Barefoot in the Park opens October 26
10/12/2007

Barefoot in the Park follows the lives of newlyweds Corie, a free spirit, and Paul, a straight-laced lawyer, as they adjust to married life in a tiny Greenwich Village apartment. A five-flight walk up, an eccentric neighbor, a skylight that leaks snow and no heat puts their marriage to the test.

THE PLAY AND THE PLAYWRIGHT
A comedy inspired by the early days of one of Simon’s marriages, Barefoot in the Park received Tony nominations for Best Play, Best Actress, and Best Producer and won the Tony for Best Director. Barefoot in the Park was Simon’s third play and first major hit; running for almost four years. In 1967, he adapted the play for a feature film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.

THE ACTORS
Robert Hupp, The Rep’s producing artistic director, directs a cast of 6 actors including former Miss Arkansas Whitney Kirk (Corie), Christian Pedersen (Paul), Robert Lydiard (Victor Velasco), Alanna Hamill Newton (Mrs. Banks), Steve Marshall (Delivery Man) and Jason Thompson (Telephone Repair Man).

Kirk has been seen in JFK (Off Broadway), Guiding Light, and various New York productions. Pederson’s credits include Summer of the Swans (off-Broadway), award-winning Five by Three (2007 Midtown International Theatre Festival), All My Children and As the World Turns. Highlights of Lydiard’s career include You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Charlie Brown), eight companies of Hello, Dolly! (Barnaby Tucker) and three Academy Award-winning films: The Paper Chase, Amarcord, and The Day of the Dolphin.

This production marks Newton’s fourth at The Rep including multiple roles in Kaufman & Hart Prize readings, Moonlights and Magnolias (Miss Poppenghul) and My Fair Lady. Marshall appeared in nearly 100 stage productions before launching a career in television and film. He wrote and produced WKRP in Cincinnati, Gloria, Growing Pains, Just the Ten of Us, and co-wrote the film Revenge of the Nerds II. Thompson has been writer, actor and board member with Red Octopus Theater Company for eight years and has worked locally in productions at The Rep, Murray’s Dinner Playhouse and in several locally produced short and feature length films. For more information on cast members, visit www.therep.org.

DIRECTION & DESIGN
Hupp, in his ninth season at The Rep, directs Barefoot in the Park. Some of his other Rep directing projects include The Full Monty, Moonlight and Magnolias, Of Mice and Men, Steel Magnolias, Much Ado About Nothing, Children of Eden, and Romeo & Juliet. Hupp has been a finalist for Arkansas Business’ Non Profit Executive of the Year and is a recipient of IABC/Arkansas Communicator of the Year Award.

The Rep’s resident design team for the comedy includes Set Designer and Technical Director Mike Nichols, Sound Designer M. Jason Pruzin and Properties Director Linda Kwallek. Guest artistic staff includes Costume Designer Stephanie Khoury and Lighting Designer Tony Mulanix.

PERFORMANCES & TICKETS
Performances for Barefoot in the Park are 7 p.m. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays, October 26 through November 11. Public sneak preview performances are Wednesday, October 24 and Thursday, October 25, and include a pre-show discussion with Director Robert Hupp at 6:15 and 7:15 respectively (45 minutes before curtain). Opening Night, Friday, October 26, includes a post-show reception with the cast. The October 31 performance is sign-interpreted for the hearing impaired. Tickets are $20 and $35 (group discounts available) and may be purchased by calling The Rep Box Office at 501-378-0405 or 1-866-6-THEREP or online at www.therep.org.

Friends of The Rep host BrewHaHa, a pre-party for Barefoot in the Park, October 30 at 6:00 p.m. Tickets for BrewHaHa, including a seat for the show, are $15 and may be purchased by calling the Box Office at 501-378-0405.

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