Venice Little Theatre www.venicestage.com

CONTACT PERSON [NOT FOR RELEASE] : Maureen Holland, 484-4033 x 221

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 20, 2008

By the Bog of Cats opens in VLT’s Stage II with fierce story of love and loss

It’s not often in theatre that a dead swan competes for the lead role against a woman of passion. But in Marina Carr’s prophetic narrative, the life of lead character Hester Swane is eerily shadowed by that of a black swan, known to her as ‘Black Wing’.

Carr’s play, By the Bog of Cats, opens in Venice Little Theatre’s Pinkerton Theatre on April 10, 2008 continuing through April 27. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $23 and are on sale now in the theatre’s box office, by phone at 941-488-1115 or online at www.venicestage.com

Loosely based on Euripides’ tragedy Medea, this is the story of Hester Swane, an Irish Traveler, who attempts to come to terms with a lifetime of abandonment. A bleak and ghostly landscape are the backdrop for her courageous attempt to lay claim to what is hers at the very time her own world is being torn in two. And as she does, we are shown a furious and uncompromising tale – of greed and betrayal, of love and of murder. And of a descent into madness.

Kelly Wynn Woodland directs. Scenic Designer is Steve Mitchell, costumes are being designed by Nicholas Hartman, with sound by Dorian Boyd and lighting by Chris McVicker.

The actress Holly Hunter, who played the role of Hester in the London production, said of this play and its writer ""Pure poetry. No one [today] has this kind of powerful voice – you have to go back to the classics."

The theatre is located at 140 W. Tampa Ave on the island in Venice. The Box Office is open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Saturday and opens one hour before all performances.

CAPTION: From left, Alexa Ditaranto, Sara Trembly and Mary Jo Johnson (Ed. note: I'm attaching two versions of same pix - one is silo)

by MARINA CARR

APRIL 10-27, 2008

Tuesday thru Saturday at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: $23.00

DIRECTOR: Kelly Woodland

REHEARSAL STAGE MANAGER: Jim Lovett

SCENIC DESIGN: Steve Mitchell

LIGHTING DESIGN: Chris McVicker

SOUND DESIGN: Dorian Boyd

COSTUMER: Nicholas Hartman

PROPS: Steve Credeur

The cast:

Hester Swane - Sara Trembly

Carthage Kilbride - Mike DeSantis

Josie Kilbride - Alexa Ditaranto

Mrs. Kilbride - Nina Hughes

Monica Murray - Joan O’Dwyer

The Catwoman - Mary Jo Johnson

Xavier Cassidy - Tom Bahring

Caroline Cassidy - Chelsey Panisch

The Ghost Fancier - Daniel Greene

The Ghost of Joseph Swane - Cameron Melchin

Father Willow - Daniel Greene