by DEBORAH ZOE LAUFER
Fridays
& Saturdays at 8 PM
FEBRUARY
19
- MARCH 5
at 8:00 PM
40
River Street, Chagrin Falls
TICKETS: $12 - CVLT's
River Street
Playhouse Stage... limited seating - reserve NOW!
Contains strong language, not recommended for children
Details & Tickets: http://www.cvlt.org/86thSeason/enddays.php or call 440-247-8955
Directed by THERESA BENYO-MARZULLO
Starring:
Travis Reilly as Nelson Steinberg
Ren Harris as Rachel Stein
Brenda Redmond as Sylvia Stein
Scott Stachiw as Arthur Stein
and Andrew Gordon as Jesus/Stephen Hawking
Deborah Zoe Laufer’s witty two-act play offers both humor and compassion as it explores the dynamics of modern family life in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy. With Armageddon seemingly bearing down on them, the Steins discover what they hold most sacred.
Ren Harris, a Kent resident, plays the part of Rachel Stein, a rebellious sixteen-year-old who is having a bad year. Her deeply depressed father (Scott Stachiw of Chagrin Falls) lost his job after 9/11 and hasn’t changed out of his pajamas since then. Although Jewish, Rachel’s mother (Brenda Redmond of Twinsburg) had an epiphany and has begun a close, personal relationship with Jesus (Andrew Gordon of Hudson.)
Adding to the plot, Rachel’s new teenage neighbor Nelson Steinburg (Travis Reilly of Cleveland Heights) dresses up like Elvis, is passionate about science and Stephen Hawking, and is in love with Rachel. With the apocalypse due to arrive on Wednesday, Rachel’s only hope is that Hawking (also played by Gordon) can save them all.
“I want to focus on the relationships between the characters and how each was affected by the tragic events of 9/11,” Marzullo said. “At the same time, I’m bringing out the discord in the family and how each member comes together with the help of a ‘savior’ in the form of a nerdy, quirky, but good-hearted neighbor boy. END DAYS is a black comedy which, although dealing with a serious subject like the possible end of the world, finds humor in it all."
Winner! 2008 American Theatre Critics
Association Steinberg Citation
CVLT is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and supported by the Ohio Arts Council. CVLT is a proud member of the American Association of Community Theatre and the Ohio Association of Community Theatre.