FULLERTON, CA.—The most ambitious theatrical undertaking in Orange County’s history is set for this summer, as the curtain rises on the Orange County Theater Festival, which will see four critically acclaimed productions from the county’s storefront theater scene staged in the outdoor amphitheater at the Muck Mansion in Fullerton.

In addition to the four Mainstage productions, the festival is also inviting all the county’s theaters to participate in its four Festival Days, which will showcase the diverse array of talents that make the Orange County theater scene such a vibrant and eclectic community.

“This festival is a celebration of some of the best work to ever grace local stages as well as an affirmation that Orange County theater has become a force to be reckoned with,” said Joel Beers, the OCTF’s Artistic Director and Executive Producer. “In the past five years, the county’s theater community has grown exponentially in terms of number of producing entities and quality of work. This festival is a way to recognize the growth of that community, as well as a tangible way to help ensure its continued vitality and viability.”

The four Mainstage shows, all of which will receive eight productions, are encore performances of previously produced works at some of the top storefront theaters in the county. All shows were met with both critical and audience acclaim.

“We decided the best introduction to our theater community would have to include some of the best productions it has seen in recent years” said Beers.

The summer 2004 season will feature William Shakespeare’s The Taming of The Shrew adapted and directed by Russ Marchand, Oscar Wildes’ The Importance of Being Earnest adapted and directed by Kelly Flynn, Lord Sheridan’s The Rivals adapted and directed by Darcy Hogan, and Beers’ own original play Rube directed by Patrick Gwaltney. All four of the shows’ original directors are on board for the project.

The festival will take place at Fullerton’s “Muck Mansion” – otherwise known as The Muckenthaler Cultural Center – in its beautiful, covered, 246-seat outdoor amphitheater.

“There is so much passion for cutting-edge theater here,” said Kimberly M. Fisher, the OCTF’s Business Manager. “But these amazing store-front theaters aren’t getting the audiences they deserve. This is an attempt to correct that.”

MUCK MANSION (THE MUCKENTHALER CULTURAL CENTER):

Is located in Fullerton, just a mile and a half off the 91 freeway

at 1201 W Malvern Ave – just off Euclid



All shows run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm. Picnicking on “the green” begins at 6:30 Thursday – Saturday, and 5:30 on Sundays

Tickets are Adults, Students and Senior Citizens

Season passes are available at / until July 1st, and / after July 1st

Season passes offer a chance to see all four shows at discounted price.

Season pass-holders are also given priority seating and a free drink.

Four “Festival Days” will take place on opening Sundays

July 18th, August 8th, August 29th, and September 19th.

Festival days are an afternoon-long event featuring information on Orange County theater, strolling entertainment, food, fun, play readings and more. Suitable for families.

www.octheaterfestival.com

THE ORANGE COUNTY THEATER FESTIVAL

PO Box 631, Fullerton, CA 92836 • 714-441-2381

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This summer's line-up is ...

RUBE! - JULY 15 – 25

By Joel Beers – Directed by Patrick Gwaltney

Originally presented by Stages Theatre

"An uproarious comedy … Joyous, energetic, wholly original, a rowdily funny show that has a heart the size of a baseball diamond." - Orange County Register

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW - AUGUST 5 – 15

By William Shakespeare – Adapted and Directed by Russ Marchand

Originally presented by The Insurgo Theater Movement

at The Hunger Artists Theatre Company and at The Maverick Theater

"It’s Shakespeare via commedia dell’arte, filtered through Laugh-In and kicked in the gut by Ringling Brothers … one of the funniest offerings on a local stage in a long time." - OC Weekly

THE RIVALS - AUGUST 26 – SEPTEMBER 5

By Lord Sheridan – Adapted and Directed by Darcy Hogan

Originally presented by The Insurgo Theater Movement

"Hogan has cast everything to shoot this show into excellence ... it is the freedom and fun this cast has with each other that makes this production brilliant ... " - Wall Four

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST - SEPTEMBER 16 – 26

By Oscar Wilde – Adapted and Directed by Kelly Flynn

Originally presented by The Hunger Artists Theater Company

"This all-male version of Wilde’s theatrical chestnut is incredibly hilarious, but it also manages to illuminate the source material, paying faithful homage to the script while simultaneously tweaking it." – OC Weekly

Rube!

by Joel Beers

Directed by Patrick Gwaltney

The Taming of the Shrew

by William Shakespeare

Adapted and Directed by Russ Marchand

The Rivals

by Lord Sheridan

Adapted and Directed by Darcy Hogan

The Importance of Being Earnest

by Oscar Wilde

Adapted and Directed by Kelly Flynn