(CINCINNATI) – The Internet may have altered the dating scene a lot since Haley Walker first graced a Playhouse stage in the 2005 production of BAD DATES, but one thing hasn’t changed: Dating can be torture, so you might as well laugh about it. One of the most popular shows in Playhouse history, Theresa Rebeck’s irresistible comedy returns April 30 through June 12 to the intimacy of the Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre to prove that a good date can be just as elusive as a bargain-priced pair of Chanel pumps.
Haley ditches her deadbeat husband in Texas and moves with her daughter Vera to New York City to start anew. Working as a waitress in a restaurant, she settles into an unassuming new life. That is, until the police arrest the restaurant’s owner (who’s also a Romanian mob boss) for money laundering, and Haley is put in charge. She discovers that she’s actually a restaurant savant, and within weeks she hires a new chef, changes the menu, updates the flatware and voilà! The restaurant gets reviewed in The New York Times. Suddenly business is booming.
So what’s a charming, savvy, resilient single mom to do after she finds success and a semblance of stability? Blind date? Matchmaker? Haley opts for all of the above, but soon discovers that she’ll have to kiss a lot of frogs in search of her prince. And that’s where we meet her: prepping for dates from the privacy of her bedroom — which she shares with a colossal, 600-pair shoe collection. She knows from the get-go that bad dates will be part of the equation, but she figures that at some point, statistically, there have to be at least a few good dates, right? Haley opens up to us as she recounts her various dating failures with every male archetype imaginable. It’s no surprise that she starts to question if the only man a woman can truly rely on is Jimmy Choo.
“Haley is going to tell you about her life, the dates she goes on, the place where she works and the people who work with her,” explains Associate Artist Michael Evan Haney. He directed the original Playhouse production of BAD DATES and is delighted to return for its 10th anniversary. “She will come to trust you with her most private thoughts. She can do this because she is safe in her own apartment and she has her own things around her. Because she can just be herself there — and with you — she will discover the courage to start connecting with the wonders, and the people, of New York.”
Haney also notes that Cincinnati-native Theresa Rebeck’s hilarious dialogue provides something for everyone. “We’ve all experienced bad dates before, so for males watching, it’s a great opportunity to find out what a bad date is like from the opposing point of view, to learn some of the pitfalls and the traps to avoid,” he says. “Male or female, audiences are going to find Haley such a vital, fun character. Her life might be — hopefully is — a little more dramatic than the average audience member’s, but she’s so interesting that it’s easy to get caught up in the way she confronts the challenges that Theresa has given her in the play.”
The one-woman show features Vivia Font as Haley in her Cincinnati Playhouse debut. The creative team for BAD DATES, in addition to Haney, includes set designer Bill Clarke, costume designer Anne Kennedy, lighting designer Phil Monat and sound designer Megan B. Henninger. Andrea L. Shell is the stage manager.
BAD DATES is sponsored by Pure Romance.
Ticket prices for BAD DATES start at $35. Prices are subject to change, and patrons are encouraged to buy early for the best seats at the best prices. The show is appropriate for adult and older teenage audiences.
Continuing this season is the popular Sunday College Night, with tickets to all 7 p.m. Sunday performances priced at just $10 with a valid student ID. Student tickets are just $15 on the day of the show for all other performances. Discounted ticket prices for teens and students are available in advance for $30.
The Playhouse’s Tasting Series will enhance the theatre experience with Martini Parties before Wednesday performances of BAD DATES. The Martini Parties will feature an exclusive selection of four martini options, along with food from Funky’s Catering, for $22 per person. Reservations may be made by calling the Box Office at 513-421-3888.
Previews for BAD DATES are at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 30; 7 p.m. Sunday, May 1; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 3; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4. The official opening night is Thursday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays.
Free Meet the Artists programs that allow audiences to interact with the cast and others associated with the production will be held after the following performances: 2 p.m. Sunday, May 8; 2 p.m. Sunday, May 15; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18; and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26.
The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs and complete wheelchair access are available.
Tickets to BAD DATES are on sale now. For more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513-345-2248 for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf accessibility.
The 2015-16 Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre Series is presented by Heidelberg Distributing Company, and the Thompson Shelterhouse season design sponsor is the Allan Berliant and Jennie Rosenthal Berliant Family Fund. The season sponsor of new work is The Lois and Richard Rosenthal Foundation.
The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of the community contributors to the ArtsWave campaign.
The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.
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