FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --5/23/11
Morgan Arts Council • Berkeley Springs, WV
Press contact only: Kirsten Trump - 304-258-7962

PICASSO MEETS EINSTEIN AT THE ICE HOUSE THEATER

BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV ---- The Morgan Arts Council's Ice House Theater 
Project opens Steve Martin's "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" for a seven 
performance run at the Ice House on Friday, June 3 at 7:30pm. The 
long running off-Broadway adult comedy is directed by Kirsten Trump. 
Other performances include Saturday, June 4 and 11 at 7:30pm; Sunday, 
June 5 and 12 at 3pm, Friday, June 10 at 7:30pm and a special pay-what- 
you-can on Thursday, June 9 at 7pm.

The play imagines a chance meeting in a Parisian cafe on October 8, 
1904 between Picasso the artist and Einstein the scientist as young 
men on the verge of their historic discoveries. According to Martin, 
it "attempts to explain, in a light-hearted way, the similarity of the 
creative process involved in great leaps of imagination in art and 
science." Picasso and Einstein are played by brothers Ben and Tim 
Brooks respectively. They gleefully engage in their characters' witty 
debate about genius, talent and shaping the 20th century. To add 
another dimension to the discussion about genius, Martin added a 
visitor from the future played by Robbie Mann.

Trump selected this inventively odd work to be the full-scale 
production that would conclude the yearlong "Taking the Next 
Step:Building Community Theater" project. "A play by one of America's 
greatest comedians about creativity offers the perfect mix of magic 
and laughter to celebrate life, art and the start of summer," said 
Trump. "It was an easy choice."

The cast includes faces both new and familiar to Ice House audiences. 
Among the old hands are Tom Brooks who joins his two sons and Abbie 
Brown playing one of her famous character roles.. Susie Allen and 
Angela Petry add female interest along with Native Kesecker. New 
faces onstage are Ron Tebben and Michael Tischer with more new faces 
behind the scenes. "Ron's been great building sets as well as 
acting," said Trump. Other students in the technical theater classes 
showcasing their new skills are Lee Barron and Theresa De Souza on 
lights, Nico Mokhiber on sound and Jane McCloud and Tim Seims on sets.

Having a play about Picasso allowed visual artists to be directly 
involved in creating art specifically for use in the play. Jennie 
Mallory "conducted" the painting of the much-mocked landscape dubbed 
"foggy sheep," that hangs over the bar in the cafe. "Amanda Brooke 
Footen and Theresa De Souza helped me with the painting. It's already 
sold," said Mallory. She painted the reproduction of Picasso's 
breakthrough, "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon;" a painting available for 
sale. Mallory's distinctive design work shows in the original mashup 
graphic on the play poster. "It's Einstein in the style of Picasso," 
she explains.

CNB is the play's exclusive sponsor. To make reservations, call 
304-258-2300. Visit www.macicehouse.org for complete details.

The Ice House is located on Independence and Mercer streets in 
downtown Berkeley Springs.