Based on the popular 1988 film, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels centers on two con men living on the French Riviera. The first is a suave and sophisticated type who makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money. The other, a small-time crook, more humbly swindles women by waking their compassion with fabricated stories about his grandmother's failing health. The pair soon discovers that the town isn't big enough for two swindlers. As such, they agree on a settlement - the first one to extract $50,000 from a young femail heiress wins and the other must leave town. A hilarious battle of cons ensues, that will keep audiences laughing, humming and guessing to the end!

Based on the film "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," written by David Launder, Stanley Shapiro and Paul Henning.

January 20 – February 4, 2012

Adults - $20
Seniors over 65/active duty military/full-time college - $17
Youth 17 and younger $12

Trustus examines wartime and the artist's experience with “Amazons and Their Men” in the black box. 

Trustus Theatre is bringing the complexities of German wartime filmmaking to Columbia as Amazons and Their Men opens in the intimate 50-seat Trustus Black Box Theatre. A darkly comedic look at the role of artists during wartime, Amazons and Their Men is inspired by the life and work of controversial Nazi propaganda filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. The show opens January 26^th at 7:30pm, and runs through February 4^th, 2012. 

Amazons and Their Men introduces audiences to “The Frau” – a powerful woman who used to direct beautiful films for a fascist government. Now she’s trying to make a film that’s simply beautiful. The Frau casts herself in the lead role of the Amazon queen Penthesilea, who falls in love with Achilles on the battlefield of the Trojan War. She recruits a man from the Jewish ghetto to play her Achilles. Her own sister, a long-suffering extra, plays every single Amazon who’s killed in the background. With chariot crashes and longing close-ups, it all has the makings of a glamorous war. However, when telegrams start to arrive from the Minister of Propaganda it becomes impossible for the Frau to ignore the real war outside her own sound stage. The controversy surrounding her new work brings even more undesired attention from higher-ups who refuse to be disobeyed.

Director Larry McMullen assembled a group of talented actors to bring this challenging production to the Trustus Black Box. Playing The Frau is popular Trustus Company Member Elena Martinez-Vidal, last seen in the wildly acclaimed August: Osage County and known for her performances in The Kathy and Mo Show. Playing the Jewish actor taken from the ghetto is Trustus Company Member Jason Stokes, last seen as Roger in the hit Trustus musical RENT. Amy Brower, known for her recurring performance as Junie B. Jones with the Columbia Children’s Theater, will be playing the Frau’s sister. Tyler Jones will round out the ensemble as another member of The Frau’s film cast.

Trustus Company Member Baxter Engle, known for his media work on such shows as Trustus’ Assassins and Town Theatre’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, is creating a media design for the show complete with videos of  historical archive footage – a first for the intimate 50-seat house at Trustus. 

Amazons and Their Men opens Thursday, January 26th at 7:30pm and runs through

Saturday, February 4th, 2012.  All Thursday shows start at 7:30pm, and Fridays & Saturdays start at 8pm. The doors and box office open thirty minutes prior to curtain, and all Black Box tickets are $15. Reservations can be made by calling the Trustus Box Office at (803) 254-9732.

Trustus Theatre is located at 520 Lady Street, behind the Gervais St. Publix. Parking is available on Lady Street and on Pulaski Street. The Black Box Theatre entrance is through the glass doors on the Huger St. side of the building.

For more information or reservations call the box office Tuesdays through Saturdays 1-6 pm at 803-254-9732. Visit www.trustus.org for all show information and season info.

PIinkalicious Pinkerton can’t stop eating pink foods but when she comes down with a case of “pink-i-titis” she’s going to have to try.  Based on the wildly popular children’s book by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann with music, lyrics and orchestrations by John Gregor, Columbia Children’s theatre will be painting the town pink February 10-19 with this fabulous new production.  All performances are held at Columbia Children’s Theatre in Richland Mall, 3400 Forest Drive in Columbia. Tickets are $8.00 per person and can be purchased on line at columbiachildrenstheatre.com.

About the Production                        
Developed by New York’s Vital theatre company in 2007, Pinkalicious is not your run-of-the-mill children’s theatre fare.  With sophisticated lyrics and orchestrations this production ran for 6 consecutively sold-out weeks on Broadway and continues to run in New York, Chicago and Toronto.  There is also a national tour.

“I watched a rehearsal last night,” said CCT Artistic Director Jerry Stevenson, “and let me just say that there is no need for this cast to ever take a spin class!”  Directed by Chad Henderson and choreographed by Elizabeth Stepp this high energy romp is a tour de force for Columbia actors Shelby Sessler, Paul Lindley II, George Dinsmore, Toni Moore, Lindsay Brasington, Elizabeth Stepp, Kim Harne, and Matthew Wright.

