OUR AMERICAN COUSIN at Parson’s Nose Theater

Our American Cousin By Tom Taylor and Adapted by Lance Davis October 19 - November 10, 2019 Preview on October 18

PHOTO: PNT | South Pasadena News | Christina Carlisi and Lance Davis in PNT's Our American Cousin

Parson’s Nose Theater (PNT) opens the 2019/2020 season with the classic comedy, ​Our American Cousin. ​ A hit comedy/melodrama, it has all the melodramatic elements of popular shows like ​Downton Abbey. The refined, British, Trenchards are invaded by a “hick” Yankee who’s inherited the family estate. Perhaps there’s more to this rogue than meets the eye.

Chiefly remembered as being tied to the tragic night of Abraham Lincoln’s death, Tom Taylor was a very popular British playwright who wrote some of the most successful comedy/melodramas of the mid 1800s, including ​Our American Cousin.

PHOTO: PNT | South Pasadena News | Mary Chalon, Barry Gordon, and Paul Perri in Our American Cousin on stage at Parson’s Nose Theater

That night will live in infamy, and for many will understandably overshadow every discussion of the play. “What I’ve tried to do in adapting ​Our American Cousin ​ for PNT is to shine a light on the work itself,” says Davis, “Allowing Mr. Taylor’s wonderful little family comedy to play again — to its delightful conclusion.”

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Tickets for ​Our American Cousin ​ range from $20 to $35 and are available online at parsonsnose.org ​or by calling the Box Office at (626) 403-7667. This production is ​family-friendly​. Recommended for children ​ages 9 and up.

A “Pay What You Will” Preview performance is available on Friday, October 18 at 8:00 pm.

ABOUT TOM TAYLOR

Tom Taylor was a very popular British playwright who wrote some of the most successful comedy/melodramas of the mid 1800s, including a Broadway hit commissioned by Laura Keane, a British actress and theater owner, featuring herself and other stars of the American and British stages. He is chiefly remembered as being tied to the tragic death of Abraham Lincoln just days after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Taylor’s body of work has been largely forgotten, although several survived into the 20th century, his most famous being ​Our American Cousin.

ABOUT PARSON’S NOSE THEATER

​Located in Pasadena’s historic Marston/Van Pelt chapel near City Hall, Parson’s Nose Theater performs condensed classic adaptations that present the language, characters, plot and spirit of the world’s greatest writers – not only Shakespeare, but Molière, Goldoni, Goldsmith, Boucicault – the most revered writers of Western Literature.

Since April 2000, co-founders Lance Davis and Mary Chalon have introduced condensed, professional comedies to the delight of over 70,000 Angelenos. PNT is the only company in America devoted to this new way of experiencing the classics. PNT productions are intelligent and fun, reaching out to adults, seniors, teens, and bright youngsters. Performances are condensed to a 90 minutes-or-less format, including an intermission featuring refreshments and the famous, home-baked “Pat Bell” cookies.