Everyman Rep presents dark comedy The Eight: Reindeer Monologues

Rockport, Maine - Beginning Friday, January 4, the Everyman Repertory Theatre, midcoast Maine’s professional theatre company, will present The Eight: Reindeer Monologues – a dark, dark Christmas comedy by Jeff Goode. This play, geared towards adults, opens a window into the North Pole where, despite what the carols say, all is not well. Accusations of sexual harassment against St. Nick are placing The Eight— Santa’s famed reindeer team — under the spotlight in a hilarious and revelation-filled evening. Performances will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 4, 5 and 6 at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 162 Russell Avenue in Rockport.

The play, directed by David Troup and designed by Brandon Koons, has a cast that includes several familiar Everyman Rep faces, such as Paul and Jen Hodgson, Abby Norman, Ashley St. Pierre, David Troup and David Greenham who recently directed Freud’s Last Session and appeared in Everyman’s staged reading of ART. Joining the company for this run will also be two very experienced out-of-State performers with Maine connections: Lou Carbonneau and Joseph Ritsch.

Lou Carbonneau is originally from Lewiston, Maine. A graduate of Bates College, he has been working as an actor in New York City in both TV and Film for the past 18 years. His film work has included The Sitter starring Jonah Hill, Everybody’s Fine starring Robert De Niro, Noise starring Tim Robbins, Friends & Family starring Tony Lo Bianco, Let It Snow starring Bernadette Peters, and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Undead with Jeremy Sisto. On TV, Lou spent two seasons on Law & Order SVU in a recurring role as CSU Tech Harry. He also recurred on JJ Abrams’ 6 Degrees and has appeared on NYPD Blue, Law and Order, Royal Pains, Damages, Cosby, Deadline, Rescue Me, The Onion Sportsdome, and The Big C.
Joseph Ritsch is a performer/playwright/director/choreographer from New York City who is now based in Baltimore. A graduate of The School of Performing Arts at The University of Maine, Joseph became a principal ensemble member with Jane Comfort And Company, one of the industry’s premiere movement theatre ensembles. He received critical acclaim for his work with Jane in both the Village Voice and the New York Times for his multiple roles in S/He and for the title role of Macbeth in Cliff Notes Macbeth. A co-founder and the Associate Artistic Director of Iron Crow Theatre in Baltimore, he has portrayed many roles there, such as Amanda Wingvalley in For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls and Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Joseph is on the faculty of Carver Center for The Arts, a Baltimore based high school for the arts, where he teaches directing, acting and devised theatre.

Performances on Friday and Saturday, January 4 and 5 will begin at 7 p.m., and the Sunday, January 6 performance will begin at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 with advance reservations and $25 at the door. Please note that this production contains foul-mouthed reindeer and is definitely not suitable for kids. For more information or to reserve a ticket, please call the Everyman Repertory Theatre at 207-236-0173 or visit www.everymanrep.org.

Theatre is not an exclusive art form. At the Everyman Rep we are committed to bringing live, professional theatre to as wide an audience as possible.

The Everyman Repertory Theatre, founded in 2008, is a registered 501(c)3, not-for-profit theatre company committed to bringing live, professional theatre to the people of Midcoast Maine.