Pinkalicious The Musical runs February 10-19.  Show times are Fridays at 7:00 PM, Saturdays at 10:30 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM and Sundays at 3:00 PM.  All shows are held at Columbia Children’s Theatre in Richland Mall, 3400 Forest Drive in Forest Acres.  Tickets are $8.00 and can be purchased online at www.columbiachildrenstheatre.com.  For more information call 803-691-4548.

About Columbia Children’ Theatre
Columbia Children’s Theatre is a professional resident not-for-profit theatre dedicated to providing quality live theatre experiences for families and young audiences. CCT’s current season is sponsored by The Little Gym of Columbia & Lexington. Additional support is provided by the City of Forest Acres, The Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties and the South Carloina Arts Commission, which receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Trustus Theatre promised at the beginning of their 27^th Season that it would be going in “New Directions”, and that mission is certainly being met as the Midlands only professional theatre in collaboration with the NiA Company, produces a classic drama by August Wilson – one of the nation’s most celebrated playwrights. A gripping and intensely moving evening in the theatre, Gem of the Ocean opens on the Trustus Main Stage on February 10 at 8:00pm, and runs through March 3^rd, 2012.

Gem of the Ocean is the first installment of August Wilson’s decade-by-decade ten-play chronicle dramatizing the African-American experience in the twentieth century. Gem of the Ocean launches audiences into Pittsburgh in 1904. Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old former slave, is a keeper of tradition and history for her people and a renowned cleanser of souls. The people who pass through her parlor and kitchen include Eli, Aunt Ester's protector; Black Mary, her housekeeper and protégé; Solly Two Kings, a former slave as well as a conductor on the Underground Railroad and scout for the Union Army; Black Mary's brother, Caesar, a constable; Rutherford Selig, a white peddler; and Citizen Barlow, a new arrival from down South who needs Aunt Ester to help him absolve the guilt and shame from a crime he's committed.

An incident at the local mill has ignited the African-American community. A black man was accused of stealing a bucket of nails. Rather than confessing to a crime he didn't commit, he jumped into the river and drowned. This has made him a martyr to his co-workers who have gone on strike and are rioting. Caesar, the local law enforcement official, is in the middle of it. He's arrested many people and shot one.

Against this turbulent backdrop Aunt Ester launches Citizen Barlow on a spiritual journey aboard the legendary slave ship, Gem of the Ocean, to the mythical City of Bones. There, Citizen begins to understand the story of his ancestors and faces the truth about his crime and the man he wronged.

Trustus Associate Artistic Director Dewey Scott-Wiley, known for her recent critically acclaimed performance as the fiery Barbara in August: Osage County; is at the helm of Gem of the Ocean as director. Scott-Wiley, no stranger to the work of August Wilson, wanted to bring this American classic to Columbia audiences. Trustus Theatre jumped at the opportunity to produce a piece of literature and the show found a home in the theatre’s 27^th season.

Joining with the popular NiA Company, Scott-Wiley collected an exciting cast of familiar and new faces to bring this show to the Main Stage. Playing the 285-year-old Aunt Ester is Jocelyn Sanders, known for both her directing and acting in many popular shows in Columbia. Trustus company members Jabar Hankins and Lonetta Thompson will be playing Eli and Black Mary respectively. NiA Artistic Director Darion McCloud will be playing Caesar Wilks. NiA Company members Rob McCue and Trustus newcomer Leonard Coaxum will be playing Rutherford Selig and Citizen Barlow. Gerald Hunt, technical director at Benedict College, will be taking the stage as Solly Two Kings. Undoubtedly this talented cast will bring all of the bravery and sensitivity necessary to tackle this classic by August Wilson. 

Gem of the Ocean opens on the Trustus Main Stage on Friday, February 10^th at 8:00pm and runs through Saturday, March 3rd, 2012. Shows on Thursdays start at 7:30pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm. Tickets are $20 on Thursdays, $22.50 on Fridays & Saturdays, and $17.50 on Sundays. Half-price student tickets are available 15 minutes prior to every curtain.

Trustus Theatre is located at 520 Lady Street, behind the Gervais St. Publix. Parking is available on Lady St. and on Pulaski St. The Main Stage entrance is located on the Publix side of the building.

For more information or reservations call the box office Tuesdays through Saturdays 1-6 pm at 803-254-9732. Visit www.trustus.org for all show information and season info.