Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Offers Eclectic 2010-2011 Season

After successfully expanding its schedule to seven productions this season, Merrimack Repertory Theatre will again feature seven productions for its 2010-2011 Season. The schedule of contemporary works includes one world premiere, two East Coast premieres and three regional premieres. The season was announced by Artistic Director Charles Towers.

Merrimack Rep is located in downtown Lowell at Liberty Hall, 50 E. Merrimack Street, adjacent to Lowell Memorial Auditorium.

The lineup includes the following, in calendar order:

The Reduced Shakespeare Company
in "The Complete World of Sports (abridged)"
by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor
An East Coast Premiere
September 9 – October 3, 2010
From the creators of Merrimack Rep hits "The Complete History of America (abridged)" and "The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged)." The “bad boys of abridgment” sprint through the world of sports at record-breaking speed in this brand-new championship comedy. From the earliest cavemen playing “Neanderthal in the Middle” to your own kid’s soccer practice, an entire history of world sports explodes in a tour de farce of physical theater.

"Four Places"
By Joel Drake Johnson
An East Coast Premiere
October 14 – November 7, 2010
This compassionate and profound drama evokes the most familiar and heartfelt aspects of family relations. Two middle-aged siblings take their mother to lunch where the conversation turns from routine banter to life-changing revelation. The icharacters are bothfunny andhuman as they lead one another to a place where forgiveness and understanding are tested, but love is still possible.

"Beasley's Christmas Party"
Adapted by C.W. Munger, from the story by Booth Tarkington
A Regional Premiere
November 26 – December 19, 2010
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Magnificent Ambersons comes the story of a curious journalist and his extremely eccentric next door neighbor who's planning a most unusual Christmas party. Imaginatively delivered and filled with humor, heart and hope, this distinctly American and spiritually uplifting holiday story is for the whole family.

"Tryst"
By Karoline Leach
January 6 – January 30, 2011
A riveting romantic thriller set in Edwardian London, this is the story of a handsome con-man who marries simple, well-off women only to leave them inexplicably poor and husbandless the day after their honeymoons. That is, until the day his charms meet their match. "Tryst "is a provocative and suspenseful examination of love and betrayal.

"The Exceptionals"
By Bob Clyman
A World Premiere
February 10 – March 6, 2011
This is the newest play from the author of "Secret Order" and "Tranced." In an intriguing story touched with smart humor, two mothers from very different backgrounds face tough decisions regarding their uniquely gifted children. Parenthood is ultimately seen through a prism of conflicting definitions. How far will they go to to make their children have every possible opportunity to be truly exceptional?

"Two Jews Walk Into A War . . . "
By Seth Rozin
A Regional Premiere
March 17 – April 10, 2011
Funny, poignant and inspired by the true story of the last two Jews in all of Afghanistan. The only thing seeming to bind this tiny Jewish community together is that these two hate each other's guts. In a dilapidated old synagogue in Kabul, their bold solution for rebuilding their community not only brings them closer to the essence of their faith but, quite possibly, each other.

"A Picasso"
By Jeffery Hatcher
A Regional Premiere
April 21 – May 15, 2011
A cat-and-mouse game full of sly humor, sexual tension and suspense. In an underground vault in war-torn Paris, a more singular conflict takes place between an enigmatic female officer from the Ministry of Culture and the world famous painter, Pablo Picasso. With his work and possibly his life at stake, Picasso’s negotiations are marked by mutual manipulation, unexpected revelations and a surprising final intrigue.

Towers, now entering his tenth season at Merrimack Rep, commented, “Great theater can defy even a recession. We've had a wonderful season this year and we're planning another one for 2010-2011. As always, vibrant contemporary theater for a vibrant contemporary audience. A mix of dramas and comedies that add to our collective understanding of who we are and how we relate to each other. These are terrific plays. Just as importantly, we're lining up MRT's terrific family of artists to create the productions that these plays engender. The play may be the thing, but what a theater company does with that play matters just as much. At MRT, you see national theater artists, right here in Lowell.”

For information and tickets, call the box office at 978.654.4MRT (4678) or visit www.merrimackrep.org.