In the actor/manager tradition, Circus Theatricals Artistic Director Jack Stehlin (2002 Garland Award and Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Nomination for Richard III) will play the title role, as well as direct.

The cast includes Circus Theatricals members Daniel Nathan Spector (Cleante), Daniel C. Gibbons (Valere), Nickella Dee (Marianne), Strawn Bovee (Madame Pernelle), Nick Mize (Monsieur Loyal), Kent George (King’s Officer), Elizabeth Kouri (Flipote). Rounding out the cast is Mark Bramhall (Orgon), Gigi Bermingham (Dorine), Dylan Kussman (Damis) and Daphne Zuniga (Elmire).

The design team includes LA Weekly award winning lighting designer Tim Kiley, as well as Diane Taylor (sets), Melissa McVay (costumes), and Kitty Rose (sound). Stage manager is Christina Burck. Casey Biggs serves as artistic associate. Producers are Ron Sossi (Odyssey Theatre Artistic Director), and Jeannine Welles (Circus Theatricals Producing Director).

In Molières Tartuffe, a conman poses as a religious guru and insinuates himself into the home of a well-to-do gentleman. Over the course of the play, he schemes to seduce his benefactor’s wife, marry his daughter, and swindle him of all he possesses.

Tartuffe was written and first performed privately for King Louis XIV in 1664. The well-received play was quickly banned, however, when it caused an uproar within a prominent religious group. Declaring Molière to be an “instrument of the devil,” the group clearly mistook the play’s aim against hypocrisy to be an attack against religion itself. Having rewritten the play in secret, Moliere opened it again in 1667 under a new title, “The Imposter,” only to have it banned again, this time by the Archbishop. Finally, Molière was granted a reprieve in 1669, and Tartuffe got its well-anticipated premiere, going on to gross unprecedented box office figures.

Tartuffe runs May 17 - July 13, 2003, playing Wednesdays through Sundays at 8PM, Sundays at 7PM. 2PM matinees are Sundays June 1 June 15 (no 7PM perfs. on matinee days.) Tickets, at $19.50 - $25.00, may be purchased at the Odyssey Theatre Box Office, by calling (310) 477-2055, or via the Odyssey Theatre website: http://www.odysseytheatre.com. More about the play can be accessed on the Circus Theatricals website: http://www.circustheatricals.com.