press release

Fred Curchack returns to Undermain Oct. 9-18, 2008

Undermain Theatre is pleased to announce a special presentation of Monkey: The Quest to the West, created and performed by Fred Curchack and Laura Jorgensen, which will be performed for two weeks only Oct. 9-18, 2008 at Undermain Theatre in historic Deep Ellum.

Monkey: The Quest to the West follows the supernatural trickster Monkey King who makes war with heaven until he is imprisoned under a mountain by Buddha. After 500 years, he is freed to protect a Buddhist monk on his perilous journey from China to India to bring back spiritual teachings. On the way, they encounter all manner of deities, demons, monsters and outrageous misadventures. This magical story has been adapted for The Beijing Opera, several kung fu movies, plays, rock operas, cartoons, anime, manga, and cult TV series in China, Japan, England, and the U.S. ("Lost Empire").

This production is appropriate for children, teens, and sophisticated grownups alike.

Undermain Theatre performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. and Fridays-Saturdays at 8:15 p.m. Tickets are Thurs $15, Fri $20, and Sat $25. Undermain is located at 3200 Main Street at Murray Street in Deep Ellum. Discounts are available for seniors, students and KERA members. Call 214.747.5515 or visit www.undermain.org. Artistic Director: Katherine Owens. Executive Producer: Bruce DuBose. Associate Producer: Suzanne Thomas.

BIOGRAPHIES OF PERFORMERS:

Fred Curchack has created over seventy original ensemble theatre pieces and twenty-six solos. His performances have been featured at dozens of international theatre festivals. He has received the Gold Medal at the International Festival of Solo Theatre, the American Theatre Wing Award, Critics’ Awards in L.A., S.F., Dallas, Austin, and his work has been "Best of the Week" in Los Angeles Times, “Top Ten of the Year" in The New York Times, "Top Ten of the Decade" in The Austin Chronicle, and in the "Top Ten of All-time" in The Dallas Morning News. He has received funding from Creative Capital, the National Endowment for the Arts, Arts International, The Henson Foundation and he is a Guggenheim Fellow. After receiving a drama degree from the High School of Performing Arts in N.Y., and a BA and MA in theater from Queens College, Curchack studied Japanese Noh with Sadayo Kita, Indian Kathakali with Krishnan Nambudiri, Balinese Topeng with Nyomen Wenten, choreography with Alwyn Nikolais, and he trained with Grotowski’s Polish Theater Lab. He has taught theater at the United Nations International School, N.Y.; Sonoma State University, California; and he is currently Professor of Art and Performance at The University of Texas at Dallas. This is his sixth theatrical collaboration with Laura.

Laura Jorgensen has performed in Craig Lucas’ Blue Window, Reckless, Sam Shepard’s A Lie of the Mind, Caryl Churchill’s Mad Forest, Christopher Durang’s Laughing Wild, Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance and Three Tall Women, Terrence McNally’s A Perfect Ganesh, G.B. Shaw’s Heartbreak House, Alan Bennet’s Talking Heads, and Athol Fugard’s The Road to Mecca. She created roles in the world premieres of John O’Keefe’s Glamour and Queer Theory. She was an original member of Western Union Theater Company at Cinnabar Theater. While living in Budapest, she worked with The English Theater Company and directed its production of Our Country’s Good. Recently, she performed in Porchlight Theatre’s production of Oscar Wilde’s, The Ideal Husband. She has created and performed five shows with Fred, including The Mental Traveler, Golden Buddha Beach, Sexual Myth-Stories, An American Dream Play.

ABOUT UNDERMAIN

Undermain Theatre, founded in 1984, is a company of artists that performs new and experimental works in Texas, New York, and Europe. The theater collaborates with playwrights, supports a theater archive and operates a theater under 3200 Main Street in Dallas’ legendary Deep Ellum. Call 214-747-2417 or visit www.undermain.org for more information.

Artistic Director: Katherine Owens. Executive Producer: Bruce DuBose. Associate Producer: Suzanne Thomas.