Furious Theatre Company

For release on Friday, July 29, 2005

Furious ensemble undergoes intensive training with acclaimed Swordplay Fencing Studios and Hollywood sword master Tim Weske (Master and Commander, Peter Pan)

The Furious Theatre Company presents its World Premiere adaptation of the Elizabethan comedy, The Fair Maid of the West Parts I & II by Thomas Heywood (d. 1641) at the Pasadena Playhouse Balcony Theatre. The production thrusts its way on to the stage October 15 and runs through November 12 (Previews: October 7, 9, 12, 13, 14 at 7:30 p.m.). Regular performances will be Thursdays - Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Playhouse Balcony Theatre, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, California 91101. Special discounted family matinees have been scheduled October 22 & 29 at 11 a.m.

The Fair Maid of the West Parts I & II was originally performed as two separate full-length plays (c. 1600 & 1630) by the Queen Majesty’s Comedians in London, England. In 1986, Trevor Nunn and the Royal Shakespeare Company resurrected the play in a highly acclaimed production starring Sean Bean, Imelda Staunton and Pete Postlethwaite. Furious Theatre Company’s production is a world premiere adaptation by ensemble member James C. Leary and director Dámaso Rodriguez. The play is an epic, swashbuckling comedic adventure that tells the fantastic tale of Bess Bridges, a 17 year-old barmaid who sets out on a high-seas quest to find Spencer, her lost love. Along the way, she faces off with bandits, pirates, ruffians, a lecherous king and the Spanish Armada.

The production includes more than 10 complex sword fights featuring as many as 11 armed fighters. In order to meet the extreme technical demands of the production, Furious Theatre has partnered with Sword Play Fencing Studios and Hollywood Sword Master Tim Weske. Intensive work on the play’s numerous sword fights began in July with Mr. Weske and his team of seven fight choreographers.

Mr. Weske is one of the film industry’s premiere sword masters and fight choreographers. His extensive list of television and film credits includes Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Peter Pan, Angel, Firefly and numerous battle sequences for History Channel documentaries. He has worked with or trained such big names as Sir Ben Kingsley, Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock and Natalie Portman.

Tickets are currently on sale and may be purchased online at www.furioustheatre.org, at the Pasadena Playhouse Customer Service Center (open from 10 a.m. until curtain on performance days, and 10a.m. – 6 p.m. on Mondays) or by calling the box office at 626-356-PLAY. Single ticket prices range from $10-$24. A limited number of $5 student rush tickets will be available for all performances.

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FURIOUS THEATRE FACT SHEET

Title: The Fair Maid of the West, Parts I & II
Author: By Thomas Heywood
Adaptors: James C. Leary and Dámaso Rodriguez

Theatre Company: Furious Theatre Company

Production Team:
Director - Dámaso Rodriguez
Sword Master - Tim Weske
Scenic Design - Melissa Teoh
Lighting Design - Christie Wright
Costume Design - Rachel Canning
Dialect Coach - Sara Hennessy
Dramaturg - Kim Kroll
Stage Manager - Michelle Barnes
Production Manager - Brad Price
Assistant Stage Manager - Jessica Barnes
Assistant Stage Manager - Tanya Mounsey

Cast:
Bess - Vonessa Martin
Spencer - Shawn Lee
Clem - Katie Davies
Joffer - Tony Tambi
Goodlack - James C. Leary
Ruffman - Eric Pargac
Pirate King - Richard Hilton
Pirate Queen - Kristy Nolen

Ensemble:
Doug Newell
Nick Cernoch
Brian Pargac
Jeff Gilmore
David Hernandez

Location: The Pasadena Playhouse Balcony Theatre
Dates: October 15 - November 12 (Previews: October 7, 9, 12, 13, 14 at 7:30 p.m.)
Time: Thursdays - Saturdays 8:00 p.m., Sundays 7:30 p.m.
Previews - 7:30 p.m.
Ticket Price: $10-$24; A limited number of $5 student rush tickets will be available for all performances
Tickets: (626) 356-PLAY; or online at www.furioustheatre.org
Contact: Brad Price, (818) 679-6890, brad@furioustheatre.org

About Furious:

Furious Theatre Company’s inaugural season in residence at the Pasadena Playhouse Balcony Theatre included the Los Angeles Premiere of The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute, the West Coast Premiere of The God Botherers by Richard Bean, the U.S. Premiere of Tearing the Loom by Gary Mitchell and the U.S. Premiere of Scenes from the Big Picture by Owen McCafferty.

Furious Theatre Company debuted in April 2002 and rapidly produced five critically-acclaimed plays in 12 months. These productions earned 6 NAACP Theatre Award nominations (winner Best Supporting Actor, Best Director), two LA Weekly Award nominations, and numerous critic's picks from the Los Angeles media. The company also received the Pasadena Arts Councils' Gold Crown Award and a special “Debut” award from Back Stage West. In May 2003, the company lost the use of its performance space, a 9,000 sq. ft. section of a former plastics factory owned by the City of Pasadena. After a 13 month search, Furious Theatre Company was invited by the Pasadena Playhouse to become a producer “in residence” at its 99-seat second stage, The Balcony Theatre, where it produced a season of four premiere productions.

