CYRANO Opens MST 2014 Season
The award-winning Marin Summer Theater opens its 2014 season with a sword swinging production of CYRANO DE BERGERAC on June 26, 27, 28, 29 and July 3, 5, 6, at the Emily Gates Student Center at San Marin High School in Novato.
CYRANO DE BERGERAC is one of the world's great plays, and possibly the most loved. Set in 1640 Paris, in the age of Musketeers and Moliere, it tells the story of Cyrano: a solider, poet, philosopher and swordsman who is in love with the beautiful Roxane. Cyrano is afraid to tell Roxane of his love because of his enormous nose. So instead, Cyrano give love letters to the handsome but tongue-tied Christian, so that Christian can win Roxane's heart with Cyrano's words. Set against a backdrop of musketeers, poets, cadets, lords, ladies and The Thirty Years War of Louis XIII, CYRANO DE BERGERAC is funny, exciting, beautiful and romantic.
Taking on the part of Cyrano, one of the world's most demanding roles, is Fernando Siu of San Rafael. Winner of the BroadwayWorld 2013 SF Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jean Valjean in the 2013 MST production of Les Miserables, Siu is no stranger to epics. "There is no one like Cyrano De Bergerac", said Siu, "between the sword fighting, singing, leaping, and lines it's like running a marathon every night. Cyrano is a man who takes on the world for his love of a woman, but he cannot bring himself to reveal his true feelings for her."
"CYRANO is a play that changes lives", said director Patrick Nims. "It connects us to a past that is full of life and shows how self-doubt and pride can stop us from reaching for our dreams. CYRANO DE BERGERC is a world of lovers, lechers, heroes, and clowns that is not to be missed."
CYRANO DE BERGERAC also stars Jane Reagan (recent graduate of Terra Linda HS) as Roxane, Sean Armstrong (of USF) as Christian, and Elliot Hanson (a San Marin HS alumni currently at Boston University) as De Guiche.
This production of CYRANO includes exciting stage combat, live music, and exquisite costumes and scenery. Over fifty MST student company members from colleges, universities, high schools, and middle schools are involved in the show. The average age of the 2013 MST Company is seventeen-years-old and the majority of the cast and crew attend schools in Marin, San Francisco, Alameda and Sonoma counties.
In addition to CYRANO DE BERGERAC, the MST 2014 season also includes the musicals RENT and ANYTHING GOES. RENT will be presented at The Playhouse in San Anselmo beginning July 10 and ANYTHING GOES will be presented at San Marin High School beginning July 24. Each production will be presented for two weekends.
Now in its sixth season, Marin Summer Theater has received eight BroadwayWorld SF Awards and four National Youth in Arts awards. Ticket prices start at $7.50 for preview performances. Tickets, schedules and more information about MST can be found at www.marinsummertheater.org.