
“Venus in Fur”, David Ives’ Sexy and Wildly Intelligent Comedy, Opens Rep Stage’s 2014-15 Season
Rep Stage, the regional theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), opens its 22nd season with David Ives’ “Venus in Fur”, directed by Joseph Ritsch, Rep Stage’s co-producing artistic director. When a young actress arrives several hours late to her audition for a play based on a 19th-century erotic novel, the playwright-director is less than impressed. But the actress’s masterful performance flips the script on the demanding creator’s expectations and turns the session into an electrifying battle of the sexes. Hailed as “seriously smart and very funny” by The New York Times, the award-winning “Venus in Fur” is a laugh-out-loud game of cat and mouse that blurs the lines of fantasy and reality.
“Venus in Fur” opens October 1, 2014, with a limited run through October 19 in the Studio Theatre of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center (HVPA) on the campus of HCC. For tickets and additional information, visit www.repstage.org or call the box office at 443-518-1500. Press performance is Friday, October 3 at 8 p.m. For photos and press reservations, contact Mike Scrivener in the Office of Public Relations and Marketing at 443-518-3133 or mscrivener@howardcc.edu.
David Ives’ “Venus in Fur” opened on Broadway in 2011 at The Manhattan Theatre Club after premiering at Classic Stage Company in 2010. Both productions were directed by Walter Bobbie. Nina Arianda, who portrayed Vanda in both productions, won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance on Broadway. The Broadway production also received a nomination for Best Play. The Rep Stage production features Kathryn Tkel (Vanda), who was seen most recently in Everyman Theatre's stunning production of “By The Way, Meet Vera Stark”. Elan Zafir (Thomas), who was seen most recently in Signature Theatre's critically acclaimed “Tender Napalm”. Both are graduates from the MFA program at The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Academy for Classical Acting.
CAST
Thomas: Elan Zafir*
Vonda: Kathryn Tkel*
ARTISTIC TEAM
Book: David Ives
Director: Joseph Ritsch
Set Designer: Daniel Ettinger**
Light Design: Joseph Walls
Sound Design: William D'Eugenio
Costume Designer: David Burdick
Properties Designer: Mollie Singer
Stage Manager: Keri Shultz*
Assistant Stage Manager: Jeane Compton
* Members Actor’s Equity Association
** Member of United Scenic Artists, IATSE