	FURIOUS THEATRE ATTACKS WORLD PREMIERE ADAPTATION OF ELIZABETHAN SWASHBUCKLER AT THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE October 15, 2005-November 12, 2005
	For release on Friday, July 29, 2005 Furious ensemble undergoes intensive training with acclaimed Swordplay Fencing Studios and Hollywood sword master Tim Weske (Master and Commander, Peter Pan) The Furious Theatre Company presents its World Premiere adaptation of the Elizabethan comedy, The Fair Maid of the West Parts I & II by Thomas Heywood (d. 1641) at the Pasadena Playhouse Balcony Theatre. The production thrusts its way on to the stage October 15 and runs through November 12 (Previews: October 7, 9, 12, 13, 14 at 7:30 p.m.). Regular performances will be Thursdays - Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Playhouse Balcony Theatre, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, California 91101. Special discounted family matinees have been scheduled October 22 & 29 at 11 a.m. The Fair Maid of the West Parts I & II was originally performed as two separate full-length plays (c. 1600 & 1630) by the Queen Majesty’s Comedians in London, England. In 1986, Trevor Nunn and the Royal Shakespeare Company resurrected the play in a highly acclaimed production starring Sean Bean, Imelda Staunton and Pete Postlethwaite. Furious Theatre Company’s production is a world premiere adaptation by ensemble member James C. Leary and director Dámaso Rodriguez. The play is an epic, swashbuckling comedic adventure that tells the fantastic tale of Bess Bridges, a 17 year-old barmaid who sets out on a high-seas quest to find Spencer, her lost love. Along the way, she faces off with bandits, pirates, ruffians, a lecherous king and the Spanish Armada. The production includes more than 10 complex sword fights featuring as many as 11 armed fighters. In order to meet the extreme technical demands of the production, Furious Theatre has partnered with Sword Play Fencing Studios and Hollywood Sword Master Tim Weske. Intensive work on the play’s numerous sword fights began in July with Mr. Weske and his team of seven fight choreographers. Mr. Weske is one of the film industry’s premiere sword masters and fight choreographers. His extensive list of television and film credits includes Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Peter Pan, Angel, Firefly and numerous battle sequences for History Channel documentaries. He has worked with or trained such big names as Sir Ben Kingsley, Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock and Natalie Portman. Tickets are currently on sale and may be purchased online at www.furioustheatre.org, at the Pasadena Playhouse Customer Service Center (open from 10 a.m. until curtain on performance days, and 10a.m. – 6 p.m. on Mondays) or by calling the box office at 626-356-PLAY. Single ticket prices range from $10-$24. A limited number of $5 student rush tickets will be available for all performances. ### FURIOUS THEATRE FACT SHEET Title: The Fair Maid of the West, Parts I & II Author: By Thomas Heywood Adaptors: James C. Leary and Dámaso Rodriguez Theatre Company: Furious Theatre Company Production Team: Director - Dámaso Rodriguez Sword Master - Tim Weske Scenic Design - Melissa Teoh Lighting Design - Christie Wright Costume Design - Rachel Canning Dialect Coach - Sara Hennessy Dramaturg - Kim Kroll Stage Manager - Michelle Barnes Production Manager - Brad Price Assistant Stage Manager - Jessica Barnes Assistant Stage Manager - Tanya Mounsey Cast: Bess - Vonessa Martin Spencer - Shawn Lee Clem - Katie Davies Joffer - Tony Tambi Goodlack - James C. Leary Ruffman - Eric Pargac Pirate King - Richard Hilton Pirate Queen - Kristy Nolen Ensemble: Doug Newell Nick Cernoch Brian Pargac Jeff Gilmore David Hernandez Location: The Pasadena Playhouse Balcony Theatre Dates: October 15 - November 12 (Previews: October 7, 9, 12, 13, 14 at 7:30 p.m.) Time: Thursdays - Saturdays 8:00 p.m., Sundays 7:30 p.m. Previews - 7:30 p.m. Ticket Price: $10-$24; A limited number of $5 student rush tickets will be available for all performances Tickets: (626) 356-PLAY; or online at www.furioustheatre.org Contact: Brad Price, (818) 679-6890, brad@furioustheatre.org About Furious: Furious Theatre Company’s inaugural season in residence at the Pasadena Playhouse Balcony Theatre included the Los Angeles Premiere of The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute, the West Coast Premiere of The God Botherers by Richard Bean, the U.S. Premiere of Tearing the Loom by Gary Mitchell and the U.S. Premiere of Scenes from the Big Picture by Owen McCafferty. Furious Theatre Company debuted in April 2002 and rapidly produced five critically-acclaimed plays in 12 months. These productions earned 6 NAACP Theatre Award nominations (winner Best Supporting Actor, Best Director), two LA Weekly Award nominations, and numerous critic's picks from the Los Angeles media. The company also received the Pasadena Arts Councils' Gold Crown Award and a special “Debut” award from Back Stage West. In May 2003, the company lost the use of its performance space, a 9,000 sq. ft. section of a former plastics factory owned by the City of Pasadena. After a 13 month search, Furious Theatre Company was invited by the Pasadena Playhouse to become a producer “in residence” at its 99-seat second stage, The Balcony Theatre, where it produced a season of four premiere productions.