SOUTHERN REP THEATRE PRESENTS VENUS IN FUR

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1 SOUTHERN REP THEATRE PRESENTS VENUS IN FUR AIMÉE HAYES, PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR THEATRE NEWS * * * FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For More Information please contact: pr@southernrep.com December 12, 2012, New Orleans - Southern Rep Theatre kicks off its 26 th Season Mainstage Series with VENUS IN FUR by David Ives at The Contemporary Arts Center directed by Aimée Hayes starring Todd d'amour and Veronica Russell. In what The New York Times describes as "seriously smart and very funny," VENUS IN FUR is a frisky game of cat and mouse in which the lines blur between reality and play, seduction and power, and love and sex. The production runs forfourteen performances only opening January 9 and running through January 24. "A SMART, SEXY HILARIOUS COMEDY." --Vogue "DELECTABLE, VIBRANT AND PROVOCATIVE" --TheaterMania Join us For a Scintillating Chat! Meet Susan Larson, of WWNO's "The Reading Life;" Mimi Schippers of Tulane University's Gender & Sexuality Studies Program; and Bella Blue, the Headmistress of The New Orleans School of Burlesque in a talkback and panel discussion called Fifty Shades of Grey meets VENUS IN FUR: Women & Power 2013 which will take place after the Friday, January 11th performance at the CAC. Attention All Bloggers: Join us for Night of the Blogger! Our Wednesday, January 9, Preview Performance welcomes local bloggers to attend the show on us. If your publication or business has a blogger on staff, send them our way and we will have two tickets waiting for them. Please contact our Box Office at to take advantage of this special offer.

2 This offer is only good for the January 9 th performance. Pay What You Can Night! Sunday, January 13, 6:00pm is Southern Rep's Pay What You Can performance. "I can't think of a better play to enjoy right before Carnival! The sexy comic interplay between the two leads makes for a titillating evening at the theatre. The 30-second description of VENUS IN FUR is that it's The Thinking Woman's Fifty Shades of Grey--and if you've read or heard about those books--you won't want to miss this production or our provocative talkback and panel on January 11th. Also, it's been called the best play for date night. So, grab your sweetie, and join us for cocktails and theatre at the CAC!" -Aimée Hayes, Producing Artistic Director The Big Easy Award-Winning design team includes Set Design by Jason Kirkpatrick; Lighting and Costume Design by Joan Long; Sound Design by Mike Harkins; and Prop Design by Leah Farrelly. TODD d'amour was last seen at Southern Rep Theatre as The Curtain in THE LILY'S REVENGE. JACK SPICER'S BILLY THE KID (Created by Lisa D'Amour and Brendan Connelly. Sidearm space, NOLA Fringe). He is from New Orleans and went to school at Syracuse University (B.A. Psych) and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. NYC credits: NEW ISLANDS ARCHIPELAGO (The Talking Band), DON CRISTOBAL BILLY CLUB MAN (HERE), THE VERGE (PL115/Ontological), THE CONFIDENCE MAN (Woodshed Collective), ETHER STEEDS (Fringe; Best Ensemble); PRETTY THEFT (FLUX); SPAIN (The Bridge); Matt in WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HATE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS at Theatre Row (4 Chairs), Camillo in THE CENCI at The Ohio Theatre (Hotel Savante/Watermill Cntr), Damien in Syphon in THE AUSTRALIA PROJECT (ChaShama), Orpheus in ORPHEUS and EURYDICE (ChaShama), Jake in LIE OF THE MIND at MTS, Sonny in RUS at HERE, Heracles in WOMEN OF TRACHIS at The Ohio (Target Margin), Stanley in STANLEY at HERE (dir. Lisa D'Amour), Colin Clement in RED TIDE BLOOMING at PS122 (dir. Taylor Mac), Kebob in LENIN'S SHOE at The Lark, Bill in MAJOR BARBARA (Two-Headed Calf - Company won OBIE), Fez in THE WORLD (Gale Gates, Whitney Altria), Mr. Interviewer in NITA AND ZITA at HERE (Play won OBIE). Regional credits include: Stanley

3 in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (SMT), The Man in A PERFECT GANESH (NET), Charlie Chaplin in SILENT LIVES (NET). Thank you, Mikal. VERONICA RUSSELL has a BFA in Theatre from Stephen F. Austin State University, and has been an active member of the New Orleans performing community for over fifteen years. She's been seen in several Southern Rep Theatre productions including FOR BETTER and THE PAINO TEACHER. With numerous appearances on stage, screen, and TV, one of her most recent theatrical projects was a five-city tour across Canada with her one-woman show, A DIFFERENT WOMAN: A TRUE STORY OF A TEXAS CHILDHOOD. She is the artistic director of Louisiana History Alive, and an award-winning costume designer as well as actress. The Panelists for Fifty Shades of Grey meets VENUS IN FUR: Women & Power 2013 include Susan Larson, Mimi Schippers, and Bella Blue. SUSAN LARSON is the host of "The Reading Life" on WWNO. Before becoming the host of "The Reading Life" in 2010, Susan Larson was the book editor for The New Orleans Times-Picayune from She is the vice president for literary programming of the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, she serves on the board of directors of the New Orleans Public Library, and she is the founder of the New Orleans chapter of the Women's National Book Association. In 2007, she received the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities lifetime achievement award for her contributions to the literary community. A member of the National Book Critics Circle, Larson is the author of The Booklover's Guide to New Orleans. You'll probably run into her in a local bookstore or library, and she'll be happy to suggest something you should read. She thinks New Orleans is the best literary town in the world, and she reads about a book a day. MIMI SCHIPPERS, PhD.is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Gender & Sexuality Studies at Tulane University. Professor Schippers' research and writing interests revolve gender and sexuality in everyday interactions and in alternative subcultures. Her current project explores the gender and sexual dynamics of non-monogamous, open, and polyamorous relationships. In

