The Screwtape Letters June 12, 2011

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, the provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view, will be presented at The Alliance Theatre, Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, in a limited engagement from June 9 through June 12.

The Atlanta engagement follows a successful first six months of THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS’ 2011 National Tour, playing to capacity audiences in Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland and Seattle. The 2011 tour kicked off after the production’s hit nine month run at the Westside Theatre in New York where it played 309 performances! Prior to that, THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS was a sold out hit in Chicago and Washington D. C.

Associated Press calls the production “Devilishly funny!” The Chicago Sun-Times hails THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS as “Smart, sizzling entertainment!” and National Review describes it is “Pure genius!”

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS runs 90 minutes without intermission. In this topsy turvy morally inverted universe set in an eerily stylish office in hell, God is called the “Enemy” and the devil is referred to as “Our Father below.”

The play follows His Abysmal Sublimity Screwtape, Satan’s top psychiatrist, played by award winning actor Max McLean, and his creature-demon secretary Toadpipe, as they train an apprentice demon, Wormwood, on the fine art of seducing an unsuspecting human “patient” down the “soft, gentle path to hell.”

Along with The Chronicles of Narnia (including The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe), The Great Divorce and Mere Christianity, THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is still one of Lewis’ most popular and influential works. The book's piercing insight into human nature and the lucid and humorous way Lewis makes his readers squirm in self recognition made it an immediate success. When first published in 1942 it brought worldwide fame to this little-known Oxford don including the cover of Time Magazine.

Lewis dedicated it to his close friend J. R. R. Tolkien who had expressed to Lewis that delving too deeply into the craft of evil would have consequences. Lewis admitted as much when he wrote “Though I had never written anything more easily, I never wrote with less enjoyment . . . though it was easy to twist one’s mind into the diabolical attitude, it was not fun, or not for long. The work into which I had to project myself while I spoke through Screwtape was all dust, grit, thirst, and itch. Every trace of beauty, freshness, and geniality had to be excluded.”

Produced by New York City based Fellowship for the Performing Arts. Max McLean serves as Artistic Director. Executive Producer and General Manager is Ken Denison of Aruba Productions. Scenic Design is by Cameron Anderson, Costumes by Michael Bevins, Lighting Design by Jesse Klug, and Original Music and Sound Design by John Gromada.
The performance schedule for THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is Thursday, June 9 at 8 p.m., Friday June 10 at 8 p.m., Saturday, June 11 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 12 at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $35 - $55. A limited number of premium seats are available for $82. Service fees and 8% sales tax apply and will be collected from the ticket buyer on all internet, phone and walk-up purchases. For groups of 10 or more call 866.476.8707. Student group rates are available.
To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.alliancetheatre.org, call 404.733.5000, or visit the Woodruff Center Box Office, 1280 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30309. For more information, visit www.ScrewtapeonStage.com.

Official Website: http://www.screwtapeonstage.com