By:\u00a0Josie Wawrzyniak<\/p>\n
The Maryland Ensemble Theater (MET) presents its first play of 2012, \u201cEnd Days,\u201d a play that the MET press release describes as a \u201chysterical apocalyptic comedy.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the title implies, the play is about a family trying to survive in a world hurtling toward Armageddon.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnd Days\u201d was written by Deborah Zoe Laufer and is directed by Tad Janes.<\/p>\n
Laufer is a 2009 recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award and a 2010 recipient of a Lilly Award. \u201cEnd Days\u201d was awarded The American Theatre Critics Association Steinberg citation in March 2008, was published as one of the best plays of 2008 by Smith and Kraus, and was listed as one of the best regional plays of 2008 in the Burns Mantle Yearbook.<\/p>\n
The play will run from Feb. 2 through Feb. 26 every Thursday through Sunday, except Feb. 5. The MET stage is located at31 W. Patrick St., which is directly across the street from The Weinberg Center.<\/p>\n
The theater is about a 20-minute walk from Hood\u2019s campus.<\/p>\n
The official MET press release offers more information about the play:<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the Mayan calendar predicted, 2012 is ushering in \u2018End Days,\u2019 a hilarious and touching comedy that centers around the eccentric Stein family and also features Jesus, Stephen Hawking and a Jewish teenager permanently attired as late 1970\u2019s Elvis.<\/p>\n
In \u2018End Days,\u2019 sixteen year old Rachel Stein is having a bad year. Her father hasn\u2019t changed out of his pajamas since 9\/11. Her mother has begun a close, personal relationship with Jesus. Her new neighbor, a sixteen-year-old Elvis impersonator, has fallen for her hard. And the Apocalypse is coming Wednesday. Her only hope is that Stephen Hawking will save them all.<\/p>\n
\u2018End Days\u2019 is directed by MET\u2019s artistic director Tad Janes. Janes explains why the MET ensemble gravitated towards this play. \u2018Our ensemble felt most passionately that this play was fun, funny, poignant, interesting, entertaining, had something to say and would please our audiences. In essence, our ensemble felt this was a \u201cMET\u201d play!\u2019<\/p>\n
Janes directs a multi-talented cast featuring Caitlyn Joy (Rachel), Matt Lee (Nelson) Laura Stark (Sylvia) Brian Irons (Arthur), and Matt Baughman (Jesus\/ Stephen Hawking), all of whom are either current or former MET ensemble members. The creative team includes Tirza Fogle (costume design) Tad Janes (lights) Kevin Lloyd (sound design) Mike McDonald (set design), and James McGarvey (props).\u201d<\/p>\n
The production team includes Sarah Shulman as stage manager and Geoffery Huntoon as assistant stage manager.<\/p>\n
Performance times are available online at marylandensemble.org. Tickets may be purchased at the online site, by phone at (301) 694-4744 or in person at the MET box office.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"