Tucson: ATC Presents Tony Award-Winning Actress in SOUVENIR

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From: Arizona Theatre Company [mailto:aztheatreco@aztheatreco.pmailus.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 6:01 AM
Subject: ATC Presents Tony Award-Winning Actress in SOUVENIR

For Immediate Release

July 17, 2006

Media Contact: Jennifer Spencer 602.256.6899 x 6202

ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS TONY AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS IN SOUVENIR

Judy Kaye to reprise her Tony Nominated Broadway role as part of 2006-2007
season

Arizona Theatre Company is pleased to announce that Judy Kaye will reprise
her Tony-nominated role starring in SOUVENIR by Stephen Temperley as part of
ATC's 40th Anniversary Season. SOUVENIR will feature the same cast and
artistic team from the Broadway production earlier this season. It will run
in Tucson from January 13 through February 3 at the Temple of Music and Art,
and in Phoenix from February 8 through 25 at the Herberger Theater Center.
Arizona Theatre Company's originally scheduled run of STRING OF PEARLS by
Michelle Lowe will be postponed.

SOUVENIR is the hilarious play-with-music by Stephen Temperley that is based
on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins-a wealthy, tone-deaf society
woman who loved to sing soprano. Despite her lack of talent, she mounted a
series of charity benefit concerts and ended up performing a sold-out show
at Carnegie Hall. The New York Daily News hails "Judy Kaye is simply
fabulous in 'Souvenir'," and the New York Times raves "Judy Kaye nails the
role of Florence Foster Jenkins in 'Souvenir' with her perfectly imperfect
pitch..." Directed by Vivian Matalon, SOUVENIR features designs by Michael
Miller (scenic design), Tracy Christensen (costume design), Ann G. Wrightson
(lighting design) and David Budries (sound design).

"When the opportunity arose to bring Judy Kaye back home to perform her
acclaimed signature role in this delightful play, it seemed too fabulous an
event to pass up, "said artistic director David Ira Goldstein in announcing
the change in the 2006-2007 season. "Her performance is a moving and rare
marvel of musicianship, hilarious comedy, and delicate honesty. While I
remain eager to direct Michele Lowe's wonderful STRING OF PEARLS very soon,
we will postpone it for just a bit in order to take advantage of bringing
the Broadway production of SOUVENIR to Arizona as a special 40th anniversary
treat."

Starring as Florence Foster Jenkins is returning Phoenician Judy Kaye, who
previously performed the role on Broadway during the 2005-2006 season,
earning her a 2005 Tony Nomination and a 2005 Drama Desk Award Nomination.
Ms. Kaye also starred as Rosie in the original Broadway Company of MAMMA
MIA, a role she originated that earned her another Tony Nomination. Making
her Broadway debut in 1977 as Rizzo in GREASE, Ms. Kaye received praise for
her co-starring role the following year in ON THE 20TH CENTURY. Ms. Kaye was
cast as Carlotta in the Original Broadway Cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA,
a role which brought her a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a
Musical. Ms. Kaye was also nominated for a Tony Award for her stirring
portrayal of Emma Goldman in RAGTIME, a role she originated in Los Angeles
and later recreated on Broadway. This summer she will play Mrs. Lovett when
she replaces Patti LuPone in the acclaimed Broadway revival of SWEENEY TODD.

Judy Kaye is a native of Phoenix, Arizona, having left to pursue a degree in
acting from the University of California at Los Angeles. Ms Kaye's parents
still reside in the Valley.

Appearing alongside Ms. Kaye is Donald Corren (Cosme McMoon), playing
Florence Foster Jenkins' accompanist. Mr. Corren appeared on Broadway in
SOUVENIR and starring in Harvey Fierstein's TORCH SONG TRILOGY, a
performance that earned him both the Los Angeles and San Francisco Drama
Critics Circle Awards while on national tour.

Playwright Stephen Temperley has written BESIDE THE SEASIDE (Hudson Guild
Theatre), MONEY/MERCY (Chelsea Theatre Center), and DANCE WITH ME (18th
Street Theatre). As an actor, Temperley has appeared on Broadway in CRAZY
FOR YOU, in the West End in HAPPY END, and across the U.S. and U.K. in many
plays and musicals, most recently in CALL ME MADAM and ME AND MY GIRL at
Goodspeed Musicals.

Acclaimed director Vivian Matalon returns to ATC, having directed OKLAHOMA!
during ATC's 1994-1995 season. Mr. Matalon won the Tony Award for best
direction of a play for his 1980 staging of MORNING'S AT SEVEN. He has a
long and successful career in London's West End, on Broadway and in regional
theatres. Other Broadway credits include AFTER THE RAIN with Alec McGowen
and Nancy Marchand; Noel Coward in TWO KEYS with Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn
and Anne Baxter; BRIGADOON in its last Broadway revival; and Arthur Miller's
THE AMERICAN CLOCK.

Tickets for SOUVENIR are currently available to Arizona Theatre Company
subscribers as part of a season subscription. For more information call the
ATC Box Office in Tucson at (520) 622-2823 and in Phoenix at (602) 256-6995.

***
One of America's Great Regional Theatres
For more information about Arizona Theatre Company's exciting 40th
Anniversary Season, please visit us online at http://arizonatheatre.org.

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