Media Contact: Dawn Kellogg Communications Manager (585) 232-1366 ext. 3059 [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GEVA THEATRE CENTER PRESENTS LAST GAS A NEW PLAY BY THE AUTHOR OF ALMOST, MAINE John Cariani’s romantic comedy will warm up snowy Rochester.

Rochester, N.Y., December 11, 2013– Geva Theatre Center’ 41st Season continues with Last Gas by John Cariani. Directed by Skip Greer, this romantic comedy full of heart and humor begins performances on January 7 and runs in the Elaine P. Wilson Mainstage through February 2.

Somewhere on a woodsy road - not far from Almost, Maine - sits Nat Paradis’ “Last Gas, First Fun Convenience Store.” As Nat sorts through life as a single parent, his teenage son and fun-loving father give him constant grief…and time seems to slip through his fingers. When an old flame returns to town, Nat gets a rare second chance, only to discover that in between love lost and love found, life throws us a lot of curve balls.

John Cariani is an award-winning actor and an accomplished playwright. He is probably best known for his role as CSU Tech Julian Beck on television's “Law & Order,” and for his performance as Motel the Tailor in the 2004 Broadway revival of for which he received a Tony Award nomination and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. As an actor, he has appeared on and off Broadway, in several films and television shows, and at regional theatres across the country. He got his first break when he was cast in the Off-Broadway play It's My Party (And I'll Die if I Want To), starring Joyce Van Patten and Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham. As a playwright, John is best known for his first play, Almost, Maine, which premiered at Portland Stage Company in 2004, opened Off-Broadway in 2006, and had a successful run at Geva in 2009. Since its debut Off-Broadway, Almost, Maine has become one of the most frequently produced plays in the United States, with nearly 2000 productions to date. It has also been translated into eight languages. His second play, cul-de-sac premiered Off-Broadway in April of 2006 in a production. Last Gas premiered at Portland Stage Company in 2010. Geva’s will be the second production of Last Gas. This past November, Mr. Cariani participated in Geva’s Festival of New Theatre reading excerpts from his newest play, Love/Sick. Originally from Presque Isle, Maine, Mr. Cariani is a graduate of , and now lives in New York City.

The cast of Geva’s production of Last Gas features David Mason (Geva’s 2009 production of Almost, Maine) as Nat, Aaron Muñoz (Geva’s productions of The 39 Steps and The Book Club Play) as Guy, John Pribyl (Geva’s productions of Inherit the Wind, A Christmas Carol and Our Town). Making their Geva debuts are Nick Erkelens as Troy, Brenda Withers as Lurene and Gabra Zackman as Cherry-Tracy

Last Gas is directed by Skip Greer and the design team includes Robert Koharchik (scenic design), B. Modern (costume design), Kendall Smith (lighting design) and Dan Roach (sound design).

The Lead Co-Producer of Last Gas is First Niagara Bank. Additional support is provided by Rockcastle Florist and Tasteful Connections Catering. 100.5 The Drive FM is the media sponsor.

Last Gas begins performances January 7 and runs in the Mainstage through February 2.

For further information, photographs or to arrange interviews, please contact: Dawn Kellogg, Communications Manager, (585) 232 1366 x 3059 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Previews: January 7, 8 and 9 @ 7:30pm January 10 @ 8pm January 11 @ 2pm (Open Captioned Performance*) Opening: Saturday, January 11 @ 8pm Performances: Sunday, January 12 @ 2pm and 7pm Tuesday, January 14 @ 6pm Wednesday, January 15 @ 2pm and 7:30pm Thursday, January 16 @ 7:30pm Friday, January 17 @ 8pm Saturday, January 18 @ 4pm and 8:30pm Sunday, January 19 @ 2pm (Sunday Salon) and 7pm Tuesday, January 21 @ 7:30pm Wednesday, January 22 @ 7:30pm Thursday, January 23 @ 7:30pm Friday, January 24 @ 8pm Saturday, January 25 @ 4pm and 8:30pm Sunday, January 26 @ 2pm (Audio Described Performance) and 7pm Tuesday, January 28 @ 7:30pm Wednesday, January 29 @ 7:30pm Thursday, January 30 @ 7:30pm (Sign Interpreted Performance) Friday, January 31 @ 8pm Saturday, February 1 @ 4pm and 8:30pm Sunday, February 2 @ 2pm (Sunday Salon)

TICKET PRICES: Tickets start at $25.

RESERVATIONS: (585) 232-GEVA (4382), Website: www.gevatheatre.org

LOCATION: Geva Theatre Center, 75 Woodbury Blvd, Rochester, NY 14607

* Open captioning is being provided, in part, by TDF and TAP Plus which is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

GEVA THEATRE CENTER Founded in 1972, Geva Theatre Center is a not-for-profit, professional theatre company dedicated to creating and producing professional theatre productions, programs and services of a national standard. As Rochester’s leading professional theatre, Geva Theatre Center is the most attended regional theatre in New York State, and one of the 25 most attended in the country, serving up to 160,000 patrons annually, including more than 16,000 students.

The 524-seat Elaine P. Wilson Mainstage is home to a wide variety of performances, from musicals to American and world classics. The 180-seat Ron & Donna Fielding Nextstage is home to Geva’s own series of contemporary drama, comedy and musical theatre; Geva Comedy Improv; Geva’s New Play Reading Series and the Hornet’s Nest - an innovative play-reading series facilitating community-wide discussion on controversial topics. In addition, the Nextstage hosts visiting companies of both local and international renown.

Geva Theatre Center offers a wide variety of educational, outreach and literary programs, nurturing audiences and artists alike. Since 1995, the organization has been under the artistic direction of Mark Cuddy.

*ENDS*