Opening Weekend: An Intern's Perspective

The Pain and the Itch Has Opened!

The jarring content of Bruce Norris’ The Pain and the Itch was perfect for Furious’ first ever co-production with The Theatre @ Boston Court. A year and some pocket change after the decision was made, the show opened. The weekend was a very exciting one for Furious, with a successful fundraising event filled with generous supporters and of course the West Coast premiere of the monstrous baby that is The Pain and The Itch.

As the Furious summer intern, some of the biggest tasks I have had were all centered around one night, July 26^th: our opening weekend fundraising event and performance. That night finally came this past weekend. It felt like prom; all of the planning had happened and it was now out of our hands, and we were waiting in our nice clothes for people to show up.

The event was held in the beautiful Pasadena Playhouse library Sunday evening, with awesome food from Elements Kitchen (especially the pita chips and the chocolate tarts…oh my gosh…) and some great storytelling by Furious co-founder, company member, and P & I director Dámaso Rodriguez and Co-Artistic Director of The Theatre @ Boston Court Michael Michetti. The guests learned about brief versions of the histories of both companies and how they finally came together for this amazing production. They also discussed the play itself, the budget-deceiving set, and challenges brought about by this particular production, among other things. Additionally mentioned was the Furious Ebay Auction, please please please contact us at furioustheatre@yahoo.com or 626 792-7116 you have anything to donate!

The show itself, in my opinion at least, is incredibly funny and entertaining, but also extremely challenging. Dámaso referred to it during his storytelling as an “equal opportunity offender.” Much of the chatter I heard after the show on Sunday night included people reflecting on their own lives and reassuring their specific distinctions from these characters. One patron exclaimed “What a rollercoaster ride!” I think this is very true: it is a rollercoaster ride. If there were audience instructions they would be laugh, tear up, kick yourself for laughing, gasp, laugh, reel back in shock, laugh, and repeat. It’s truly a must see.

-Posted by Landry Allbright

LA Times Preview of THE PAIN AND THE ITCH

In case you missed the awesome feature in this past weekend's Sunday Times or the post on the LA Times Culture Monster Blog. Here are a couple of preview pieces written by Charlotte Stoudt on our co-production with The Theatre @ Boston Court.

This one ran in print on Sunday and on the LA Times online entertainment section:

Collaboration makes way for 'The Pain and the Itch'

Pasadena's Furious Theatre Company and Boston Court combine resources to stage the Bruce Norris satire, which pokes fun at liberal proclivities.

By Charlotte Stoudt
July 19, 2009

If you customize your latte at Starbucks, choke up at images of the Obamas from election night and TiVo at least one show on PBS featuring British accents, playwright Bruce Norris has you in his sights.

After successful runs in New York, London, Chicago and Boston, Norris' wicked satire of blue-state family values, "The Pain and the Itch," opens Saturday in a co-production between Pasadena's Furious Theatre Company and Theatre @ Boston Court. With an elaborate set, production-specific videos and a central role for a 4-year-old, "Pain" required the combined resources of two theater companies known for risky programming.
Sometimes it takes a village to offend liberals.

Click here to read the full feature.

This blog about the show was also posted to the LA Times Culture Monster Arts blog:

The pain of creating 'The Pain and the Itch'

by Charlotte Stoudt

4:00 PM, July 18, 2009

Director Damaso Rodriguez knew he was facing certain challenges with “The Pain and the Itch,” set to open at Theatre @ Boston Court on July 25. Bruce Norris’ intricate satire of blue state bad manners requires a major role for a child actor, an extensive set and the use of video. But the Furious Theatre Company artistic director never anticipated that staging a play could feel so much like shooting a movie.

Click here to read the full blog.

The Pain and the Itch opens this Saturday, July 25th and will close August 23rd...get your tickets now!