Photo Flash: Workshop Theater and Foolish Theatre Present HA!

HA! is a trio of Rich Orloff's one-act comedies.  The three plays have had a total of over 300 productions in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.  Each of the three comedies has been published in the annual Best American Short Plays anthology. 

Check out the production photos below!

HA! includes:

Oedi, a parody of Oedipus Rex, focuses on the overlooked fact that if Oedipus married his mother, then she had to be old enough to be his mother. 

The News From St. Petersburg, a Chekhovian spoof set in 1905 Russia, examines the effect of a rumor on an aristocratic couple, their doctor, and an overworked and temporarily overjoyed serf. 

The Whole Shebang asks, "What if the entire universe was just a college student's masters thesis on another dimension?"  When the student's roommate picks up the wrong two humans to be visual aids at the student's presentation, the value of the project becomes highly questionable.  The Whole Shebang was televised on A&E's General Motors Playwrights Theatre in the mid-1990s and boasted a cast of Mark-Linn Baker, Teri Garr, Martin Mull and Marian Seldes.  Since then the play has been published in two anthologies and had over 150 productions in nine countries.  It will next be performed in Frankfurt in May.

The cast of HA!, each of whom plays multiple roles, includes Jarel Davidow (The Love List), Anne Fizzard (Verbatim Verboten), Gerrianne Raphael (Broadway: Man of La Mancha,  Hallelujah, Baby!) Mike Smith Rivera (nominated, Best Supporting Actor Strawberry One-Act Festival), and Evan Thompson (Broadway: Ivanov, 1776, An American Daughter).

The creative team includes Meagan Miller-McKeever (scenic and prop design), Holly Rihn (costume design) and Richard Kent Green (lighting design). Kate Dial is stage manager, and Jessi Blue Gormezano is production manager.

HA! performs March 30 through April 15, 2012 at the Jewel Box Theatre in the WorkShop Theater complex (312 W. 34^th St., 4th floor, just west of 8th Avenue; Subway: A/C/E or 1/2/3 to 34^th St.).  Performances are Monday and Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with 3 p.m. matinees on Saturday, April 7 and 14 and Sunday, April 8 and 15.  Previews are Friday, March 30; and Saturday, March 31; and the Opening Night performance is Sunday, April 1 at 5 p.m. 

Tickets are $18 (students and seniors $15) and may be purchased at http://www.WorkShopTheater.org or (866) 811-4111. The theater is wheelchair accessible.  HA! is an Equity-approved showcase.  Running time is 1 hour, 45 minutes, including one intermission. 

Photo Credit: Gerry Goodstein