Just Sit Right Back & You'll Hear a Tale

By Doug Reed

Directed by Doug Reed

Crimes and Myth-demeanors? Two kids take a field trip to the Paul Bunyan Museum. While one child loves the tale of the larger-than-life lumberman and his giant blue Ox (dreaming of chopping down trees to build big things), the other believes the story to be nothing more than advertising hogwash and grows up to watch a lot of T. V. One learns lessons about success; the other learns lessons from T. V. shows. Add to the mix an omniscient storyteller who guides us through the land of myth-interpretation, and you'll have Playwright Doug Reed's latest production, Just Sit Right Back and You'll Hear a Tale, an enjoyable evening of myth-representations and myth-opportunities as only Broom Street Theater can deliver.

Just Sit Right Back and You'll Hear a Tale opens Friday, September 22 at Broom Street Theater, taking a fun look at the tales we're told as children, and examines their not-so-mythical origins. According to Reed, "Paul Bunyan is no more a folk tale than the Jolly Green Giant. He and his ox were invented by hacks in the advertising industry." As a result he asks his audience, "Why do we keep telling these stories to our children? And if the children start to believe in them, what's to become of them?" Reed also notes that while the show is family friendly, he doesn't recommend it for children under 6 years of age.

Veteran Madison actor Molly Vanderlin returns to the Broom Street stage in the role of the storyteller who leads the journey to find what becomes of them. Making the production a family affair the playwright's wife, Deanna, and two children, Laszlo and Ilsa, also star. In addition the cast features Damon Butler, Shelley & John Eichenlaub, Johnson Lo, Bree Benson, Jennifer Poppy, Jake Blomquist, and Nick Kaprellan.

Produced by Broom Street Theater at 1119 Williamson Street, Madison

Performances: September 22 - October 29, 2006

Performance Times: Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday - 8:00 PM, doors opening at 7:45 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $8 at the door only

For more information about the play or the theater, call Broom Street Theater at (608) 244-8338 or go the theater's website at www.broomstreet.org.

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