Griffin Theatre Company closes 22nd season with No More Dead Dogs
The Griffin Theatre Company will close its 22nd season with the world premiere adaptation of Gordon Korman's best-selling comic novel, NO MORE DEAD DOGS which will run from April 30 - June 19, 2011.
The production directed by Lifeline Artistic Director, Dorothy Milne and adapted by Griffin Artistic Director William Massolia is the duos third collaboration together having previously teamed for the Griffin's past world premiere productions of Cory Doctorow's Little Brother and Neil Gaiman's Stardust.
A comedy about the horrors of school literature, NO MORE DEAD DOGS title comically points to the fact that many books for young adults often have the dog die (such as Old Yeller or Where the Red Fern Grows), including the book that causes the main source of all the character's problems, Old Shep, My Pal. The story unfolds through the eyes of Wallace Wallace (his first name is the same as his last) a teen who never lies, ever, because he is determined to be different from his lying long-gone dad. But when Wallace gives a scathing review of his teacher's favorite book, he winds up in detention-because sometimes telling the truth can get you into more trouble than lying.
Wallace Wallace asks the one question that all of us have been wanting to ask--Why does the dog in every classic novel have to croak at the end? This hilarious comedy will come complete with an onstage "rock & roll band" with original music written for the production by Sound Designer Rick Sims.
The Griffin also plans to have NO MORE DEAD DOGS join its stable of touring productions with a national tour already being planned for the 2012/2013 season. NO MORE DEAD DOGS will join Letters Home, Frindle and The Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Tales. This past season Griffin's national touring productions were performed for 100,000 young people and adults.
The NO MORE DEAD DOGS cast is lead by Ryan Lempka as Wallace Wallace. Lempka is joined Joseph Debettencourt, Colton Dillon, Samantha Dubina, Jeff Duhigg, Joey Eovaldi, Cameron Harms, Hillary Hensler, Jeremy Fisher, Alex Kyger, Morgan Maher, Conor McCahill, Erin O'Shea, Ellie Reed
The Technical and Design team for NO MORE DEAD DOGS includes: Nathan Rohrer (Costumes), Nic Jones (Lights), Joe Schermoly (Set), Rick Sims (Sound & Original Music), Paul Gilvary (Band Director) and Becky Bishop (Stage Manager).
Tickets are on sale now at Theatre Wit, (773) 975-8150, or online at www.theaterwit.org.