PowPAC Schedules  

 “Beyond Therapy,” Hilarious, Off-Beat  

Comedy Oct. 20-Nov. 12 

      PowPAC, Poway’s Community Theatre, will present “Beyond Therapy,” Christopher Durang’s hilarious, off-beat and irreverent comedy about two neurotic New Yorkers in therapy, Oct. 20-Nov. 12 at PowPAC’s theater, 13250 Poway Rd, Poway.

        “Beyond Therapy” will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturdays, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sundays. For more information, sign on the PowPAC web site: www.powpac.org

      The cast incudes: Shalen Bishop , Josh Hyatt, Dan Lippert, Lois Jane Miller, Kelli Ochoa and Christopher Botiller.
      Marjorie Mae Treger is director, and Debbie David is producer.  Treger previously appeared at PowPAC in “The Heidi Chronicles” and most recently directed “The Crucible” at OnStage Playhouse in Chula Vista. David has appeared in numerous PowPAC shows and most recently has served as co-producer along with Sherrie Colbourn for PowPAC’s “The Shape of Things.”

     The plot:  Beyond Therapy traces the precarious romance of two hapless New York  singles who meet through a personal ad. Bruce and Prudence are both deeply into therapy. Prudence is a writer for People magazine who has trouble finding a satisfying relationship (all of the men she dates are either boring or crazy). She is an absolute perfectionist. Bruce is bisexual, has a male lover and is looking for a different kind of relationship to balance things. After an utterly disastrous first date, which ends with them tossing water into each other’s face, Bruce's scatterbrained analyst gleefully suggests another ad with a much-revised personal description. But again Prudence answers the call. Chaos ensues as the bisexual Bruce's live-in boyfriend becomes jealous of the budding lovebirds and takes matters into his own hands.

     Beyond Therapy premiered off-Broadway at the Phoenix Theatre in New York City on January 1, 1981.  It moved to  Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in New York City in April, 1982 with a cast that included John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest and David Hyde-Pierce.

     Among the reviews:

     "Beyond Therapy" offers the best therapy of all: guaranteed laughter.  Durang’s plot, which has more bounces than a pinball game, goes from the unexpected to the unpredicted… providing two hours of hilarious surprises.  John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest are both funny and touching as the star-crossed lovers.  Gerald Clark, Time Magazine.

     "Offers the best therapy of all: guaranteed laughter." Time. "Filled with off beat laugh lines, wry observations on the contemporary urban psyche and situations that range from farcical to absurd." Women's Wear Daily.      

      One of the funniest plays I’ve seen in years,  Rex Reed, New York Daily News

      Performances are at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for students, seniors and active military. NOTE: this show contains mature language and mature subject matter. There is an elevator in the rear of the building for the use of patrons. There is a $2 surcharge for opening night and the cast party that follows.

        For reservations, please call the PowPAC box-office at (858) 679-8085 or visit our website: www.powpac.org and click the yellow reservations button. State your name, the performance you wish and the number of tickets. Your order will be confirmed by return e-mail.