Dallas Theater Center Presents GOD OF CARNAGE, Beginning 5/11

Dallas Theater Center presents God of Carnage at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, May 11 – June 17, directed by Joel Ferrell. The laugh-out-loud hilarious God of Carnage, Ferrell's first production since being named DTC Associate Artistic Director, stars Brierley Resident Acting Company members Hassan El-Amin, Sally Nystuen-Vahle and Christie Vela. Chris Hury will be making his DTC debut.

God of Carnage welcomes audiences into Michael (Hassan El-Amin) and Veronica (Christie Vela) Novak's living room to witness a visit with Alan (Chris Hury) and Annette (Sally Nystuen-Vahle) Raleigh. Their 11-year-old sons have gotten into a tussle on the playground; one of them armed with a stick, the other now without a tooth. As their conversation continues, the couples take smugness, pettiness and meanness to new heights of hilarity. After it's sold out run for more than a year on Broadway, this Tony Award®-winning play is making its North Texas debut at the Kalita Humphreys Theater.

"God of Carnage places four sophisticated, well meaning, New York professionals in an uneasy and awkward situation. In no time at all, every pre-conceived notion of acceptable societal behavior is destroyed," says Ferrell. "This is a play with great humor and substance that examines the fragility of the human condition and how quickly any one of us can be reduced to uncivilized, almost primal behavior. Reza's writing is wickedly funny throughout and will spark lively conversation about the unpredictable and potentially volatile nature of all people."

God of Carnage stars Acting Company members Hassan El-Amin, Sally Nystuen-Vahle and Christie Vela. El-Amin last starred as The Wiz in DTC's hit family musical The Wiz. 2011 Lunt-Fontanne Fellow Nystuen-Vahle worked alongside Ferrell in the 2010-2011 production of Cabaret as Fraulein Kost and last fall led patrons on a journey through Maycomb County in DTC's production of To Kill a Mockingbird. Audiences will fondly remember Vela from last season's productions of Henry IV as Mistress Quickly and A Christmas Carol as Mrs. Fezziwig.

Rounding out the four-person cast and making his DTC debut is Chris Hury. Hury most recently performed in WaterTower Theatre's production of August: Osage County. He has also worked extensively with Shakespeare Dallas and Kitchen Dog Theater.

DTC Associate Artistic Director Joel Ferrell will direct the award-winning and critically acclaimed God of Carnage, written by Yasmina Reza. Returning to DTC are Tony Award®-winning scenic designer John Arnone (Dividing the Estate, Tigers Be Still, Next Fall); costume designer Thomas Charles LeGalley (Give It Up!, Next Fall and Broadway's Lysistrata Jones); sound designer Bruce Richardson (Dividing the Estate, Next Fall); and lighting designer Natalie Robin (Next Fall).

Tickets for God of Carnage are on sale now. Ticket prices start at $15 for all performances and are available online at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org.

More Articles by This Author...