Stages Repertory Theatre
www.stagestheatre.com
3201 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas 77019
Phone 713-527-0123

Presents

CASTRO'S BEARD
By Brian Stewart

October 6 - 24, 2004

THE CIA DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE THIS PLAY!

The Shocking True Story of How Castro was Not Assassinated in 1960
Does "Intelligence" have a place in the U. S. Government?


(L-R) David Born and Rutherford Cravens in CASTRO'S BEARD. Showing at Stages Repertory Theatre through October 24, 2004. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

Sept. 25, 1960 - Langley, VA - CASTRO'S BEARD by Brian Stewart, opening in a revolutionary new production at Stages Repertory Theatre, takes us into the sacred chambers of CIA headquarters. Behind this iron curtain we discover the shocking true story of how Fidel Castro, the Communist dictator of Cuba, was NOT assassinated in 1960. THIS IS THE PLAY THE CIA DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE!

Beware! The CIA is no longer the rough - around - the - edges but lovable big brother we've come to know from the evening news. It is in fact a powerful, secretive organization with untold resources at its disposal - poisoned shoes, exploding seashells, overhead projectors - which can be turned against foreign leaders who refuse to fall in line.

Leading the operation against Castro is CIA veteran Ted Torphy (Rutherford Cravens), who must bring some order to this motley brain trust and decide the fate of a world leader. The task force includes Bill Brawner (David Born), a short - first - ask - questions - later war hero. He is ready from the outset to pull the trigger on Fidel. Another is chemist Tom Madison (Jeffrey Yaworski), who prefers a more finessed approach, one that indulges his fetish for arcane poisons. And Paul Drake (John Richard Johnston), a fresh - faced Harvard law grad who finds it hard o reconcile his education with the swampland of morality in which he finds himself.

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE - See CASTRO'S BEARD at Stages Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Parkway near Waugh Drive. It may just save your life.

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(L-R) John Richard Johnston, David Born and Jeffrey Yaworski in CASTRO'S BEARD. Showing at Stages Repertory Theatre through October 24, 2004. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

BRIAN STEWART IN HOUSTON FOR REGIONAL PREMIERE OF CASTRO'S BEARD

Playwright to hold post-performance discussions October 21 - 23, 2004

Houston, TX - Playwright Brian Stewart will lead post - performance discussions at Stages Repertory Theatre in the final week of performances of his play Castro's Beard on October 21, 22, and 23, 2004. Stewart, best known to American audiences as an actor on the Golden Globe - winning BBC television series The Office, joins the play's director Kenn McLaughlin and members of the cast in taking questions from the audience about this provocative, politically charged comedy. The discussions are free and open to the public, and will be held in Stages' Arena Theater.

A BBC documentary called The CIA inspired Stewart to write CASTRO'S BEARD, which was originally conceived as a Cold - War - era office comedy about the rise of Fidel Castro and the wacky - but - true schemes developed by the CIA for offing the Cuban leader. However, the vents of September 11th, combined with the current upheavals in the CIA and the restructuring of intelligence bureaucracies in the U. S., has lent this political satire a weight beyond Stewart's original intent. "The principles are exactly the same," said Stewart. "The play is an example of where one power decided an individual was evil and needed to be removed, and now the U. S. is doing the same thing forty years on with Saddam Hussein. One character even raises the question that once you remove a leader, what takes his place? Which is what's happening right now in Iraq."

"Brian is as insightful as he is hilarious, and we're thrilled to have him here to talk to our patrons," commented director McLaughlin. "This politically - charged play deserves some conversation; it will be particularly interesting to hear Brian discuss his personal challenges as a British citizen writing a play about American politics. He is very forthcoming about his creative process, and his love for the work is infectious."

Though he now works full - time as a writer, director, and actor, Stewart knows the bureaucracy of which he writes. Having earned a Ph.D. from the University of London, he worked for several multinational corporations where, he contends, "Some of the worst decisions ever made came out of brainstorming sessions." Several of his plays have been produced at theatres in the U. K. including Rossini! (Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Mint Condition (Beckenham Theatre Centre): Matters Arising and An Elegant Intrigue (Abbey Theatre); The Trunk (Queen Mother Theatre) and All in Vein (Barn Theatre). He is a member of British Equity (under the name of Ben Bradshaw) and plays office worker Ben on the hit series The Office.

