“A+ . . . Dynamic, engrossing, funny, heartbreaking, poignant, unique — all those things that make a night at the theater the thrillingly consuming experience that only a couple shows in a hundred can create.” —Charleston City Paper
Read the Charleston City Paper review
Buy VAUD RATS Tickets during Piccolo Spoleto
6 performances only
May 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 & June 1 at 7:30 pm
at the Circular Congregational Church
150 Meeting Street
PURE Theatre presents
VAUD RATS
written & performed by
K. Brian Neel
directed by James Pargulski
Charleston City Paper RAT BUZZ
Charleston City Paper PREVIEW
Post & Courier review
Circular Congregational Church
150 Meeting Street,
Charleston, SC 29401
Parking:
174 Meeting Street
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or on Cumberland Street across from Powder Magazine
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or on Hornbeck Alley, adjacent to Gibbes Museum
“Seattle’s premiere physical theatre powerhouse.”
—The Peak, Vancouver (Canada)
“Amazing writing and performing. Neel is a one-man panorama.”
—Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“An elastic, agile performer who uses his body to create an onstage language.”
—CBC Radio (Canada)
“Engrossing and adventurous work, done with consumate skill.”
—Seattle Times
“Neel creates characters that are at once vivid and nuanced.”
—Georgia Straight, Vancouver (Canada)
“Memorable, pure, live theater.”
—Adelaide Advertiser (Australia)
“Brilliant. Dynamic. A true artist in evolution” —Seattle Weekly
Seattle theater artist K. Brian Neel presents the East Coast premiere of his
latest solo creation, VAUD RATS. This 75-minute ukulele operetta will be performed at the 2008 Piccolo
Spoleto Festival for six performances only at Lance Hall, 150 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401.
Presented by Pure Theatre, VAUD plays Tuesday, May 27 through Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 7:30 pm.
Tickets are $25,
available through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Gaillard Auditorium in downtown
Charleston, or at the door 30 minutes before showtime. Festival information is available at www.
piccolospoleto.com. More information about K. Brian Neel and VAUD RATS is at www.kbrianneel.com.
THE PLAY: Cecil B. DeUkulele was Big Time. He played the Palace, the Hippodrome, and every ritzy
vaudeville house on the Keith-Albee circuit. From the time he was a kid hoofing a song-and-dance, to
the comedic headlining patter-man he became, Cecil was born to trod the boards and always knocked
‘em bowlegged.
But then one bad business move puts him on the blacklist. His agent has no option but to sign him to a
small small time nine-act of washed up deadbeats touring Odd Fellows halls and community auditoriums
in Midwest stix, U.S.A.
The silver lining: our hero falls head over heals for a brunette midget sidekick in a strong man routine.
The tragedy: the strong man is the husband. Cecil finds himself singing to the rats in an abandoned warehouse in an unknown whistlestop in the middle of... without a circuit, without an agent, without a cent. He’s just rearing up for his wow finish!
VAUD RATS consists of original music and libretto by Neel, peppered with lively dance numbers,
tickling comedic banter, and thrilling pantomime. Originally workshopped at Theater Babylon in 2004,
selections have been performed for Intrepid Theater in Victoria, Canada, on national tour with the Seattle
Mime Theatre, and in cabarets around Seattle. The consummate production premiered at the Capitol
Fringe Festival in Washington, DC, Summer of 2006. The full production was also selected for the 2007
Bumbershoot Arts Festival in Seattle.
Critical Acclaim for PURE Theatre
“Buy tickets early; PURE’s shows enjoyed mostly sold-out runs packed with audience members excited to see what unique new direction the theatre’s taken this time.” “Smart, stimulating theatre” “This is what acting can be . . . a mind-bending, heart-bursting, beautiful production handled gracefully by PURE Theatre. It will leave you recognizing the power of theatre” —Charleston City Paper
“Seasoned actors, displaying the best in ensemble acting” “productions that are consummately professional in every aspect of live theater” “stunningly funny, moving and profound” “This is material that challenges audiences as well as actors and directors.”—Post & Courier
“Producing contemporary theatre at its best.” “Regularly filling their black box theatre with appreciative audiences.” —Charleston Magazine