CHAPEL HILL, N.C — Rivers Agency, a full-service advertising and web development firm, is co-producing the regional premiere of “The May Queen,” an acclaimed original comedy by Molly Smith Metzler at PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill.
Directed by Vivienne Benesch, “The May Queen” is the story of Jen Nash, a former high school “May Queen,” who returns to her hometown as an office temp. A mixed-up mash-up of a high school reunion with TV’s “The Office,” The “May Queen” explores what happens when Jen meets up with her former classmates after years of separation.
“The May Queen speaks to core values of community and homecoming, of our nostalgia for that shimmering time on the edge of adulthood in high school, and the power of memory to shape our present — a present that may not be anything close to what we expected,” said Benesch, PlayMakers’ producing artistic director. “We are thrilled to host the regional premiere of this special play, and a playwright whose singularly funny, human voice is like a window into our souls. Molly’s work has a huge heart to it that celebrates real people and real relationships, quirks and all, and entertains from start to finish.”
“This hilarious new comedy can be enjoyed by anyone who ever went to high school or has worked in an office,” added Lauren Rivers, founder and president of Rivers Agency. “As Molly, the play’s creator, says: ‘We hope audiences will laugh, cry and toast to their own May Queens when they watch it!”
To help PlayMakers stage “The May Queen,” Rivers Agency made a special gift of $25,000. The funds were used solely for creating and performing this show, helping to cover expenses such as set creation and costuming.
“The May Queen” takes the stage at the Paul Green Theatre in the Center for Dramatic Art at 150 Country Club Road with an opening night performance at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26. An opening night party will follow the debut. Additional show times are 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29 through Saturday, Dec. 3, and Tuesday, Nov. 6 to Saturday, Nov. 10. Matinees also will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27; Saturday, Dec. 3; Sunday, Dec. 4; and Sunday, Dec. 11.
For information and to purchase tickets, call (919) 962-7529 or visit playmakersrep.org. Individual ticket prices for “The May Queen” start at $10 for students with ID and $15 for non-students.
About Rivers Agency
Rivers Agency is a full-service advertising agency offering integrated marketing and advertising, public relations, print design, web design and development, and TV and video production — all leveraging the latest in digital, social and mobile technologies. As the sixth-largest agency in the Triangle area of North Carolina, Rivers provides a mix of expertise in cross-platform design — from print to web to video and beyond — that enables the agency to provide maximum results for each client.