The Jerry Herman Ring Theatre opened its 65th season as UM’s most prominent playhouse with a sold-out production of Noises Off on Oct. 9. The play will continue to run until Oct. 18.
Noises Off was written by British playwright Michael Frayn in 1982. The play is a slapstick comedy about the frenetic on- and off-stage high jinks of a second-rate British touring company. The story follows the acting troupe’s progress from dress rehearsal to a ruinous closing night performance of a mediocre sex comedy, Noises On.
Noises Off earned Frayn his third Evening Standard Theater Award for “Best Comedy of the Year” for the play. The show first opened on Broadway in 1983 and was nominated for four Tony Awards. The revival production of the play opened on Broadway in 2001 with a cast that included Peter Gallagher, Faith Price, stage legend Patti Lupone and Katie Finneran, who won the 2002 Tony for “Best Featured Actress in a Play.”
Musical theater major Corrine Palermo plays the dim-witted actress Brooke Ahston. Palermo says that she enjoys playing Brooke because she is able to take on the role of someone who is completely different from her.
“She’s a major airhead and thinks she’s a great actress even though she’s had no theater training,” Palermo said.
Ariana Shore, senior, plays the role of the faded leading lady Dotty Otley; Paul Haasch, senior, plays the womanizing director, Lloyd Dallas; Brian Blattman, senior, plays the aging actor, Frederick Fellows; and Dan Weisberg, senior, plays the alcoholic actor, Selsdon Mowbray.
Other cast members include Douglas Ghizzoni as Garry Lejeune, Lauren Potter as Poppy Norton-Taylor, Maura Hannigan as Belinda Blair and Randall Pollard as Tim Allgood.
“The cast is amazing,” Palmero said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be working with these people in such an unbelievably well-written comedy.”
Many UM students who were unable to make last week’s performance are looking forward to tonight’s free show, thanks to the Ring’s “Totally Free Tuesdays” program.
“I’ve heard that Noises Off is a really funny play, and when you add that it’s free, it’s an even better deal,” Carlos Sanchez, junior, said.
“Totally Free Tuesdays” was initiated last year and, according to organizers, met with so much success that the theater decided to continue the program for another year.
Similar “Totally Free Tuesdays” will be offered for other plays throughout the school year.
“My friend saw a production of Noises Off somewhere else and she told me that it was really funny,” said junior Ilana Nathan. “I’m going to try and see the free performance today.”
Students must present a valid UM ID to view the free performance tonight. For exact show times, contact The Ring Theatre.
Horacio Sierra can be contacted at h.sierra@umiami.edu.
ALL ABOUT ‘NOISES OFF’
Synopsis
The play is a slapstick comedy about the frenetic on- and off-stage high jinks of a second-rate British touring company. The story follows the acting troupe’s progress from dress rehearsal to a ruinous closing night performance of a mediocre sex comedy, Noises On.
Performance Dates
Oct. 15- 18 at 8 p.m.
Students $6 – General $14 – weeknights, matinees
$8 – General $16 – weekend performances
The box office is open noon to 5 p.m. on weekdays and two hours before each performance.
For more information on the Ring Theatre, visit www.miami.edu/ring. To order tickets, call 305-284-3355. The Ring Theatre is located at 1312 Miller Dr.