.
What would you do to fulfill the conditions of a six million dollar inheritance? Harry
Witherspoon finds out that the conditions of his late uncle’s will include taking his dead body on
a trip to Monte Carlo. He dutifully visits all the sights in town with Uncle Anthony, only to find
that he’s being followed by three mysterious strangers. This delightful musical farce received the
Helen Hayes Award for best musical in 1990. The New York Post describes the musical as a
"delicious, zany throwback – pure frosting, but whipped to perfect consistency."
SOU emeritus faculty Dennis Smith, who directs, said “like all true farces, the plot of this play
hinges on multiple improbabilities and follows Georges Feydeau’s tenet that farce should take
two people who under no circumstances should meet and lock them in a room as quickly as
possible.” Smith said that the musical is set in 1952, “a bit more innocent time where
unsophisticated characters with a charming level of naïveté are thrown into the epitome of chic.”
“Lucky Stiff” is based on the novel “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo” by Michael
Butterworth, which was inspired by the 1933 film of the same name, which was inspired by the
old British Music Hall song also of the same name, which was based on the life of the gambler,
Charles Wells, who actually broke the bank at Monte Carlo in the late 19th century.
The play is the result of the first collaboration by Ahrens and Flaherty, who are considered the
foremost theatrical songwriting team of their generation. Its premiere was off-Broadway at
Playwrights Horizon in 1988. They are winners of Broadway's triple crown – Tony Award,
Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award – as well as two Grammy nominations, for
their score of the hit Broadway musical Ragtime. Their musical, Seussical, based on the works of
Dr. Seuss, received Grammy and Drama Desk nominations and is one of the most frequently
performed shows in America.
Smith has directed 29 productions in 26 seasons at Southern Oregon University, most recently
“Taking Steps” by Alan Ayckbourn, “Wild Oats” by John O’Keeffe, his adaptation of “An
Enemy of the People” by Henrik Ibsen, and “Arcadia” by Tom Stoppard. He has also directed
productions for the Rogue Opera, Britt Festivals, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, and Lyric Theatre.
Music director Jennifer Schloming has served as the musical director for shows at the Oregon
Cabaret Theater, Rogue Music Theater, Camelot Theater, and South Medford, St. Mary’s,
Phoenix and Ashland High Schools. She was the musical director of SOU’s production of
“Johnny Johnson,” “Urinetown” and “Dick Whittington and His Amazing Cat.” She is joined on
keyboard by orchestra members Reed Bentley on percussion, Gordon Greenley on reeds, Jon
Janakes on bass, David Miller on trumpet and Gary Nelson on trombone.
Choreographer Jim Giancarlo is the Managing Artistic Director and a founding owner of the
Oregon Cabaret Theatre, where, in addition to directing and choreographing more than 80
productions, he has written book and lyrics for a dozen original musicals. He’s directed and
choreographed a number of SOU productions, including “Johnny Johnson,” “Urinetown,” “A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” and “Cabaret.” Giancarlo has been teaching
musical theatre classes at SOU since 1991.
Danny Walker plays Harry Witherspoon, joined by Sarah Mitchell as Annabel glick, Alyssa
Birrer as Rita LaPorta, Tyler Kubat as Vinnie Di Ruzzio, Samuel Wick as Luigi Gaudi and
Briawna Jackson as Dominique Du Monaco. The ensemble includes Kameron Fort, Michael
Hayes, Nolan Kenmonth, Kurt Langmeyer, Erin O’Connor, Corey Porter, Avery Proctor and
Emily Serdahl. Scenic design is by Sean O’Skea, costumes are designed by Katie Behrens,
lighting design is by Graham Jones and sound design is by Steven Sagert II. Ewa Prokopczuk is
the stage manager.
Tickets are $21 regular, $18 senior, and $6 for students. The Theatre Arts building is located on
South Mountain Avenue in Ashland, next to the Music Recital Hall. For ticket purchases, call
(541) 552-6348. For more information, visit sou.edu/theatre.
– SOU –