PHAMALY collaborates with Stories on Stage on June 7 June 7, 2009

STORIES ON STAGE ENDS SUCCESSFUL ’08-’09 SEASON WITH

PHAMALY COLLABORATION

DENVER, April 27, 2009 – This summer, two of Denver’s favorite theater companies, Stories On Stage and PHAMALY (the Physically Handicapped Actors & Musical Artists League), unite for their first collaboration.

We Are PHAMALy will be performed on Sunday, June 7 in the Stage Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

Show times are 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Single tickets are $22, tickets for groups of 10 or more are $18 per person and LoDough (scholarship) tickets are also available. Tickets can be ordered online at www.storiesonstage.org or by phone at 303-494-0523.

Stories On Stage is an award-winning performing arts organization that presents great actors reading great stories and PHAMALY is an award-winning theater company of great actors performing terrific musical and dramatic works. The result, We Are PHAMALy, is bound to leave audiences wondering why it took so long for these groups to come together. It’s a match that Norma Moore, Stories On Stage artistic director, thinks may lead to future partnerships.

PHAMALY’s Artistic Director, Steve Wilson, leads a stellar cast of company members that include Sean McGee, Stephen Hahn, Regan Linton and Lucy Roucis reading “Eternal Love” by Karen Bender and Leonard Barrett, Tara Cowan and Don Mauck reading “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver. Selections from last fall’s studio workshop series, Vox PHAMALIA: Tales from the Crips, will showcase the actors’ musical and comedic ability and will include musical parodies “Pity Me” and “Don’t Cry for Me, Jerry Lewis” with original lyrics by Regan Linton; adapted from two famous Andrew Lloyd Weber/Tim Rice songs; and a new twist on a game show favorite, “PHAMALY Jeopardy.”

We Are PHAMALy provides an introduction to both organizations’ regular audiences. PHAMALY patrons may not be familiar with Stories On Stage’s “adult story time” concept where actors read short works of literature, drawing listeners into the story with their voices rather than with elaborate sets and costumes. Similarly, this may be the first exposure some Stories On Stage subscribers have to PHAMALY’s unique performances, though long-time attendees will recognize one of the program’s stories.

“We performed ‘Eternal Love’ about five years ago,” Moore says. “We always include a talk-back session at the end of each program, and we received some very thought-provoking feedback about that particular show. Some audience members questioned the interpretation provided by the non-disabled actor who read the story. I’m excited to see how this performance differs in delivery, and I’m looking forward to hearing audience feedback.”

We Are PHAMALy is the final Stories On Stage program for the ’08-’09 season. BKD LLP and the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) sponsorships made this collaboration possible.

Now celebrating its 20th season, PHAMALY is a nationally recognized, award winning Colorado Theatre Company comprised entirely of performers with a wide variety of physical challenges. PHAMALY’s core mission is to enable persons with disabilities to showcase their talents and abilities through live performance and to make the performing arts more accessible to everyone.

PHAMALY presents “Man of La Mancha” July 25 – August 16 in the Space Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. More information at www.phamaly.org or 303-575-0005.