PIPPIN, DEATH OF A SALESMAN Et Al. Included in Kansas City Repertory Theatre's 2012-2013 Season

Eric Rosen has announced his selections for Kansas City Repertory Theatre's 2012-13 season, his fifth year as the theatre's artistic director.

"This season, we return to our roots with productions that feature more artists who live and work in our town than any other theatre in the region," said Rosen. "Fully four productions are devoted to Kansas City artists, including Gary Neal Johnson, Merle Moores, Mark Robbins and Ron MeGee, who is making his Rep debut."

All titles and dates are subject to change at the discretion of Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

PIPPIN
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz / Book by Roger O. Hirson
Directed by Eric Rosen
September 14 to October 7, 2012
Press Night: Friday, September 21
Spencer Theatre

Building upon the Rep's productions of INTO THE WOODS and CABARET, Eric Rosen directs Stephen Schwartz's iconic musical PIPPIN, the story of Prince Pippin's quest to find personal significance. Pippin traverses through the trials of war, love and politics before discovering himself amongst the peasants, isolated from the wealth and privilege of his previous royal life. Originally directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, Rosen's staging will offer new visual and musical twists to a musical theatre classic.

Pippin premiered in October 1972 in New York where it ran for 1,944 performances and won five Tony Awards. The following year, it ran for 85 performances in London's West End.

At the Rep, Rosen has also directed Metamorphoses and The Trip to Bountiful prior to his appointment as artistic director, and Clay; Winesburg, Ohio; A Christmas Story, The Musical!; Cabaret and August: Osage County. His production of Venice had its world premiere at the Rep in 2010, and was named "Year's Best Musical" by Richard Zoglin of TIME Magazine.

THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP
Written by Charles Ludlam
Directed by Tom Aulino
October 19 to November 18, 2012
Press Night: Friday, October 26
Copaken Stage

With an array of lightning-fast transformations and costume changes, two of Kansas City's actors, Mark Robbins and Ron MeGee in his KC Rep debut, portray multiple men, women and monsters in THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP. Charles Ludlam's farcical thriller/comedy is a gender-bending tour-de-force that both celebrates and satirizes horror movies, classic literature and the conventions of theatre itself. Set on a "dark and stormy night," Lady Enid arrives at an estate with her new husband, who is under the spell of his deceased first wife. Freely quoting from a range of literary, cinematic and pop culture sources, THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP is a madcap romp with a nod to Shakespeare, Ibsen and Poe; werewolves, vampires and mummies.

Aulino is a busy Chicago and New York actor who is making his Kansas City Rep directing debut with Irma Vep. He appeared at the Rep in 2011 in Circle Mirror Transformation, with Mark Robbins.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Written by Charles Dickens
Directed by Kyle Hatley
November 16 to December 26, 2012
Press Night: Saturday, November 24
Spencer Theatre

The Ghost of Christmas Present with his famed Christmas Cheer in hand, returns to the Rep for the 32nd annual production of Kansas City's favorite holiday tradition. A CHRISTMAS CAROL is a telling of the classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the curmudgeonly businessman who requires the intervention of a few spectral guides to understand the true meaning of Christmas and life. Complete with musical numbers, costuming, and stagecraft, Dickens' tale of hope and redemption continues to remind us what's really worth celebrating - at the holidays, or any time.