[NEohioPAL]Coach House Announces "The Lion In Winter"

[Schaefer, Robert PS]

James Goldman's The Lion in Winter 
Closes Coach House Season
 
    Coach House Theatre will conclude its 74th season with The Lion in
Winter, James Goldman's epic, furiously witty tragicomedy of royalty at love
and war.  Christmas Eve 1183 finds the aging King Henry locked in combat
with his once-beloved queen, Eleanor of Aquitane.  At stake: the throne of
England.  Henry and Eleanor scheme, plot and rage against each other, while
the royal siblings--Richard, Geoffrey and John--scramble for first place in
the line of succession.  The basis for the Academy Award-winning film, The
Lion in Winter, is "a growling, snarling, skin-piercing, skull rattling
exhibit couched in marvelously articulate language...that bristles and
burns," according to the Los Angeles Times.
 
    The Lion in Winter, will be staged by Guest Director Jeffrey Lynn Hall,
whose resume includes directing stints at Weathervane Community Playhouse,
Shakespeare on the Terrace at Stan Hywett.  Professionally trained in
improvisational theatre in Chicago, Hall has performed with Chicago's
Orphaned Babies and is currently artistic director of Beatnik Lingo, Akron's
improvisational comedy troupe.  Of The Lion in Winter Hall says, "The play
is challenging because as an audience, we're never really sure when the
characters are telling the truth and when they're role-playing.  But the
obvious analogies to theatre and performance also make The Lion in Winter
tremendous fun to direct.  I don't think I've ever seen so many ruthless and
manipulative characters on stage at the same time.  But what would be
horrifying in real life makes great theatre!"
 
    Hall has assembled an acting company that comprises faces both familiar
and new to Coach House audiences.  Coach House Resident Director Jim Fippin
will take the stage as King Henry.  His extensive acting resume includes
roles in King Lear, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, Getting Out, Another
Antigone, Jesus Christ Superstar, Noises Off, The Who's Tommy and Once Upon
a Mattress.  He has appeared on stage at Coach House in Love Letters and
Romantic Comedy.  Henry's nemesis, Eleanor, will be played by Marci
Paolucci, last seen at Coach House in The Ladies of the Camellias.  Ms.
Paolucci has also performed with Actor's Summit, in productions of A Child's
Christmas in Wales, Oedipus Rex and Romeo and Juliet, and with Queen Bee
Productions, appearing in The Vagina Monologues and Beyond the Pink Zone.
The play's four princes, Richard, Geoffrey, John and Phillip will be played
by Scott Shriner, Tim Bennett, Simon Siegel and Scott Crim.  Scott Shriner
(Richard) has appeared in Coach House productions of Sunday in New York (a
Royal Coach award-winning performance), Betrayal and A Shot in the Dark.
Mr. Shriner has also appeared on stage at Aurora Community Theatre,
Weathervane Community Playhouse and Church Street Players in productions of
Proposals, Loot and Twelve Angry Men.  Tim Bennett (Geoffrey) made his Coach
House debut in A Shot in the Dark.  His performance resume also includes
roles in Gypsy, Little Shop of Horrors, Candide and Godspell.  Simon Siegel
(John) is making his first appearance at Coach House in this production.
His previous credits include roles in Our Town (at Weathervane Community
Playhouse), A Midsummer Night's Dream and Impromptu (at Firestone High
School).  Scott Crim (Phillip), whose work as a scenic and lighting designer
has been seen in such productions as Bell, Book and Candle, Chapter Two,
Betrayal and A Shot in the Dark, also has an extensive acting resume which
includes roles in Damn Yankees! at Cain Park, Baby at Stow Players and
Cabaret at Weathervane Community Playhouse.  In the role of Alais, Heather
Snell is returning to Coach House where her credits include Bell, Book and
Candle, Witness for the Prosecution, A Delicate Balance, The Constant Wife
(for which she earned a Royal Coach Award) and Towards Zero.  Ms. Snell has
also appeared with the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival's in Much Ado About
Nothing, and at Cuyahoga Community College in A Streetcar Named Desire and
Sylvia.
 
    The Lion in Winter will open on Thursday, May 23 and continue through
Saturday, June 8, with performances at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and
Saturday evenings and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoons.  Tickets for The Lion
in Winter are $10 and may be reserved by calling the Coach House Theatre Box
Office at 330-434-7741, beginning May 16.  Coach House Theatre is located at
732 West Exchange Street in Akron, behind the Akron Woman's City Club.


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Bob Schaefer                            | "Where's the Kaboom?  There's
work: robert.schaefer at pbs.proquest.com  |  supposed to be an Earth-
home: bschaefer1 at neo.rr.com             |  shattering Kaboom!" - Marvin
phone: 330-659-1842                     |  Martian "Hare-Way to the Stars"
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