A Noise Within Reprises WAITING FOR GODOT January 15, 2009

A NOISE WITHIN REPRISES WAITING FOR GODOT,
SAMUEL BECKETT’S WITTY TREATISE ON
THE NATURE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE

Thursday, January 15 – Sunday, January 25, 2009

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed repertory theatre company, reprises its successful 2007-08 production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot for 10 performances from Thursday, January 15 through Sunday, January 25, 2009. Described by the Los Angeles Times as a “top-notch production,” the play is directed by Andrew Traister and features Mark Bramhall (Lucky), Robertson Dean (Estragon), Mitch Edmonds (Pozzo), Joel Swetow (Vladimir) and Alex Yeghiazarian (Boy). Beckett’s wickedly witty treatise on the nature of human existence is considered one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.

Traister describes the production as “a funny, passionate, heartfelt, straightforward reading of the play. It is simply about two men waiting, but there was a definite desire to make these real men, with real problems, in a real relationship.” He also notes that the special challenge of directing an absurdist play is “making it make sense, understanding what the absurdity is and clearly defining it for the audience so they know what they are laughing at. There are no added extraneous bits that confuse the meaning of the play.” About the restaging he says, “We were amazed at its popularity last year and are very excited that it has been brought back.”

Waiting for Godot was an instant success when it debuted at the Théatre de Babylone in Paris in January 1953. It ran for 400 performances and received critical praise from such writers as Tennessee Williams, Jean Anouilh, Thornton Wilder and William Saroyan. Waiting for Godot is among the most famous examples of Theatre of the Absurd, a form of drama in which traditional plot, characters and action are discarded, creating a surreal theatrical experience. Beckett won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1969.

A Noise Within (ANW) is the only classical repertory company in Southern California and one of only a handful in the entire country dedicated solely to producing classical dramatic literature year-round and working in the repertory tradition of rotating productions using a resident company of professional artists. ANW is led by Founders/Artistic Directors Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott.

Over the last 17 years, ANW has attracted fiercely loyal audiences and high praise from the media for its productions of great works of world drama and also as a leading regional force in arts education. The company’s consistent dedication to quality has been rewarded with 26 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, Los Angeles’ highest recognition for theatrical achievement, and other similarly substantial honors. Since its founding in 1991, A Noise Within has presented more than 120 plays from the classics of world literature, each season producing a minimum of six plays from authors ranging from Shakespeare and Molière, to Ibsen, O’Neill and Shaw, to Miller and Williams. The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle named A Noise Within's production of O'Neill's A Touch of the Poet Best Revival of 2006, and the LA Stage Alliance nominated Jarry’s Ubu Roi for six Ovation Awards. In 2004, the theatre collaborated with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen in a tandem performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Hollywood Bowl.

A Noise Within’s 2008-09 season is dedicated to the De Pietro family for their unflagging generosity and support for the past 17 years.

Single Tickets are $44 (Friday and Saturday evenings, Sunday matinees); $40 (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, Saturday matinees); and $28 (previews). Groups (10 or more) are $25, or $30 on Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees; School Groups (10 or more) are $15, or $20 on Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees.

A NOISE WITHIN is located at 234 South Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA 91204. To purchase tickets or for a full season brochure, call 818-240-0910 x1 or visit www.ANoiseWithin.org.
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WHO: A Noise Within – one of the nation’s leading repertory theatres

WHERE: A Noise Within
234 South Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91204

TICKET PRICES:
$44 (Friday and Saturday evenings, Sunday matinees);
$40 (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, Saturday matinees);
$28 (previews).
Group rates and special rates for school groups available

TICKETS & INFO:
818-240-0910 x1 www.ANoiseWithin.org

WHAT: SAMUEL BECKETT’S WAITING FOR GODOT

Cast and Crew:
Mark Bramhall (Lucky) Robertson Dean (Estragon)
Mitchell Edmonds (Pozzo) Joel Swetow (Vladimir)
Alex Yeghiazarian (Boy)

Andrew Traister, Director
Michael Smith, Set Designer Angela Balogh Calin, Costume Designer
Byron Batista, Hair/Make-up James P. Taylor, Lighting Designer
Rebecca Baillie, Production Manager Yolanda Banos, Stage Manager
Pete Sauber, Technical Director

WHEN:
Thursday, January 15, 8 pm
Friday, January 16, 8 pm
Saturday, January 17, 2 pm
Saturday, January 17, 8 pm
Sunday, January 18, 2 pm
Thursday, January 22, 8 pm
Friday, January 23, 8 pm
Saturday, January 24, 8 pm
Sunday, January 25, 2 pm
Sunday, January 25, 7 pm

Official Website: http://www.ANoiseWithin.org