Photo by Rodney Smith/Tempus Fugit Design
Set in 1975, Capital Liar opens with Sylvester Goodwin’s business woes. As owner and reporter for The Capital Liar, a failing tabloid newspaper in Washington, DC, Sylvester is hoping for a miracle to prevent his paper from going under. When a miracle walks in through the door, however, it seems too good to be true. Join The Magnetic Theatre for the world premiere of the hilarious comic noir, Capital Liar, as it opens July 9 and runs through July 30.
This is the first full-length work by Peter Lundblad, a member of the local No Regets Improv troupe who is no stranger to The Magnetic Theatre. He has appeared in a number of Magnetic productions, including Pinocchio, The Caro Savanti Experience, and Tartuffe, as well as contributed in writing the Bernstein Family Christmas Spectacular for several years. An original one-act he wrote was recently performed in Brief Encounters.
The play is a “seriocomic noir” that centers on heavy themes such as McCarthyism, propaganda, news as entertainment, and honesty in relationships and with oneself. “But,” Rodney says, “These are all covered with a decidedly comedic spin.”
A huge fan of the silver screen comedies of the ’40s and ’50s, Rodney says there is a tempo and approach to material that you rarely see anymore. “For years, I have been trying to figure out how to bring the ‘front page’ to the stage. So when I saw this script, it was like a dream come true. Peter perfectly captured this style of comedy, from the colorful characters to the spot-on rhythm of the banter.”
Magnetic 375 is located at 375 Depot Street in the River Arts District in Asheville. Tickets for preview shows on July 7–8 are $16 advance, $19 at the door. Tickets for regular shows are $21 in advance $24 at the door, and $10 student rush tickets are available (with student ID) 15 minutes before each show. Opening night is Saturday, July 9. Performances run Thursday through Saturday, July 14–30. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. nightly. To learn more, visit themagnetictheatre.org.
