In commemoration of what would have been Elizabeth Taylor’s 80th birthday on February 27, The Ringwald Theatre is set to celebrate her life and one of her best-known roles in February.
First up: In the World Premiere of Elizabeth the Beautiful by Kim Carney, we find Elizabeth recovering from back surgery in an elegant Virginia hotel in 1978. After a near-fatal encounter with a chicken bone, she is visited by her ex-ex-husband Richard Burton-or is she? Is he merely a figment of her unconscious mind? During this visit, Burton ushers in notable figures from her past, all with the purpose of teaching her a very valuable lesson about where her life is headed. Elizabeth the Beautiful is a funny, outlandish, and ultimately touching valentine to Ms. Taylor’s life. Starring Joe Bailey as Elizabeth Taylor, Mike McGettigan as Richard Burton, and Patrick O’Connor Cronin as Everybody Else. Directed by Bryan Lark, Elizabeth the Beautiful will open Friday, February 17, 2012 at 8:00PM.
Opening one week later will be a campy rendition of Tennessee Williams masterpiece, Suddenly, Last Summer. The sordid tale of Catharine Holly (famously played by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1959 movie adaptation, here played by Marke Sobolewski) and her cousin Sebastian whose life meets an unseemly end when they are vacationing together in Cabeza de Lobo. Will Catharine get to tell what really happened before Sebastian’s mother (played by Lauren Bickers) follows through with her threats to have Catharine lobotomized? Suddenly, Last Summer also features Mikey Brown, Carrie Lynn Hall, Vince Kelley, Genevieve Jona, Anne Faba and is directed by Joe Plambeck. It will open Friday, February 24, 2012 at 8:00PM.
The two shows will run in repertory through March 12. Ticket prices are $20.00 for 8pm Friday and Saturday performances, $15 for 3pm Sunday shows, and Monday nights at 8pm are Half off the original ticket price at only $10 a ticket. Tickets can be purchased at www.TheRingwald.com or at the theatre box office. The Ringwald box office opens 45 minutes before performances and tickets can be purchased with cash or Visa/Mastercard.
The Ringwald opened their doors in May of 2007 with Fatal Attraction: A Greek Tragedy. Past Productions include:The Facts of Life: The Lost Episode, The Bad Seed, The Book of Liz, Rent, and Thank You for Being a Friend. Who Wants Cake? was named 2009 Best Theatrical Troupe by Real Detroit and Best Place to See Local Theatre in 2009 and 2010 by the readers of Metro Times.
