For Immediate Release: March 2, 2006
Media Contact: Aileen McCulloch, Vagabond Acting Troupe, 610.823.5126

With several of their own world premiere productions under their belts in the past year and a half, Vagabond Acting Troupe plans to give back to the Philadelphia artists who have given advice during open development sessions. During the month of April, Vagabond Acting Troupe presents the NEW WORKS FESTIVAL, featuring plays by local playwrights and many Philadelphia area actors. The First Annual New Works Festival runs from April 5 to April 28 on the Playground Stage of the Adrienne Theatre.

The series includes both short works and a full length comedy, chosen after readings of over 50 works by Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York playwrights. First the troupe presents winners from their first original one acts festival from April 5 to April 7, then follows up with the world premiere of Philadelphia playwright Walt Vail's homage to the works of Noel Coward, DESIGN FOR LOVING, running from April 12 to April 28, 2006.

"Vagabond was originally founded to focus on creating original works and approaching classical works with an eye towards exploration of new forms," says Aileen McCulloch, the company's founder and current Executive Artistic Director. "In the last three years we have created original theatrical children's works for the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at Penn, as well as creating our own works and inviting other Philadelphia artists in to share in the development process. Now we are going at it from another direction, welcoming some completed works from our peers and seeing what the Vagabond process can bring to these new works!"

First up the troupe will present several one acts chosen from submissions to their first annual one act play writing competition. "Deadline for the competition was just last week and we are down to several finalists that the directors are reading right now. A press release announcing the winners will go out as soon as we have determined them!" says McCulloch. Plays for the short works portion of the April festival month will be directed by Vagabond Acting Troupe core ensemble members and guest directors, and feature a number of Philadelphia actors.

From April 12 to April 28, the company will then present the world premiere of DESIGN FOR LOVING, by New Jersey playwright Walt Vail, who's works have been produced recently by Theatre Catalyst and by the Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays. In addition, Vail has been a recipient of the New Jersey Council on the Arts Fellowship for Excellence in Playwrighting, awarded for the production of ANGALAK, produced Off-Broadway in New York by The Open Eye: New Stagings.

Even in the title, DESIGN FOR LOVING reflects the playwright whose style Vail emulates in his new work. Noel Coward, the early 20th Century master of what could be called delightful tragedies, or heart-wrenching comedies, depending on an individual's mind-set. Vail was intrigued by the way Coward's works effect audiences, with the tendency towards both tragic and comic sensibilities.

"When I was a student at Penn State U. I house-managed a production of PRIVATE LIVES, and I heard the play done again and again for different audiences--who all reacted differently to the performances.. I was intrigued and puzzled. How could a playwright be so expert as to be able to make people both laugh and cry at his characters and their situation?" notes Vail, as a reason for exploring a Coward-like writing style in creation of his newest work. "I realized that Coward's characters are not just superficial, although they might seem so on the surface--they are all very real people--feeling pain and covering it up with wit and humor."

That stylistic exploration of humorous pain and painful humor was just what the Vagabonds were seeking. "Coward's plays, PRIVATE LIVES, DESIGN FOR LIVING, HAY FEVER and more have been on the Vagabond Acting Troupe wish-list of plays to do," says Jacqueline Kay Knox, Vagabond's general manager, and the director chosen to head up the world premier of DESIGN FOR LOVING. "We kept looking for the tie-in that would make the works resonate for our audiences. Walt's play provides that comic styling that we love in Coward's work, with a contemporary snap."

In the tragically comic world premiere of DESIGN FOR LOVING, who and how to love are always in question. Rose, the most terrifying mother figure since "mommy dearest" and her promiscuous homosexual son Allan are locked in an umbilical cord of dueling wits. A new lodger, the beautiful and newly pregnant Ariadne Fox, disturbs the already disturbing relationship even more, when Allan questions his sexual orientation and immediately falls in love with the first woman he has ever known, other than his mother. Ariadne has a past of her own, and when her ex-lover, Lance, shows up to take her back, the situation becomes more troublesome when it is discovered that he had a past one-night fling with Allan. Allan's jealous mother, Rose, weaves a clever web of truth and lies to ensnare all involved. In this "he loves her and him, and she loves somebody else, and him," comedy, the lights are turned up full on the complications of love, the humor in dysfunctional families, and the truth that can arise out of lies.

Vagabond Acting Troupe has presented such shake ups as Shakespeare with puppets, or with every syllable danced or with five actors playing all the roles; entire evenings of gut-wrenching Becket; a Christmas Carol with four actors and two stools, and a show about the art of war that really focused on the art side - just to name a few approaches from a thirteen year history of presenting physical theatrical works. Most recently the Sansom Street company presented the world premier musical entitled PMS!, and then showcased a portion of the work in New York City last month. ART OF WAR has recently been accepted to the Capital Fringe Festival, Washington D.C.'s inaugural festival this summer.

THE BASICS: Vagabond Acting Troupe presents the World Premiere of DESIGN FOR LOVING by Walt Vail on the Playground Stage of the Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA, from April 12 to April 28: April 12-14, 18-21 and 25-27 at 8 p.m., with April 17 and April 28 performances at 7 p.m. There are no weekend performances of this production. Tickets for each production run from $10 to $18 depending on performance night. Special MEET THE CAST night on April 24, during a cocktail fundraising event. For ticket times and ordering information visit the company's website at www.vagabondactingtroupe.org. Phone reservations may be made by calling 215-563-4330 after March 15, or via email at inthelime@aol.com. For touring information, contact the administrative offices at 610-286-5567, or email the company at inthelime@aol.com. Festival passes, entitling the pass-holder to tickets to all performances in the one act festival plus a ticket to the world premiere of DESIGN FOR LOVING are also available. For more information, visit our website at www.vagabondactingtroupe.org.

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