Romance and Mayhem Ensue When 'Charley's Aunt' Arrives at CCM

High spirits, high jinks, and a dash of cross-dressing come together in Brandon Thomas' classic farce,

Charley's Aunt

. The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) Mainstage Series continues with the comedy April 18-22 in Patricia Corbett Theater.

Set at the turn of the twentieth century, Charley's Aunt is the timeless tale of Charley and Jack, Oxford undergraduates trying to romance two young ladies. As is the custom of the day, a chaperone is required to attend their date, and Charley's elderly aunt, soon to be visiting from Brazil, seems to the fit the bill. When she doesn't arrive in time, the boys have no choice but to disguise their friend as the old wealthy widow. After Charley's real aunt shows up, the boys find themselves in a hilarious predicament.

"Charley's' Aunt is one of the most successful stage comedies of the modern era," says director R. Terrell Finney, Jr., head of CCM's division of Opera, Musical Theater, Drama and Arts Administration (OMDA). "We decided that it was high time CCM drama students had their chance to explore these delicious roles and bring this delightful tale of college pranks and high jinks to Cincinnati area audiences."

Still performed regularly,

Charley's Aunt

premiered in February 1892 at the Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds, United Kingdom. It subsequently opened in London at the Royalty Theatre in December 1892 where it played more than 1500 performances, and proceeded to Broadway in October 1893, running for four years. It has been translated into dozens of languages, gone through various international film adaptations, and spawned the 1948 Frank Loesser musical

Where's Charley?

.

"We have had a terrific time together researching the styles and customs of English life in the 1890s," Finney says. "This is a great, old-fashioned three-act comedy, and there is something new to be experienced at each turn of the action"

TICKET AND PARKING INFORMATION
Tickets are $10 (April 18 preview only), and $15-27 (April 19-22).  To order, please call 513-556-4183 or visit www.ccm.uc.edu.

Parking is available in the CCM Garage (at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the University of Cincinnati campus. Visit the CCM Web site for directions and parking information: www.ccm.uc.edu.

Please see below for additional ticket information and a complete performance schedule.
_____

R. TERRELL FINNEY, JR.
R. Terrell Finney, Jr. has directed CCM's productions of Floyd Collins, Dancing at Lughnasa, The Diviners, Myths and Hymns, As You Like It, Baby, Lend Me A Tenor, Chekhov in Yalta, Blithe Spirit and the world premiere of Clever Dick for CCM/Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, among others. He is a former artistic director of Showboat Majestic, where selected productions included Crimes of the Heart and They're Playing Our Song. He also directed The Importance of Being Earnest for the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival. Acting credits include Nurse Nanny Fanny in ETC's Snow White, Hysterium in the "Hot Summer Nights" production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Argon in CCM's The Imaginary Invalid. He has also served as narrator for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. A graduate of the MFA directing program at Boston University, he spent the summers of 1992 and 1995 in training programs with the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain. Finney is a past president of the Ohio Theatre Alliance and is currently the head of the Division of Opera, Musical Theater, Drama and Arts Administration at CCM, where he produced the acclaimed "Hot Summer Nights" series from 1998 to 2002. A member of Actors' Equity Association, he serves on the Commission on Accreditation of the National Association of Schools of Theatre and frequently serves as a consultant to theater programs across the United States.
__________

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
Mainstage Series

CHARLEY'S AUNT
By Brandon Thomas
R. Terrell Finney, Jr., director

This classic farce follows Charley and Jack, college friends who are trying to impress their young dates. However, when Charley's elderly aunt from Brazil doesn't arrive in time to chaperone, they have no choice but to disguise their friend as the old wealthy widow. When Charley's real aunt shows up, delightful mayhem ensues.

Performance Dates:
April 18 (preview); April 19-22
* Wednesday, April 18 (preview): 8 p.m.
* Thursday, April 19 & Friday, April 20: 8 p.m.
* Saturday, April 21: 2:30 p.m. & 8 p.m.
* Sunday, April 22: 2:30 p.m.

Location:
Patricia Corbett Theater, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

Tickets:
$10 preview (April 18); $15-27 (April 19-22)
Order at 513-556-4183 or www.ccm.uc.edu.
__________

MAINSTAGE SERIES: COMING UP

WERTHER
By Jules Massenet
May 10-13, 2007

Visit www.ccm.uc.edu for complete performance and ticket information.

Mainstage Season Sponsor: Macy's/Federated Department Stores, Inc.
Season Design Sponsor: The Netherland Rubber Co.