COMEDIC SATIRE for OCTOBER!

“In art, as in life, some things need no translation.”

–The Baltimore Waltz – Carl – Scene XII

(Madison, WI)  Strollers Theatre is proud to present The Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel, co-directed by Scott Bennett & John Cooper. The show runs October 17th through November 1st at The Bartell Theatre’s Evjue Stage in Madison. Ticket prices are $20 for general admission; $15 for seniors, students and Strollers members. Group rates of $15 per person for groups of 10 or more are also available. Call the box office at 608-661-9696, Tuesday thru Friday 2 PM – 6 PM.

In this comedic satire by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel, we follow Anna and her brother Carl on a European expedition. They strike out in search of adventure, hedonistic pleasure and the cure for her terminal illness, the fictitious ATD, Acquired Toilet Disease (the play wright’s metaphor for HIV).

A fantastical odyssey of the mind, with humor and heart, which suspends the apocalyptic catastrophe of losing a family member — a journey that celebrates life, art, sexuality, and the love of family. Paula Vogel won the Obie Award for this play.

Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.BartellTheatre.org.

SHOW TIMES

Friday, October 17……………….7:30PM

Saturday, October 18……………7:30PM

Sunday, October 19……………..2:00PM Talk back after this show with the directors, cast and others*

Wednesday, October 22……….7:30PM

Thursday, October 23…………..7:30PM Talk back after this show with the directors, cast and others*

Friday, October 24……………….8:00PM

Saturday, October 25……………8:00PM

Thursday, October 30…………..7:30PM Talk back after this show with the directors, cast and others*

Friday, October 31……………….8:00PM

Saturday, November 1………….2:00PM

* Shows with a Talk back are requesting a separate $30 donation to an AIDS-related benefactor of your choice. $30 is suggested in keeping with the 30 years since the first HIV case was diagnosed.

Talk Back Guests: Donnovan Moen, Oct. 19; ??, Oct. 23; and ?? Oct. 30.

The cast: Erin Baal as Anna, John Jajewski as Carl, Sean Langenecker as the Third Man

Design Team: Brian Grimm, Composer/Sound Design; Designers: Paige Hathaway, Scenic; Phil Koenig, Lighting;  Lucas Sevedge, Projections; Christina Giannini, Costumes; GW Rodriguez,  Sound Design Consultant; Matt Hill, Assistant Stage Manager; Joel Stone, Master Carpenter

-MORE-

For videos, photos and more visit the Strollers Theatre, Ltd web site

www.StrollersTheatre.org or visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/StrollersTheatre.

Perhaps a quote from Pablo Picasso can shed some light on what this play accomplishes,

“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”

Here is what critics have had to say recently about the show:

“. . . the playwright transmuted her anguish at the loss of her cherished brother into a whimsy-spiked satire that held a funhouse mirror up to the awful absurdities of the times. . . . Ms. Vogel’s play captured with vivid immediacy the disorientation these fluctuations inspired, reflecting in its very texture the emotional chaos unleashed by the [AIDS] epidemic.” By Charles Isherwood, New York Times, December 6, 2004

“Paula Vogel may be better known for her later play How I Learned to Drive, which won the Pulitzer Prize, but The Baltimore Waltz put her on the map, and rightly so. As an example of early AIDS-themed theatre, it’s important; as the story of siblings who find themselves being brought together and torn apart by a strange and inexorable illness, it’s a treasure. Come for the history; stay for the art.” by Regina Robbins, Theatre is Easy review, November 12, 2012

“It is a common misconception that there are five stages of grief that a person can cycle through when coming to terms with something as severe as a terminal illness. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. The lesser-known, or perhaps taboo, sixth stage is lust. And Paula Vogel’s The Baltimore Waltz is laced heavily with the stuff. This poignant and moving drama . . . is infused with uproarious moments of parody and humor, as well as the blatant undertones that at times threaten to become overtones of sexual frustration and lubricity.” By Amanda Gunther, DC Metro Theater Arts, September 24, 2013

In Honor:

Strollers honors the past 30 years of the fight to find a cure for HIV/AIDS.  On April 23, 1984 the first diagnosis of the AIDS virus was announced. After three decades, this production will serve as a reflection of public perception and progress society has made in this time.  Strollers Theatre has established opportunities for donations to local HIV/AIDS programs and clinics at all performances.  Talk backs after certain shows are requesting a donation amount that reflects this 30-year mark. This play was inspired by the tragic passing of Paula Vogel’s brother who had succumbed to the AIDS virus and we honor his spirit.

For any additional information, contact Phil Klein, Strollers Theatre Publicist for this show at philjoannee@charter.net or call 608-445-0579.

Other activities scheduled for Baltimore Waltz

Donations accepted for local HIV/AIDS programs and clinics at each show

Talk backs with the director, cast and others are scheduled after certain shows. See details above.