BTG presents 'The Mystery of Irma Vep, A Penny Dreadful'

PRIME – July 2014 STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG) presents Charles Ludlam's classic romp of a gothic spoof, "The Mystery of Irma Vep, A Penny Dreadful" at the Fitzpatrick Main Stage through July 19. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday performances are at 8 p.m.; Wednesday performances are at 7 p.m. There is a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets to "The Mystery of Irma Vep" are $42 to $62, and may be purchased in person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South St., Pittsfield, Massachusetts; at the Fitzpatrick Main Stage Ticket Office at 83 East Main St., Stockbridge, Massachusetts; by calling 413-997-4444 or online at www.berkshiretheatregroup.org. All performances, casting and prices are subject to change. Broadway actor Bill Bowers and Tony Award-nominated, Tom Hewitt take on eight characters in this classic romp of a gothic spoof. Named one of the best plays of the 20th century by the New York Times and Time Magazine and also chosen as a New York Times' summer stages 2014 pick, Aaron Mark directs Charles Ludlam's campy comedy which tells the pell-mell tale of Lady Enid (Hewitt) and Lord Edgar (Bowers) who arrive one stormy night at a haunted and dreary estate to investigate the sudden disappearance of Irma Vep. Sidesplitting antics and mysteries unfold as the two journey from the London manor to the ancient pyramids in Egypt with vampires, werewolves, mummies and more in tow in this satire of Victorian melodrama, gothic horror and classic films. "When the idea of Tom, Bill, and I doing this play together came up, I watched them read through the play cold, sitting on a couch, and it was already funnier and scarier than I thought would be possible at the same time," director Aaron Mark recalls. "They are magnetic, powerful performers and 'Irma Vep' is an ingenious piece of work. I'm thrilled to be working with BTG and to be immersing myself in the world of Charles Ludlam, who created one of the most astonishing (and ridiculous, if you will) bodies of work in recent theatrical history. If I had nothing to do with this production, I would be just as excited to see these two very special actors do this hilarious and frightening play," Mark said. Mark recently wrote and directed "Another Medea," featuring Hewitt in New York City at the Cherry Lane Theatre as part of the All For One Theatre Festival. Bowers and Hewitt have both previously acted on BTG stages and hail from Missoula, Montana. They also both performed on Broadway together in Disney's "The Lion King" as Scar (Hewitt) and Zazu (Bowers). For more info, visit www.berkshiretheatregroup.org or call 413-997-4444.