STAGED READING OF STOBART’S “A TOY CALLED GOD” AT TOWNGATE

WHEELING, W.Va. (January 23, 2012) - -Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre will offer a staged reading of Wheeling playwright T.S. Stobart’s full-length play “A Toy Called God” at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 9. It will be preceded by a wine and cheese reception at 6 pm.

A fundraiser presented by the “Friends of Towngate”, all money raised will be used for backstage renovation and to augment the highly successful Parcel Players program. The reading and reception will be held in the downstairs lobby at Towngate, and seating will be limited to 50.

Originally produced at Towngate in 1982, directed by and starring Hal O’Leary, “A Toy Called God” was enthusiastically received by critics and public alike and was held over for three additional performances. It went on to receive subsequent productions in Pittsburgh and Erie, PA.

Subtitled “Six Sequential Encounters with the Genius Alex Ramm,” the tragicomedy chronicles a day in the life of a has-been poet who is desperately seeking the position of artist-in-residence at a small women’s college. Some of the “encounters” are hilarious while others are heartbreaking.

The author of seven full-length plays and numerous one-acts, Stobart has seen his plays produced in Wheeling, Pittsburgh, Erie, Canton, OH, Manhattan and Hollywood. Two of his one-acts received awards in the Pittsburgh New Works Festival.

Stobart will essay the leading role in the Towngate reading and has surrounded himself with an excellent cast of area actors-all women- in the eight supporting roles. Jill Pedragovich and Rene Zelinski will portray sharply contrasting co-eds, with Vera Barton-Caro as the college president and Lydia Bugaj as her French secretary. Dee Gregg and Amy Novak will take on the roles of two comically pompous English professors with Meg Geroch as the only living charter member of the college Shakespeare Society. Valery Staskey will portray the poet’s ex-wife, a professor in the art department. Actor Gregory Sberna will host the event and provide narration.

Tickets are available at the Paradox Book Store in Center Wheeling and at the Stifel Fine Arts Center. For further information, call the Stifel Fine Arts Center at 304-242-7700.