Coronado Playhouse’s Family Affair Season
presents
A Man of No Importance
JULY 20-AUGUST 26, 2018
Coronado Playhouse continues its 2018 Season, A Family Affair, with A Man of No Importance, opening Friday, July 20th running until Sunday, August 26th, 2018 at Coronado Playhouse. Winner of the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and penned by Tony-winning Ragtime creators Terrence McNally (book), Lynn Ahrens (lyrics), and Stephen Flaherty (music), A Man of No Importance is a rare gem of a musical that combines the depth and drama of a play with the lyricism and comedy of a musical. The musical was developed from the 1994 film of the same name, starring Albert Finney. It tells the story of Alfie Byrne, a bus conductor with a poet’s heart. By day he dispenses tickets and Oscar Wilde’s poetry to his passengers. After work, his passengers become his actors and stage crew at
St. Imelda’s Players, an amateur theatre group housed in his local church. Alfie’s heart holds a secret that he cannot share with anyone but his imagined confidante, the Irish playwright and poet, Oscar Wilde. When he attempts to stage a production of Wilde’s Salome, the church authorities balk at the play’s “immodest dancing” and his safe little world begins to crumble. He confronts the forces of bigotry and shame over a love “that dare not speak its name.” Truths tumble out and judgments fly. But when the accounts of friendship are reckoned, Alfie’s true goodness, and his quiet philosophy—“you just have to love who you love”—wins out.
The musical, which echoes real-life challenges and characters from Oscar Wilde’s own life, originally premiered at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater in 2002, with a cast that featured Roger Rees as Alfie Byrne and included Faith Prince and Steven Pasquale, of which the Associated Press wrote, “(It is…) Rich in the necessary ingredient needed to make musicals sing – people about whom you care.”
Manny Bejarano returns to Coronado Playhouse after last year’s critically acclaimed production of Fly By Night, to direct. Mr. Bejarano has assembled a stellar cast and a dedicated and experienced design team. His professional creative team, which includes Kirk Valles (Music Director), Patrick Mayuyu (Choreographer) and Vanessa Dinning (Dialect Coach), will work together to bring audiences what Newsday described as “A major musical in everything but pretension.
A work of subtle power…” to the Coronado Playhouse stage. As Coronado Playhouse’s Board President, Mr. Henzel is delighted to be treading the boards at his own theatre in the lead role of Alfie Byrne. He’s joined by the Artistic Director of Ocean Beach Playhouse, Jennie Gray Connard playing his sister, Lily, and in the double-cast roles of Carney (Alfie’s nemesis) and Oscar Wilde (Alfie’s confidante) is San Diego favorite, Ralph Johnson, a regular on stage at Cygnet Theatre, Moonlight Stage Productions and seen in last year’s Guys & Dolls at The Old Globe.
Tickets range from $20-$27 and are available through Coronado Playhouse’s Box Office at (619) 435-4856 or online at www.CoronadoPlayhouse.com.
Community Partner – Coronado Public Library
Community Theatre is made by, with and for the community in which it is performed. Coronado Playhouse is committed to pursuing community theatre in the truest sense of the words by giving back to the people of San Diego County and using our public platform to help those in need. During the run of A Man of No Importance, Coronado Playhouse is partnering with Coronado Public Library in an effort to further support community spirit on the island of Coronado and enjoy this excellent establishment that benefits us all.
For more information, please visit: www.coronado.ca.us
Special Events
Opening Night Members’ Mingler – Friday, July 20th at 6:30 pm
Playhouse members are invited to a hosted Happy Hour at CPH for drinks and appetizers and to enjoy the ambience and excitement of opening night.
Not a member? Not a problem! Membership starts at just $50 and can be purchased in advance or at the event.
A Man of No Importance Movie Screening – Wednesday, August 8th at 7pm
Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118
Join us and our Community Partner, Coronado Public Library, for a free screening of the original 1995 movie of A Man of No Importance featuring Albert Finney, Brenda Fricker, Michael Gambon, Tara Fitzgerald and Rufus Sewell. We will meet at the Library to see the movie that inspired this beautiful and poignant musical and enjoy a lively Q&A with the show’s director and cast members afterwards.
