Area Premiere of OVER THE TAVERN Premieres 9/26 at Olney Theatre Center

Olney Theatre Center, the award-winning, year-round arts and entertainment destination, announces the opening of the area premiere of Over the Tavern by Tom Dudzick. Over the Tavern will grace Olney Theatre Center's Mainstage from September 26 to October 21, 2012.

Called "One of the biggest grass roots successes in American regional theatres" by Chicago critic Chris Jones, Over the Tavern is a funny and heartwarming play that deals with a family growing up over their family tavern in 1959 working class America. Four children find themselves caught between the claustrophobic authoritarianism of the Roman Catholic Church and their overbearing father. Their mother, with her good sense, sanity, and wry humor, keeps this family afloat.

At the center of the family is 12-year-old Rudy, a rebel and Ed Sullivan impersonator. Rudy takes on his formidable teacher, Sister Clarissa, questioning everything and claiming that God put us on earth to have fun. Weeks away from his confirmation, Rudy proclaims, "I read where there are over thirteen hundred religions in the world. I'd like to shop around!"

The New York Times calls Over the Tavern "…a staged sitcom with a dash of pretend blasphemy."

Director John Going says he is "thrilled with the cast we've assembled for this show: two DC favorites who have previously done some wonderful work at Olney Theatre Center, a distinguished New York actress whose work I've admired for a very long time, and four extremely talented young people, ages twelve to sixteen, who are just starting out on what I know will be very exciting careers."
Over the Tavern is made possible by production sponsors James Pape and Nancy Newman-Pape.
Over the Tavern
By Tom Dudzick
Directed by John Going
September 26 – October 21, 2012
Press Night: Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 8pm
Performances are Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8pm with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. There are Sunday 7:30pm performances on September 30, October 7 and 14, Wednesday matinees on October 3 and 17 at 2pm, and a Tuesday 7:30pm performance on October 9. Tickets start at $26 and discounts available for groups, seniors, military, and students

CAST BIOS:

Connor Aikin (Eddie) makes his Olney Theatre Center debut with Over the Tavern. DC AREA: Royal Shakespeare Company: Coriolanus; The Kennedy Center: Young Martius; Scena Theatre: Waiting for Godot, One for the Road; Centerstage: Ah, Wilderness!; Woolly Mammoth Theatre: Vigils [Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Ensemble]; Shakespeare Theatre Company: Henry V FILM: How Do You Know, My One and Only, Night at the Museum II: Escape from the Smithsonian, State of Play, and Body of Lies. TELEVISION: The Wire. TRAINING: The Royal Shakespeare Company, Actors Workshop NYC, Hippodrome Theatre Broadway Camp, MD Professional Young Actors' Workshop, Shakespeare Theatre Camp, Baltimore School for the Arts TWIGS Program: Theatre.

Noah Chiet (Rudy) is excited to make his Olney Theatre Center debut. DC AREA: Ford's Theatre: LiberTy Smith [Helen Hayes Nomination for Outstanding Ensemble], A Christmas Carol, and Ford's Theatre 2011 Annual Gala; Signature Theatre: The Hollow; Theater J: The History of Invulnerability; TheatreWashington: 27th Helen Hayes Awards (Performer); GanymedeArts: Falsettos. FILM: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Dub or Nothing, Stationary. EDUCATION: Quince Orchard High School, A. Mario, Loiederman Magnet Middle School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and Adventure Theatre MTC.

Christopher Cox (Georgie) is excited to be making his Olney Theatre Center debut. BROADWAY: Ragtime (The Little Boy). REGIONAL: Penguin Rep: Over the Tavern (Rudy Pazinski). DC AREA: The Kennedy Center: Ragtime (The Little Boy); FILM: The Blue Danube, Fun Fair, Rosie's Miracle, The Truth. TV: Royal Pains. Christopher is planning to attend college for filmmaking and has a successful YouTube Channel CACox97. He thanks his loyal fans, his agents at Abrams Artists, manager Susie Mains and his Mom and Dad for their support.

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