SpeakEasy to Present New England Premiere of LaBute’s Off-B’way Smash
March 7, 2007

(BOSTON) – What if the person you were dating was seriously overweight? Not fat. Not chubby. But obese.

Maybe it wouldn’t matter to you. And the other person might be quite comfortable with his /her size. But what about your friends? Co-workers? Family? Could your loved one’s weight actually impact your relationships? Your career? Your own self-esteem?

These are but a few of the questions raised in Neil LaBute’s fascinating and provocative comic-drama FAT PIG, which will receive its New England premiere from March 16 thru April 7, 2007, courtesy of SpeakEasy Stage.

In the play, Tom, a handsome young career guy, meets and starts dating Helen, a bright sexy librarian who happens to be plus-sized – and then some. As Tom reluctantly begins to fall for Helen, his co-workers tease him mercilessly about his new relationship, forcing Tom to come to terms with his own preconceptions about the importance of beauty and conventional good looks.

FAT PIG had its world premiere on November 17, 2004 at the Manhattan Class Company (MCC) Theater in New York City with “Entourage” star Jeremy Piven appearing as Tom.

Boston University alumnae Liliane Klein will head the Boston cast as Helen, with James Ryen, Michael Daniel Anderson, and Norton Award-winner Laura Latreille (The Shape of Things, Mauritius) rounding out the troupe.

SpeakEasy General Manager and Production Manager Paul Melone will direct. Paul’s previous SpeakEasy directing credits include OUR LADY OF 121st STREET, THE MOONLIGHT ROOM and Neil LaBute’s earlier play THE SHAPE OF THINGS.

FAT PIG will be presented in the Nancy and Edward Roberts Studio Theatre in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End. For tickets to or more information about FAT PIG, the public is invited to call the Boston Theatre Scene Box-Office at 617-933-8600 or go online to www.SpeakEasyStage.com.

FAT PIG is yet another controversial work by Neil LaBute, a critically acclaimed playwright, filmmaker and fiction writer who has made a name for himself by writing what the New Yorker calls “twisted amorality plays.”

Since he first burst onto the scene in 1997 with the hit film In The Company of Men, Mr. LaBute has tackled many “hot-button” topics and been praised for his edgy and unsettling portrayals of human relationships in such plays as Wrecks; Some Girl(s); The Mercy Seat, The Shape of Things; and in such films as Your Friends and Neighbors, Nurse Betty and Possession.

These works have led critics and pundits to hail LaBute as an “American Aesop (American Theatre) and “the dark shining star of stage and film morality.” (Newsday)

Born in 1963 in Detroit, Mr. LaBute was raised in Spokane, Washington, and later graduated with a theater degree from Brigham Young University (BYU). LaBute went on to do graduate work at the University of Kansas, New York University, and London’s Royal Court Theatre, and also attended the Sundance Institute’s Playwright Lab.

While at BYU, the playwright joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints, but was put on probation (disfellowshipped) because of some negative publicity about the church that arose from his 1999 work bash: latter day plays. He has since given up his church affiliation.

Until recently, LaBute live in Fort Wayne, Indiana with wife Lisa Gore (a family therapist) and two children. He and his wife have since separated.

In an essay included in the print version of FAT PIG, Mr. LaBute acknowledges that he sees a lot of himself in this play. “The story deals with human weakness and the difficulty many people face when trying to stand up for, live up to, or come out for something they believe in. And that’s pretty much me in a nutshell – well meaning as can be, but surprisingly lame when push really comes to shove. Heroism, it would seem, is a tough gig.”

For more information on FAT PIG or on any of SpeakEasy’s 06-07 shows, the public is invited to call the BostonTheatreScene.com box office at 617-933-8600 or go online to www.BostonTheatreScene.com.

The Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) is an urban cultural village, incubating and showcasing the performing and visual arts and artists of our time. Occupying a city block in Boston’s historic South End, the BCA provides a creative “home” for artists, a welcoming destination for audiences, and an arts connection for youth and community. For more information, visit www.bcaonline.org.

Press inquiries should be directed to SpeakEasy Marketing Director Jim Torres, Office: 617-482-3279 Cell: 617-529-1670 Email: JimTorres@SpeakEasyStage.com

Calendar Listing Information

FAT PIG
By Neil LaBute

Presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company, a resident theatre company at the Boston Center for the Arts, Paul Daigneault, Producing Artistic Director

Cast: (in alphabetical order):
Michael Daniel Anderson, Liliane Klein; Laura Latreille, & James Ryen

Directed by:
Paul Melone

Production Stage Manager:
Maureen Lane

Design Team:
Janie E. Howland, Set; Gail Astrid Buckley, Costumes; Jeff Adelberg, Lighting; Nathan Leigh, Sound and Original Music

Performing at:
The Nancy and Edward Roberts Studio Theater
in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the
Boston Center for the Arts,
527 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End

Press Performance:
Sunday, March 18, 2006 - 3PM

Performance Schedule:
March 16-April 7, 2007
Wed., Thurs. at 7:30PM; Fri. at 8PM;
Sat. at 4 & 8PM; Sun. at 3PM
Added performance: Tuesday, April 3 at 7:30

Ticket Prices:
Tues., Wed., Thurs., 7:30PM; Fri. 8PM --$42 / $37 seniors
Sat. 4 & 8PM; Sun. at 3PM -- $46 / $41 seniors

Student Rush:
$14 with valid college ID, at the box office only, one hour before curtain, subject to availability

Box Office:
617-933-8600; www.BostonTheatreScene.com

Press Contact Only:
Jim Torres – (617) 529-1670