'Maderati' opens University Theatre season

By Pamela Dyer-Smith
Theatre Arts Department

"The Maderati” by Richard Greenberg is a comedy that centers on the self-centered concerns of a rather pretentious group of “yuppies.” This play of hilarious misunderstandings is directed by Brad Myers.

Performance dates are Oct. 3-4 and 7-11 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. All performances are in the John Wright Theatre in the Speech Arts Building.

The confusions abound in the play as a member of the ostentatious groups – a frustrated and suicidal poet named Charlotte Ebbinger (played by Lindsay Birdwell) – becomes temporarily detained in a mental hospital. The news of Charlotte’s situation is misunderstood by two of her friends: Dewy Overlander, an ambitious, would-be photographer (played by Erin Hoover), and Ritt Overlander, Dewy’s stockbroker husband (played by Jacob Savala) – both of whom assume that Charlotte is dead. Shortly afterwards, they eagerly impart the news of Charlotte’s assumed death to all other members of their group.

In Charlotte’s honor, the whole group holds a “grief party,” where all misunderstandings come to a climax as Charlotte appears in person and very much alive. Confusion at the party is further complicated by a number of bizarre guests including a young poet who falls asleep without warning, a man-crazy feminist and an actor who’s unintelligible grunts seems to have an aphrodisiac effect on all women present at the party.

Richard Greenberg’s play “Take Me Out” won the Tony Award for Best Play in 2003. He is the author of “Three Days of Rain,” a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His play “The Dazzle” won the Outer Critics Award and received Lucille Lortel and John Gassner nominations, and has been produced at the Roundabout, South Coast Repertory and Steppenwolf theatres.

He received the Oppenheimer Award for new playwrights, as well as the first PEN/Laura Pels Award for a playwright in mid-career. He is a member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre and an associate artist at South Coast Repertory where his play, “The Violet Hour,” received its first production in November 2002.

“The Maderati” promises to be an extremely funny and enjoyable experience for the entire audience. The production contains some adult languages and situations and may not be appropriate for all audiences.

Tickets are $7 for Fresno State students, $12 for faculty/staff, seniors, members of the Alumni Association, and students at other schools, and $14 general admission. For more information, call the Theatre Box Office at 8-2216.