Theatre Fairfield presents the ultimate foodie experience with Tina Howe’s The Art of Dining

Theatre Fairfield presents the ultimate foodie experience with Tina Howe’s The Art of Dining

Media Contact: Patrick Donegan, patrick.donegan@student.fairfield.edu

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (April 4, 2016) — Theatre Fairfield, the Fairfield University’s resident production company, is closing its season with Tina Howe’s delectable play The Art of Dining . Performances will take place at the PepsiCo Theatre on April 13-16 at 8 p.m ., with 2 p.m. matinees on April 16 and 17. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $6 for seniors and University staff, and $5 for students.

The Art of Dining tells of the strained relationship between Cal and Ellen, the respective maitre'd and chef of a gourmet restaurant run out of their own house, as well as three odd groups of customers and their bizarre relationships with food. Cal’s worrying about paying back their loan and Ellen’s despair over Cal’s incessant eating of the customers’ dishes creates the perfect recipe for what could be a disastrous outcome.

What excites director Jan Mason the most about this particular show is the outlandish humor. “When I read it for the first time I laughed out loud, and even now, several months later, I find myself laughing through rehearsals,” she said. “It is great fun to direct a comedy, and the actors are bringing hilarious elements to this quirky bunch of characters.”

One thing that makes this production particularly unique is the fact that all of the food in the show is mimed. Some of the sumptuous dishes in the show include duckling in wine with sliced peaches, Belgian oxtail soup, and Veal Prince Orloff. The delicious flavors, succulent aromas and culinary wizardry are all artfully created by the magic of theatre.

Mason hopes that audiences will enjoy “the journey of these characters as they come together to create a communal moment of grace that transcends their collective neuroses around food and dining.”

Assisting Mason on the production team are Dr. Martha Schmoyer LoMonaco and Lynne Porter, co-producers; Bill Clarke, scenic designer; Julie Leavitt, costume designer; Lynne Chase, lighting designer; Jeremy Jenkins, technical director; Brendan McNamara ’17, stage manager; and Shannon Kelley ’19, assistant stage manager. The cast features Brigid Callahan ’16, Patrick Donegan ’18, Sean Larson ’18, Jessie Lizotte ’18, Jordan Mason ’19, Romina Rabines ’19, Aubrey Sierer ’16, Tori Schuchmann ’16, and Nick Solimini ’16.

Theatre Fairfield is Fairfield University’s resident production company. The theatre program at Fairfield offers students a liberal arts education infused with the theoretical and practical aspects of the theatre profession. Theatre Fairfield produces three or more productions every year and serves as a platform for community engagement as well a positive and professional learning environment.

Pictured: Aubrey Sierer ’16, Chef James DeSilvestri ’07, and Patrick Donegan ’18

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Posted On: 04-08-2016 03:04 PM

Volume: 48 Number: 112

Fairfield University is a Jesuit University, rooted in one of the world’s oldest intellectual and spiritual traditions. More than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 36 states, 47 foreign countries, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are enrolled in the University’s five schools.  In the spirit of rigorous and sympathetic inquiry into all dimensions of human experience, Fairfield welcomes students from diverse backgrounds to share ideas and engage in open conversations. The University is located in the heart of a region where the future takes shape, on a stunning campus on the Connecticut coast just an hour from New York City.