Mauckingbird Theatre Company

Media Relations, Print Design, and Marketing for Philadelphia-based theater company committed to producing professional gay-themed theater

[title of show]

“Who says four chairs and a keyboard can’t make a musical?”

With the New York Musical Theatre Festival deadline just around the corner, struggling writers Hunter and Jeff decide to take the plunge and write an original musical in just three weeks time. The two soon discover that their conversation about what to write about is more interesting than anything else they have on the backburner. With the help of songstresses Susan and Heidi (and Larry on keys), the hilarious [title of show] quickly becomes a production about its own creation as two guys and their friends write a musical about writing a musical destined for Broadway and starring themselves!

Mauckingbird Theatre Company is thrilled to present its first ever musical production with this quirky comedy about creative expression and taking risks. Featuring: Michael Philip O’Brien (Hunter), Ben Dibble (Jeff), Kate Brennan (Susan), and Kim Carson (Heidi), with Mat Wright, a Barrymore Award-winner for Musical Direction, as the pianist Larry.

“Delectable entertainment … a postmodern homage to the grand tradition of backstage musicals like Babes in Arms, Kiss Me, Kate and A Chorus Line.”
– The New York Times

Music and Lyrics by Jeff Bowen
Book by Hunter Bell
Directed by Peter Reynolds
Musical Direction by Mat Wright
Choreography by Brandon McShaffrey

January 12 – 30, 2011
Opening Night – Wednesday, January 12 at 7:30 p.m.
UPstairs at The Adrienne Theatre
2030 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Mauckingbird Box Office: (215) 923-8909
Admission: $25 Adults, $20 Seniors, $15 Students
www.mauckingbird.org

Performance Schedule:
Tuesday, January 11 at 7:30 p.m. Preview
Wednesday, January 12 at 7:30 p.m. Opening Night
Thursday, January 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 16 at 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 23 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, January 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January 30 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Additional production information will be announced soon.

“Gay or not Gay, this is simply good theater.” – Philadelphia Magazine

Founded by Artistic Director Peter Reynolds and Managing Director Lindsay Mauck, Mauckingbird Theatre Company is committed to producing professional gay-themed theatre, while also exploring classic literature and musical genres and providing affordable productions of infrequently produced works. Past productions include the critically acclaimed all-male versions of Shakespeare’s R & J (2008) and The Misanthrope (2008), the lesbian adaptation of Hedda Gabler (2009), the dark crime drama Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story (2009), TRU and The Threshing Floor (2010), a repertory of two one-man shows about influential gay writers Truman Capote and James Baldwin, and an original modern interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2010).

Mauckingbird Theatre Company is a proud member of the Off-Broad Street Consortium of Independent Theatres.

Mauckingbird Theatre Company presents [title of show] January 12 – 30, 2011 UPstairs at The Adrienne Theatre

PHILADELPHIA – Mauckingbird Theatre Company’s fourth season kicks off with the regional premiere of [title of show], the company’s first ever musical production. Hailed by The New York Times as, “delectable entertainment … a postmodern homage to the grand tradition of backstage musicals,” the hit Broadway musical is a quirky comedy about creative expression and taking risks.

Related Blog Entries

Two thumbs up for Mauckingbird's revamped queer "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Downloads

[title of show]1.13 MB
Photo by John Flak[title of show] cast L-R: Kate Brennan, Michael Philip O'Brien, Kim Carson, Ben Dibble
Photo by John Flak		1.18 MB
Photo by John Flak[title of show] cast L-R: Michael Philip O'Brien and Ben Dibble
Photo by John Flak		935.14 KB
Photo by John Flak[title of show] cast L-R: Kim Carson, Ben Dibble, Kate Brennan, Mat Wright (on keys), Michael Philip O'Brien
Photo by John Flak		1.54 MB
A Midsummer Night's Dream (2010)A Midsummer Night's Dream (2010) [postcard]
A Midsummer Night's Dream (2010)		136.79 KB
TRU and The Threshing Floor (2010)TRU and The Threshing Floor (2010)
TRU and The Threshing Floor (2010)		2.36 MB
Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story (2009)Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story (2009)
Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story (2009)		1.73 MB
Hedda Gabler (2009)Hedda Gabler (2009)
Hedda Gabler (2009)		803.67 KB

Press Mentions

'Midsummer Night's Dream' from Mauckingbird

The Philadelphia Inquirer

“Wherever the line is between the classical and the contemporary, between sex and sexual politics, between a campy wink and a theatrical nod, Peter Reynolds, artistic director of Mauckingbird Theatre Company, walks it. For this clever, festive, gender-bending production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he is joined by codirector Lynne Innerst. Together, with a young, energetic, talented cast, they make Shakespeare’s most familiar comedy seem surprising, a “new jollity” full of fun.” – Toby Zinman, The Philadelphia Inquirer. Read more…

Praise for Capote / Baldwin Winter Repertoire (2010)

Philadelphia City Paper


“Two different approaches, two distinctive performances, two important writers- and one great repertoire of plays.”– Philadelphia City Paper

Praise for Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story (August 2009)

CurtainUp.com

“… This new kid in town offers intelligently selected and well produced gay-related work performed for thinking audiences of whatever persuasion.” – CurtainUp.com

A successful new theater company focuses on gay-themed works

Philadelphia Weekly


“As Philadelphia theater grows, the theater community takes great pride in touting its diversity. Sadly this so-called diversity rarely includes plays geared toward gay audiences… The little company with the funny name may establish itself as the place to go in Philly for original gay theater.” Read more…

Praise for The Misanthrope (December 2008)

Philadelphia City Paper, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly


“Without a word uttered about gay rights, this production defends them eloquently.”
– Philadelphia City Paper

Praise for Shakespeare's R&J (August 2008)

Philadelphia Magazine, Philadelphia City Paper, Philadelphia Inquirer


“Mauckingbird takes the definition of gay theater from high camp to high class.”
– Philadelphia City Paper

“Gloriously achieving what all great theatre should: It makes the new familiar, and the familiar, new.” –  Philadelphia City Paper

Praise for Hedda Gabler (January 2009)

The Feminist Review, METRO, Philadelphia Magazine, Uwishunu


“…A truly great new production with a twist that makes it, in my opinion, a more interesting imagining of Ibsen’s original.” – The Feminist Review

“Whether portrayed as an insane villain, a misunderstood and isolated woman, or a feminist in the wrong era, girlfriend is a manipulative and frightening presence and then some… Mauckingbird Theatre Company offers an interesting twist in their latest production: Hedda is actually in love with a woman… But fear not — this Hedda has just as much fire as the original.” – METRO


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