Season Opens with Another Premiere at the Towle Theater

Adrift-in-Macao-1The Towle Theater opens its 11th season with the Northwest Indiana premiere of Christopher Durang and Peter Melnick's Adrift in Macao. This musical is under the direction of Managing Director, Jeff Casey and Musical Direction by Elizabeth Tuazon.

Set in 1952 in Macao, China, Adrift in Macao is a light-hearted, playful parody of two Hollywood genres; the film noir movies, in which the leading man is always mysterious and can't go home for murky reasons he won't say, and the less known "exotic adventure" movie set in Hollywood versions of China or Morocco or Trinidad. Everyone that comes to Macao is waiting for something, and though none of them know exactly what that is, they hang around to find out. The characters include film noir standards, like Lureena, the curvaceous beauty, who luckily bumps into Rick Shaw, the cynical surf and turf casino owner her first night in town. And don't forget about Mitch, the American who has just been framed for murder by the mysterious villain McGuffin. With songs and quips, puns and farcical shenanigans, this musical parody is bound to please audiences of all ages.

Adrift-in-Macao-2The Towle welcomes back Sarah Mergener (Chicago) as Lureena. Patrons may remember her from A Fabulous 50's/Swank 60's Christmas-2012 and Tomorrow Morning. Ian Rigg (Orland Park, IL) who just closed A Fabulous 50's Christmas-2013 plays Mitch. Newcomers Mara Dale (Chicago), Matthew Huston (Chicago), Lauren Knutson (Chicago), Colin Funk (Antioch, IL) and the Towle's Director of Administration, Kevin Bellamy round out the cast.

Performances for Adrift in Macao are February 28, March 1-2, 7-9, 13-16. Thursday through Saturday the production will begin at 8pm and on Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are only $17. Every Friday performance is an Educator Appreciation Night with buy-one-get-one free tickets to all educators with a school ID. Thursday, March 13th is Industry Night; anyone who provides proof of their work in a theater production will receive a buy-one-get-one free ticket. Reservations required for all promotional discounts. Children under six years of age are not permitted in the theater.

Adrift-in-Macao-3The Towle Theater is located in historic downtown Hammond at 5205 Hohman Avenue. Free, well-lit, secured parking is available off of Fayette Street only steps away from our back entrance or in the parking lot directly across the street from the theater on Hohman Avenue. For more information on purchasing tickets, visit www.towletheater.org or call the box office at 219-937-8780.

Photos Provided by Towle Theater
#1 (L to R) Matthew Huston, Ian Rigg
#2 Back (L to R) Matthew Huston, Ian Rigg, Colin Funk
Front (L to R) Mara Dale, Sarah Mergener, Lauren Knutson
#3 (L to R) Mara Dale, Ian Rigg, Sarah Mergener