4 addition to publishing a book and several articles in the areas of gender and sexuality studies, she also has a widely read blog, where she uses a feminist, queer, and sociological lens to examine current events. BELLA BLUE is a New Orleans born and bred performer. She started dancing at the age of 3 and continued to study extensively in ballet and modern into adulthood. In 2007 she traded in her pointe shoes for pasties and hasn't looked back since! She has become one of the most recognized burlesque dancers in New Orleans where she is a member of Fleur de Tease Burlesque Review, Slow Burn Burlesque, and The Creole Sweet Tease Burlesque Review. Bella performs regularly in New Orleans but has also performed in Los Angeles, Dallas, in Chicago for first burlesque festival-the Twisted Tassel Burlesque Festival, in Las Vegas for Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend, she performs regularly in New York at the Slipper Room and other various venues, has been featured on TLC's Miami Ink, as well as various festivals including but not limited to The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, The Voodoo Music Experience and Geronimo Festival. She is also able to add the title of international performer as she most recently (and most notably) performed in Switzerland for the Jazz Ascona Festival 2011 and Bella's pride and joy however is The New Orleans School of Burlesque, where she has reigned as the headmistress since 2008 and hosts New Orleans' only weekly running of burlesque classes. She has taught the art of the tease to more than 600 women in New Orleans and beyond and the number continues to grow. She also hosts a number of guest teachers and specialty workshops. In addition to running the school, she produces her quarterly shows "The New Orleans School of Burlesque Student Showcase" which features students that take her classes as well as a monthly variety show called "The Dirty Dime Peepshow" which features a rotating cast that brings light the darker side of New Orleans burlesque and its performers. INTERVIEWS: For photo requests or interviews with cast, directors or designers or Producing Artistic Director, Aimée Hayes, please contact Marketing Associate, Anthony Carpenter, at pr@southernrep.com. LISTING INFORMATION: VENUS IN FUR. Written by David

5 Ives. Directed by Aimée Hayes. Featuring Todd d'amour and Veronica Russell. BOOKING TICKETS: Contact: Southern Rep Theatre Box Office or book online at PERFORMANCE TIMES: VENUS IN FUR runs from January Preview Wednesday, January 9, 7:30pm Night of the Blogger! All Bloggers receive two free tickets Preview Thursday, January 10, 7:30pm Preview Friday, January 11, 7:30pm PANEL after the performance Fifty Shades of Grey meets VENUS IN FUR: Women & Power 2013 With Susan Larson, Mimi Schippers and Bella Blue Opening Saturday, January 12, 7:30pm Performance Sunday, January 13, 2:00pm and 6:00pm* PAY WHAT YOU CAN!* Performance Wednesday, January 16, 7:30pm Performance Thursday, January 17, 7:30pm Performance Friday, January 18, 7:30pm Performance Saturday, January 19, 2:00pm Performance Sunday, January 20, 2:00pm and 6:00pm Performance Wednesday, January 23, 7:30pm Closing Thursday, January 24, 7:30pm TICKET PRICES: Previews: $20 - Wednesdays, Thursdays&Sundays: $29- Fridays& Saturdays:$35 Discounts are $5 to seniors, students, teachers, military personnel (active or veteran), and theatre professionals with proper ID Student Rush Tickets available 15 minutes before curtain with valid student ID. Cash only. Pay What You Can: Sunday, January 13, 6:00pm

6 LOCATION: The Freeport-McMoRan Theater at The Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp Street, New Orleans LA. PARKING: Curbside, metered parking is availble on nearby streets (FREE on Sundays, holidays, and everyday after 6pm). Parking is also available in nearby Premium Parking lots (please pay with cash or credit card at machine in lots). SYNOPSIS: Based on the erotic novel of the same name, David Ives' play explores the lines between seduction and power in this behind-the-scenes look at an audition. PARENTAL WARNING: VENUS IN FUR contains strong language, partial nudity and sexual themes. For viewers under 18, caution is advised. Southern Rep Theatre enters its 26th Season as the region's premiere professional theatre and continues to produce bold world and regional premieres under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director, Aimée Hayes. In addition to Southern Rep's ongoing commitment to new play development with exciting programs like the 6X6 Play Slam and its PlayLab, DEBAUCHERY, and our new play award for women of color playwrights, The Ruby Prize, the company's Mainstage work includes the best of Broadway, off- Broadway and classic plays. Southern Rep Theatre offers educational programs such as YO NOLA, free student matinees, $10 student rush tickets and Academy SRT; as well as providing an artistic home to new works in development in the annual NEW PLAY BACCHANAL. "Southern Rep continues to show that it is staging the most important, challenging, and downright mesmerizing pieces of theater New Orleans are graced to experience." -Theodore P. Mahne, (The Times-Picayune Lagniappe) ###