[ This Just In! ]

For Immediate Release
Date: April 27, 2007
Contact:Lee Eddy, Marketing Director, (512) 474-7886

SALVAGE VANGUARD THEATER PRESENTS MARIA IRENE FORNES' MUD

(Austin, TX)- Rehearsals began this week for Salvage Vanguard Theater's latest production, Mud, by legendary Cuban playwright Maria Irene Fornes.

Mud not only opens SVT's 2007 season, but also will be the first production to christen the newly constructed Salvage Vanguard Theater located at 2803 Manor Rd.

Fornes' play was chosen by Artistic Director Jason Neulander in large part because of the playwright's influence on his artistic vision.

"Maria Irene Fornes has an unbeatable command of the English language. There's a wonderful economy in her language—every word is there for a reason." says Neulander. "Her work helped me understand theatrical form in a way that I never had before. I wanted to open the new space with a piece that reflected back as we look forward."

Mud is the story of Mae, a young woman metaphorically trapped by the confines of a wooden shack, her limited education and the responsibility of caring for Lloyd, an ill simpleton desperate for Mae's love and attention. When a barely literate Henry enters their lives, Mae finds a savior from the monotony of her meager existence and Lloyd finds an eternal adversary.

An exploration of the human capacity to give before giving too much, Mud stars Jenny Larson as Mae, Jeffery Mills as Lloyd and Robert Pierson as Henry. This will be the second production pairing Larson (who was recently named SVT's Associate Artistic Director) and Mills as foils after SVT's award-winning 2004 production The Death of A Cat by C. Denby Swanson.

"They have incredible chemistry on stage together, both in terms of comedy and pathos." says Neulander. "Mud is a deceptive play- at first glance it seems so incredibly serious, but it's completely hilarious. Darkly so, yes. But really, really funny. Audiences are in for an entertaining, thought-provoking night at the theater."

Mud also features Robert Pierson, who was last seen with SVT playing multiple roles in the company's production of Dan Dietz's play Americamisfit. Pierson first worked with SVT in 2001's Tilt Angel.

Mud opens June 1st (followed by a celebration for the official opening of the Salvage Vanguard Theater at 2803 Manor Rd.)  Original music by SVT Resident Composer Graham Reynolds, sound design by Buzz Moran, costumes by Laura Cannon, set design by Connor Hopkins, and light design by Diana Duecker.

For more information, please contact 512-SVT-6 or visit http://www.salvagevanguard.org

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