90 minutes of storytelling headed by John C. Reilly in an intimate venue in Los Angeles. What could sound better? If you agree, you’ll want to check out Gather: Surprising Stories & Other Mischief which officially opens this week at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre of the Pasadena Playhouse.
Reilly, known for his work in such films as Boogie Nights, The Hours and Star and Ollie, co-created this evening of “story theatre” with Patrick Murphy, who also serves as director. Reilly & Murphy collaborated on The Actors’ Gang theatre production of Exit the King.
Gather… is a show that includes stories both old and new. The old stories include The Bremen Town Musicians. That’s the Grimm Brothers story about four animals who, upon the encouragement of others, become musicians to make money. What they didn’t count on was the terror of their voices.
Joining Reilly in the cast are Alicia Adams, Larry Bates, Michael Dunn, Amie Farrell, Mary Grill, Max Kleinman, Chris Schultz and Madeline Wagner.
I saw Reilly on stage when he performed in True West with Philip Seymour Hoffman in 2000. They alternated roles in Sam Shepard’s play about sibling rivalry and family secrets. In the performance I attended Reilly played Lee, the older of the two brothers (he and Hoffman alternated roles). From that experience I can assure you that watching Reilly on stage is a real treat.
Gather: Surprising Stories & Other Mischief contains in its very title two words that indicate this will be a fun evening of theatre. The show runs through June 22nd.
For tickets go here.
Photos by Nick Agro/Courtesy of The Pasadena Playhouse