Theatre Arlington Presents NOISES OFF!

Theatre Arlington is shifting gears from "the mother of all musicals" to what some consider one of the funniest comedies ever written for the stage, Noises Off by Michael Frayn. This out-of-control play within a play opens Friday, March 31st, and is the second production in the theater's 50th anniversary season.

Frayn's hilarious look at the theater and those who make its magic happen - both inside and out - is also celebrating its own 40th anniversary of making audiences cry with laughter, having premiered on Broadway in 1983. Noises Off is a classic British farce about an under-rehearsed and overworked cast and crew attempting to stage the fictional sex farce, Nothing On. This bumbling cast and crew have more personal dramatic flair than professional as their shenanigans and chaos rule onstage and backstage. Will all the slamming doors, dropped pants, lost props and technical difficulties create such a disaster that it jinxes the old saying, "The show must go on?"

It is interesting to note that playwright, Michael Frayn was involved in college theater before he began his career as a journalist where he often criticized the theater. Thankfully, Frayn was eventually drawn back into it after writing television scripts for a short time. The inspiration for Noises Off actually came from a time in 1970 when he was backstage and watching one of his earlier plays, The Two of Us, and noticed that it was far more interesting and funny backstage than anything that was happening onstage. Frayn said, "We're all afraid of losing control in life, and it's much funnier when it happens to someone else. The thing about farce is that you have to set up a lot of plot. You've got to build up a house of cards before there is something for you to collapse."

Executive Producer, Steven D. Morris is thrilled to introduce award-winning director, Cheryl Denson to TA audiences. Although well-known and adored throughout the DFW theater community, this is Denson's first time directing at Theatre Arlington. Her production of Noises Off stars Equity actors Gigi Cervantes as Dotty Otley/Mrs. Clackett and Jakie Cabe as Lloyd Dallas. The cast also includes Leroy Hood as Garry Lejeune/Roger Tramplemain, Mattie Lillian Davis as Brooke Ashton/Vicki, Emily Truelove as Poppy Norton-Taylor, Billy Betsill as Frederick Fellowes/Philip Brent, Brandy Raper as Belinda Blair/Flavia Brent, Joshua Nerio as Tim Allgood and David Fenley as Selsdon Mowbray/Burglar.

Production and Stage Manager, Maria Leon Hickox, heads up the production team which includes Michael Green (Assistant Stage Manager) Keving Brown (Set Designer) Bryan Stevenson (Lighting Designer), Ryan Simón (Sound Designer), Karen Potter (Costume Designer), Robin Dotson (Properties Designer) and Wendy Searcy-Woode (Scenic Artist).

Noises Off will open on Friday, March 31st at 7:30 pm.

Prior to the show at 6:45 pm, Theatre Arlington's Walk of Fame will be unveiled with a champagne reception in front of the theater. A great deal of talent has made its way across the Theatre Arlington stage and into the world outside DFW over the theater's 50 years. Broadway, television, opera, broadcast news ... even a New York Times bestselling author! To show off the theater's hometown pride, Theatre Arlington is honoring each artist with a bronze medallion at the theater entrance.

Promptly after the curtain comes down that evening, there will be an opening night reception with dessert provided by Cooper Street Bakery, the official bakery of Theatre Arlington.