Download Marketing Kit for 'Educating Rita'
Marketing Kits are compressed file bundles (.zip files) they include production schedule, artwork, cast bios, creative bios, production shots, reviews, rehearsal shots and cast headshots.
Synopsis
Written by Willy Russell, the playwright behind the ever-popular Shirley Valentine, Educating Rita introduces us to Frank - a cynical professor who drinks far too much whisky and Rita - a naïve hairdresser. Rita has however a wonderful and indeed desperate thirst for knowledge and she chooses Frank of all people to introduce her to culture. Frank soon discovers that Rita has a lot more common sense than the so-called educated class within which he moves. He begins to fall in love with Rita for her zest for life, her almost childlike qualities and her simple, natural intelligence. But Rita’s life soon changes in this new environment. Two very different worlds then collide, then merge to produce a charming human comedy and a wonderfully entertaining modern day Pygmalion.
BIOGRAPHIES
WILLY RUSSELL - Playwright
Willy wrote his first play When the Reds whilst training to become a teacher. His first professional work was an adaptation of Alan Plater’s Tigers are Coming O.K., which was presented in Liverpool in 1973. He then wrote John Paul George Ringo… and Bert, which premiered in Liverpool before transferring to the West End. It won the Evening Standard and London Theatre Critics Awards for Best Musical. Willy was then commissioned to write a play for the Royal Shakespeare Company. The result was the outstanding Educating Rita (which won London's SWET Award for Best Comedy). This play ran for two years on the West End, has been performed all over the world and was made into a film (which garnered Academy Award nominations). Willy also wrote the musical Blood Brothers, which again opened in Liverpool, before transferring to the West End. This piece has also had many productions around the world including a season on Broadway. The next play he wrote was Shirley Valentine (for which Willy won the 1989 Tony Award, Drama Desk Award for Best Play and Olivier Award for Best Comedy of the Year). Willy wrote screenplays for the movie versions of Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine and Dancing Thru The Dark (based on his plays Stags and Hens). His plays have been translated into almost every language and produced in such places as Japan, Australia, South America, Scandinavia and Europe.
CAST
DAVID DOWNER - Frank
David has been a professional actor for over thirty five years and has appeared in many stage productions in that time. A NIDA graduate he made his debut at the Old Tote Theatre in The Imaginary Invalid with Ron Haddrick, Jackie Weaver and the director of this current production, Jennifer Hagen. Shortly after he appeared in London's West End in 'Spring and Port Wine' in a role he originally played for J.C. Williamson's. He remained in England for some years appearing in television, theatre, Hitchcock's Frenzy and Mary Queen of Scots with Vanessa Redgrave. He returned to Australia and spent over six years with The Melbourne Theatre Company where he appeared in over 35 productions including Pericles, Ring Round the Moon, The Doll Trilogy, Macbeth, The Beaux Stratagem, Uncle Vanya, Arms and the Man, The Rivals and Blithe Spirit. David was invited to play Algernon in Frank Hauser's production of The Importance of Being Earnest at London's famous Old Vic. His credits for The Sydney Theatre Company include The Way of the World, The Normal Heart, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Shadowlands, The Crucible and most recently Woman in Mind with Noni Hazelhurst and directed by Gale Edwards with whom David also worked in the Melbourne production of the musical Eureka. David has appeared in many of Sydney's Marian Street Theatre productions over 20 years including the title role in Dracula, Robert Browning in The Barretts of Wimpole Street (also for the Royal Queensland Theatre Company), Season's Greetings and Long Day's Journey into Night. Among his television appearances he most recently played Colin Blackburn in All Saints. He has worked extensively in radio and done a great deal of voice-overs. Film work includes Mad Max 2, The Killing of Angel Street, Norman Loves Rose and The Settlement.
LISA CHAPPELL - Rita
Lisa’s film, theatre and television experience spans the Tasman Sea as Lisa regularly works in New Zealand where she was born, as well as Australia, where she trained at The Actors Centre in Sydney.She is best known for her much-loved character Claire McLeod in McLeod’s Daughters, and has also appeared on television in Hercules, City Life, Small Claims 3 and Stingers. Lisa has three Logies to her name including 2002 for Best New Female Talent, and Silver Logies in 2003 and 2004. Her theatre history includes many productions from New Zealand including The Homecoming for Potent Pause Productions, The Merchant of Venice, Chicago for Auckland Operatic, The Nice Show and The Sneeze for Indpendent Theatre Co., The Lover for Pumphouse Theatre, The Herbal Bed for Court Theatre, NZ and All My Sons for Auckland Theatre Co.. She has also directed Girl Talk and Up the Garden Path in New Zealand. Lisa has also independently released her first music album; When Then Is Now which showcases her strong vocal and songwriting talents in the contemporary folk genre. The album was co-produced with Rick Price.