The post - performance discussions with Brian Stewart build upon Stages' reputation as an innovative theatre that inspires an active engagement with its audiences. Now entering its 26th season, Stages has introduced world, national and regional premieres of innovative, contemporary plays to audiences in Houston and surrounding areas. Stages Theatre is a member of the Fresh Arts Coalition, a collaboration of 19 arts organizations that work collectively to raise awareness of the size and diversity of the arts in Houston. Stages Theatre operates under an agreement with Actors' Equity Association (AEA), the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

MAINSTAGE: CASTRO'S BEARD by Brian Stewart

DIRECTOR: Kenn McLaughlin

CAST:

Bill Brawner……………..David Born
Ted Torphy……………….Rutherford Cravens
Paul Drake…………………John Richard Johnston
Tom Madison………………Jeffrey Yaworski

DATES: Opening……….Friday October 8, 2004
Close…………………….Sunday October 24, 2004
Post Performance Discussions…..October 21, 22, and 23 immediately following the performance

TICKETS: $25 - $35
Post Performance Discussions are FREE and open to the public

DISCOUNTS: Student, Senior and Group Discounts available.
Call the Box Office for more information.

BOX OFFICE: phone 713-527-0123
3201 Allen Parkway at Waugh Drive
Tickets available online at www.stagestheatre.com



(L-R) Jeffrey Yaworski, David Born and Rutherford Cravens in CASTRO'S BEARD. Showing at Stages Repertory Theatre through October 24, 2004. Photo by Bruce Bennett.



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STAGES OPENS 26th SEASON WITH CASTRO'S BEARD BY BRIAN STEWART
Outrageous political comedy about CIA, Cold War echoes today's headlines

Houston, TX - Stages Repertory Theatre opens its 26th season with the regional premiere of Castro's Beard by Brian Stewart. Called "an irreverent comedy…unexpectedly timely and thought - provoking," by the New York Times, this hilarious, satirical look at the politics of imperialism and espionage echoes today's headlines - from assassinating foreign heads of state to the relevance of the Central Intelligence Agency. Directed by Stages' Managing Director Kenn McLaughlin, the play runs from October 6 - 24, 2004 in stages Arena Theatre.

CASTRO'S BEARD follows four CIA agents as they develop a plan to eliminate Castro and "liberate" Cuba. From a Mob hit to poisoned shoes and exploding cigars, their schemes range from the merely unworkable to the truly bizarre. Even more jaw - dropping than the ideas themselves is the fact that they're all based in reality. CASTRO'S BEARD made its world premiere on September 6, 2001, at the 42nd Street theater in New York City. The play, originally conceived by British playwright Brian Stewart as a Cold - War - era office comedy about the rise of Fidel Castro and the wacky - but - true - schemes developed by the CIA for offing the Cuban leader. However, the polarizing effect of September 11, combined with the current upheavals in the CIA and the restructuring of intelligence bureaucracies in the U. S., has lent this political satire a weight beyond Stewart's original intent. As on New York critic wrote in the Off - Off - Broadway Review: "As the U. S. Government ponders its next move, what last week was satiric is now eerily ominous."

Stewart is perhaps best known to American audiences as an actor in THE OFFICE, a Golden Globe winning BBC television series. He was inspired to write CASTRO'S BEARD by a BBC documentary called The CIA. While today's terrorists can be found around the globe, Stewart notes that part of this country's paranoia about Cuba stemmed from its proximity to U. S. shores. However, when it come to dealing with today's terrorists, "the principles are exactly the same," says Stewart. As one of his characters says, "To unite a nation, you've got to have a common enemy."

Though he now works full - time as a writer, director, and actor, Stewart knows the bureaucracy of which he writes. Having earned a Ph.D. from the University of London, he was employed by several multinational corporations. Several of his plays have been produced at theatres in the U. K. including Rossini! (Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Mint Condition (Beckenham Theatre Centre): Matters Arising and An Elegant Intrigue (Abbey Theatre); The Trunk (Queen Mother Theatre) and All in Vein (Barn Theatre).