Press - You, Nero

YOU, NERO
by Amy Freed
directed by Sharon Ott
January 4 - 25, 2009
Segerstrom Stage

Nero fiddled while Rome burned, but who could have imagined the back story?  Only Pulitzer Prize finalist Amy Freed, whose comic take on historical events is nothing short of inspired.  SCR audiences will never forget Beard of Avon, her hilarious romp back to Stratford-Upon-Avon to consider who might have been front man for Shakespeare, a comedy that, according to CurtainUp “would probably amuse the great wordsmith himself—whoever he might be.”  In this comic take on an infamous historical event, Nero decides to add a little fun to bleak times by commissioning a play.  The Story of Me (or I, Nero) could be the Colosseum’s biggest hit ever—if its hapless author lives to tell the tale.

Click on photos for 300 dpi 5x7 versions.

Danny Scheie, left, and Kasey Mahaffy in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan. 4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.		l(. to r.) Richard Doyle, Lori Larsen and Hal Landon Jr. in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan. 4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.

Caralyn Kozlowski and John Vickery in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan. 4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.		(l. to r.) Richard Doyle, John Vickery and Danny Scheie in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan. 4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.		Kasey Mahaffy, left, and Danny Scheie in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan .4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.

Hal Landon Jr., left, and John Vickery in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan. 4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.		(l. to r.) John Vickery, Richard Doyle and Danny Scheie in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan. 4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.

John Vickery as Scribonius in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan. 4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.		Danny Scheie is Nero in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan. 4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.

John Vickery, left and Danny Scheie in the world premiere of Amy Freed's You, Nero, at South Coast Repertory Jan. 4 - 25. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.

Playwright Amy Freed.		Director Sharon Ott.