The Process Theatre Company

Don’t Look at the Fat Lady
Written by Topher Payne
Directed by DeWayne Morgan

Above the Fold
Written by Topher Payne
Directed by DeWayne Morgan

At Onstage Atlanta’s Studio Stage

For Calendar Listings

The Process Theatre Company presents the remount of two plays from our spring 3 by Topher Festival. Two plays in one night written by one of Atlanta's most talented and prolific playwrights. ABOVE THE FOLD tells the tales of people who were on the periphery of highly publicized events. And DON’T LOOK AT THE FAT LADY is inspired by the true story of a Florida woman who “became her couch.” These shows run August 21 – September 13 at the OnStage Atlanta’s O2 space. Tickets are $17 - $20. Student and Senior Discounts Available. OnStage is located at 2597 N. Decatur Rd. Atlanta, GA 30033, call 404-245-4205 or visit processtheatre.tix.com for tickets.

Show: Above the Fold and
Don’t Look at the Fat Lady directed by DeWayne Morgan
Dates/Times: 8:00 August 21, 22, 23, 29, 30, September 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 2008
Dates/Times: 3:00 August 31, and September 7, 2008
Ticket Prices: $17 Thurs and Sunday performances
$20 Friday and Saturday performances
$3 Discounts available for students, seniors and military.
Box Office: 404-245-4205; processtheatre.tix.com

PHOTOS AND ARTWORK AVAILABLE, IF YOU NEED A HIGH RESOLUTION JPEG FOR YOUR PUBLICATION, PLEASE EMAIL FRANKIE EARLE AT tptpublicity@bellsouth.net OR CALL 404-245-4205.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTIONS

ABOUT Above the Fold
When one moment in your life captures the nation’s attention, what happens when the reporters are long-gone and the cameras have moved on to the next story? Above the Fold tells the tales of people who were on the periphery of these events: the stylist hired to prepare a woman in a persistent vegetative state for her TV debut; the pizza parlor co-workers of a high school shooter; a woman who lost a plastic surgery beauty pageant; and a boy who never went public about his encounter with a pop star known for his bizarre behaviors.

ABOUT Don’t Look at the Fat Lady
Meet Gloria Dickey, a delightful storyteller and observer of pop culture. Gloria once dreamed of opening her own “kinderkennel,” a day care facility for children and their pets. But that was before the freak accident, which led to her being confined to the sofa in her living room during her convalescence. Her weight ballooned to more than five hundred pounds, and now it’s been six years since she left the sofa. Inspired by the true story of a Florida woman who “became her couch,” Gloria attempts to answer the most common question about her life: How did this happen? In doing so, she shares her thoughts on God, love, family, Katie Couric, the Sex and the City finale, and a nation that loves food, but is terrified of fat.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Topher Payne’s plays Beached Wails (2002), Relations Unknown (2003), Cyrano (2004), Bad Mama (2005), and The Attala County Garden Club (2006) all premiered in Atlanta theatres with subsequent regional productions of Beached Wails and The Attala County Garden Club. His New York debut, Entertaining Lesbians (2004) was met with critical audience acclaim.
Since 2005 Atlanta readers have enjoyed Maybe It’s Just Me, his weekly column for David Magazine. The column details his own personal foibles and triumphs with, as Payne describes it, “rather embarrassing candor.” A compilation of the first two years of his columns, entitled Necessary Luxuries, will be released as a book in spring 2008. An audio version available on CD, featuring a cast of Atlanta actors, will coincide with the book’s release.
As an actor, Payne has appeared on numerous Atlanta stages, including starring in the World Premiere of Amy Wheeler’s Wizzer Pizzer, the southeastern premiere of Keith Bunin’s The Credeaux Canvas, and the Atlanta premiere of Del Shores’ Southern Baptist Sissies, which enjoyed a sold-out run in 2007. He starred in the film Str8 Chaser, which won the Audience award for the best short film at the 2006 Atlanta Out on Film Festival.
Topher Payne is a native of Kosciusko, Mississippi. He attended the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California, and was granted an honorary degree from the school in 2007, in recognition of his contributions to the arts. When not writing plays, his is the Director of Operations for MetroFresh Inc., the restaurant owned by actor/chef Mitchell Anderson. Payne lives in Decatur with his partner, Tommy Nixon. He will be donating all of his royalties from THREE BY TOPHER, as well as a portion of his book and CD sales, to Gilda’s Club Greater Atlanta.

THE CAST AND CREW

Above the Fold
Actor 1 – Jo Howarth
Actor 2 – Greg Morris
Actor 3 – Amanda Cucher

Don’t Look at the Fat Lady
Gloria – Jo Howarth

Director for Above the Fold – DeWayne Morgan
Director for Don’t Look at the Fat Lady – DeWayne Morgan
Costume Designer – Jane Koesig
Lighting for all shows – Nina Gooch