(Lehigh Valley) Selkie Theatre proudly presents the regional premiere of CASA VALENTINA, the funny, provocative and touching new play by four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein. Directed by George B. Miller, CASA VALENTINA lights up the stage of Bethlehem's Ice House from May 6 – May 15, 2016.
Back in 1962, most men went to the Catskill Mountains to escape the summer heat, but others took the drive to escape something else entirely: being men. Nestled in the land of borscht belt comedy sat "Casa Valentina", a discreet bungalow resort that catered to a very special clientele: heterosexual men whose secret passion was dressing and behaving as women. It was paradise for these men—white-collar professionals with wives and families—to spend their weekends discreetly inhabiting their chosen female alter egos, without fear of judgement or exposure. As one of the characters says, "Here, we breathe."
But when challenged to go public and share their secret – and their names – in the pursuit of political acceptance, these "self-made women" have to decide whether that freedom is worth the risk of personal ruin. Infused with Fierstein's trademark wit, this entertaining yet moving new work offers a glimpse into the lives of a group of unforgettable characters as they search for acceptance and happiness in their very own Garden of Eden."This is not a play about drag, or camp," says director George Miller, "but about men who feel a relief and a freedom in dressing and acting as women; about the broad spectrum of identity. But what it's really about is the universal struggle for self-acceptance, and what happens when society denies us a place to be our true selves."Not only is CASA VALENTINA based on real events, but it has a local connection, as well. Fierstein was inspired by a collection of photographs published by then-Easton antique dealers Michel Hurst and Robert Swope. Their book, called Casa Susanna, catalogued a trove of photos from the early 1960's found by Swope in a New York flea market, photos of middle-class, suburban women doing unremarkable things like playing Scrabble or enjoying an afternoon cocktail in a countryside setting. Except that, upon looking closely, these were men, dressed as women. Not drag queens, not performers, but men enjoying "freeing the girl within". The photos belonged to "Susanna", the proprietor of a Catskills retreat she had dubbed "Casa Susanna", which became Fierstein's Casa Valentina.A 2014 Tony Award nominee for Best Play, CASA VALENTINA is the most recent work by Harvey Fierstein, whose credits include the books for the hit musicals Kinky Boots, Newsies, Legs Diamond, and La Cage Aux Folles, as well as the play Torch Song Trilogy. As an actor, Fierstein is well-known for his work in TV (Cheers, The Good Wife, Nurse Jackie, The Simpsons) and films (Mrs. Doubtfire, Independence Day), and onstage in Hairspray, Fiddler on the Roof, La Cage aux Folles, and Torch Song Trilogy.Director Miller, who most recently wrote and directed Steve Brosky, The Musical: Living Here in Allentown, and directed Christopher Durang's Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike for Pennsylvania Playhouse, has assembled a seasoned cast of Valley favorites. Playing the resort's owners are Ted Williams as George/Valentina, with Jeanie Olah as his wife Rita. The rest of "the sorority" features Joshua Tyler Altorfer, Jim Long, Ryan MacNamara, David Oswald, Jerry Schmidt, and Goran Zdravkovic, as well as Rosie Damico Schatkowski. CASA VALENTINA runs May 6 thru May 15, Fridays / Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 3pm at the Charles Brown Ice House in Bethlehem, as part of The IceHouse Tonight Series. Opening Night on May 6 will be followed by a gala reception. Many performances will be followed by special talkbacks and guests; details to follow. Tickets are $20, $15 students/seniors. For more info and tickets, contact
Photo Credit: Lori Colacito of Stagedoor Photography