Wednesday, September 01, 2010

The University of North Carolina Wilmington Department of Theatre opens its 2010-11 production season with The Book of Liz by The Talent Family, David Sedaris and Amy Sedaris. The production, which will run Sept. 16-19 and 23-26, is directed by faculty member Ed Wagenseller. All performances are in the Cultural Arts Building SRO Theatre, which offers limited seating. Shows run at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee performance Sunday.

The Book of Liz has been hailed by critics as "…[a] delightfully off-key, off-color hymn to clichés we all live by, whether we know it or not." —NY Times, "… the world's first Amish picaresque…hilarious…" —Village Voice, "Good-natured, goofy and frequently hilarious…" —NY Newsday, and "…laugh-out-loud funny…" —Broadway.com.

In the story, Sister Elizabeth Donderstock is Squeamish, has been her whole life. She makes cheese balls that sustain the existence of her entire religious community, Clusterhaven. Feeling unappreciated among her Squeamish brethren, she decides to try her luck in the outside world, waiting tables at Plymouth Crock, a family restaurant run almost entirely by recovering alcoholics. Things are going great until she's offered a promotion to manager. Meanwhile, back at Clusterhaven, Liz's compatriots just can't seem to duplicate her cheese ball recipe, and it's going to cost them their quaint, cloistered lifestyle. Can the Squeamish be saved? Will the cheese balls ever taste good again? The answers to these and so many other questions can be found in the new comedy from the Talent Family, David and Amy Sedaris.

Individual show tickets for all 2010-11 performances are $12 general public, $10 UNCW employee/alumni or senior citizens, and $5 students. Patrons may also purchase a Season Punch Card, which provides four tickets in any combination for one or multiple performances, with the added benefit of advance ticket purchase for all shows and one complimentary ticket to the Student Lab Series production The Pillowman. A punch card holder may use four tickets for one performance, two tickets each for two performances, or as a single ticket for four performances. Punch card prices are $40 general public and $30 UNCW employee/alumni.

Tickets are available in advance at the Kenan Auditorium Box Office (The Book of Liz tickets are available now) at 910.962.3500. The Cultural Arts Building Box Office is open one hour prior to performances for day-of-show ticket purchase and will-call pickup. For group rates or special accommodations, call 910.962.2061 or e-mail theatre@uncw.edu.

Other 2010-11 Department of Theater Productions include:

The Pillowman (Student Lab Series) by Martin McDonagh
Directed by Seth Rosenke
October 21-24
SRO Theatre

Pippin (in conjunction with the Department of Music)
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz; Book by Roger O. Hirson
Directed by Frank P. Trimble
Music direction by Nancy King, Lynn O'Connell and Bob Russell
Choreographed by Nancy Carson & Frank P. Trimble
November 4-7, 11-14
Mainstage Theatre

Arcadia by Tom Stoppard
Directed by Renée Vincent
February 24-27, March 3-6
Mainstage Theatre

Trojan Women by Euripides
Directed by Paul Castagno
April 7-10, 14-17
Mainstage Theatre

Media contact: Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.962.7259 or fischettid@uncw.edu

Media are welcome to attend production rehearsals and take video or still photos, or do a live preview. Rehearsal schedule available by request.

Photo caption: Senior performance theatre major Erica Lane plays Sister Elizabeth Donderstock in the UNC Wilmington production of The Book of Liz, which will run Sept. 16-19 and 23-26 in the Cultural Arts Building SRO Theatre.