Vampires, musicians and more coming to American Stage

No matter how small the theater, there often is an invisible barrier separating the actors from the audience. Even with the most vibrant or intense productions, theatergoers may feel disconnected from what's happening on stage.

But American Stage Theatre Company, with its intimate space of 182 seats, is an exception. The St. Petersburg company has a knack for finding works that encourage audience participation, or at least impart a sense of involvement.

"We do look for plays that cross over those 4 feet of carpeted area. We want experiences that will have an authentic impact on audiences," said Todd Olson, American Stage's producing artistic director.

With that in mind, American Stage selected a wildly diverse but engaging selection of award-winning plays for its 2010-2011 season, announced today.

Charles Ludlam's Gothic spoof "The Mystery of Irma Vep" (Sept. 17-Oct. 10) lampoons classic whodunits and horror films. Referencing Alfred Hitchcock's film noir "Rebecca," "Wuthering Heights," mummies and vampires, "Irma Vep" (an anagram for vampire) is campy fun that has achieved cult status.

Frivolity then makes way for tension in Michael Hollinger's "Opus" (Nov. 5-28), a play about the artistic process that American Stage's neighbor, The Florida Orchestra, knows all about. "Opus" finds a world-class string quartet firing a founding member and hiring a novice replacement. They have only a few days to rehearse a particularly difficult score, and tempers flare under the pressure.

The music theme carries over to the fourth installment of August Wilson's 10-play cycle. "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Jan. 21-Feb. 13) is set in Chicago with a group of black musicians at a recording studio. They bicker and jaw while waiting for blues star Ma Rainey to show so they can make one of the earliest blues recordings.

Next up is Edward Albee's searing drama "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (March 11-April 3), followed by Jonathan Larson's Broadway hit "Rent" (April 15-May 8) for the 26th annual American Stage in the Park.

Playwright Terrence McNally was born in St. Petersburg, so it makes sense for American Stage to bring home his romantic comedy "Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune" (June 3-26).

The season closes with the most successful non-musical production on Broadway. In "A Steady Rain" (July 22-Aug. 14) by Keith Huff, two Chicago cops relay the facts of a domestic disturbance case from separate perspectives. Here, the audience is cast in multiple roles as jurors, interrogators and observers.

(Some may recall the well-known cell phone interruption during a Broadway performance of "A Steady Rain" with Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig. While staying in character, Jackman invited the patron to answer his phone. Check out the secret footage on YouTube.)

American Stage subscription prices range from $108 to $284. Single-event ticket prices are $26 to $45, depending on the date and time of the performance. To purchase subscriptions or tickets, call (727) 823-1600 or visit www.americanstage.org.