Born Yesterday on the Mainstage!
March 2, 2009
Kate Fahrner hits the books in Born Yesterday. (photo: Mark Garvin)
PHILADELPHIA, PA: The Walnut Street Theatre continues its landmark 200th anniversary season with Born Yesterday - Garson Kanin’s brilliant blend of satire, comedy and laughter. Directed by Mark Clements, this all-new production starts March 10, opens March 18 and runs through April 26 on the Walnut Mainstage.
They say the more things change, the more they stay the same, and pork-barrel politics are no exception! The year is 1946. Harry Brock (Marco Verna) is a businessman who goes to our nation’s capital trying to break into the "special interest" business with an ethically-challenged senator (Greg Wood). He realizes that his fiancée, Billie Dawn (Kate Fahrner), may need a makeover to fit his new inside-the-beltway image. To ensure that Billie gets properly "culturefied," Brock hires a D.C. journalist (Darren Michael Hengst) to give the seemingly dim-witted blonde a crash course in politics, history, literature, andâ€"of courseâ€"true love. Brock soon finds out that Billie’s new-found freedom and intelligence are more than he bargained for!
Garson Kanin’s Born Yesterday was a massive Broadway hit, running for more than 1600 performances. Judy Holliday, starring as Billie Dawn in the original production and the 1950 film, received a Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of the not-so-dim witted blonde. The show has maintained great popularity over the years, due to its ever-relevant mix of political satire, romantic storyline and witty banter.
The Walnut’s production of Born Yesterday features Kate Fahrner as blonde bombshell Billie Dawn. Kate was most recently seen as Amber Von Tussle in the Walnut’s holiday production of Hairspray, and her credits include the national tours of Cats, The Full Monty and (most recently) as Glinda in Wicked. Joining her are newcomer Marco Verna (a two-time Jefferson Award-winner) as Harry Brock , David Hess (Nat’l Tours include Ragtime and the title role in Sweeney Todd) and Philadelphia area actors and Walnut favorites Joe Jackson, Darren Michael Hengst, Karen Peakes, Fran Prisco, Bill Van Horn, Susan Wilder and Greg Wood.
Directing Born Yesterday is Walnut Street Theatre veteran and Barrymore Award winner Mark Clements. Mark’s work has been acclaimed both here and in his native England, with such credits as the Off-Broadway production of The Thing About Men (winner â€" Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical) and the Off-Broadway and London productions of Speaking in Tongues (SSD&C and TMA Best Director Nominations). Mark’s Walnut productions have been some of our most popular with critics and audiences alike, including last season’s epic new interpretation of Les Misérables (2008 Barrymore Award winner for Best Overall Production of a Musical). Some of Mark’s previous Walnut directorial credits include Of Mice and Men (Barrymore Award winner for best director and best overall production of a Play), Blood Money, The Rivals, Great Expectations and the 2006 Studio 3 production of The Thing About Men.
The sumptuous and well-appointed world of 1940s Washington D.C. is brought to life by Scenic Designer Todd Edward Ivins. Todd has gained a reputation for large, iconic, and stunning sets; including the Walnut’s productions of Les Misérables, Of Mice and Men and Godspell, just to name a few. The rest of the design staff is made up of three Barrymore Award Winners: Costume Designer Colleen Grady (The Walnut’s La Cage Aux Folles), Lighting Designer Shelley Hicklin (The Walnut’s Of Mice and Men) and Sound Designer Christopher Colucci (1812’s Suburban Love Songs).
