For Immediate Release: October 31, 2005
Media Contact: Carol Murray, Philadelphia Theatre Workshop, 215.248.1304

Philadelphia Theatre Workshop announces the first show of its second season with “Swimming in the Shallows” by award winning playwright Adam Bock who was featured at the 29th annual Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Directed by Co-Artistic Director Bill Felty, produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc., Swimming in the Shallows is an offbeat romantic comedy, featuring five friends together navigating the complicated worlds of a lesbian wedding, the oppressive demands of a capitalist society and falling passionately in love with a shark.

Directing for the past 18 years with a masters degree in Theatre Directing, Felty directed Philadelphia Theatre Workshop’s inaugural production of Post-Coital Variations a highly successful first show for the company that sold-out six nights of its eight night run. Felty’s success as a director lies in his keen ability to identify quality scripts that tell captivating stories and cast the right people for the parts.

From designers to actors he recognizes the important contribution each person makes to the production. Demonstrated in Post-Coital Variations and now Swimming in the Shallows, Felty’s style of directing comedy is an organic process. His work entertains and charms audiences, by allowing the creativity of the actors, designers, playwright, and staff to transform the sometimes-bizarre milieu of a script’s characters, as they confront both the petty and the profound, into believable worlds of their own,. “One thing that is important to me is to surround myself with dedicated, creative people who I know care as much about the production as I do.” While staying true to the script Felty marks the work with his own artistic stamp noting, “The secret to comedy is that the characters involved should never realize that anything they do or say is funny.”

In addition to directing Bill Felty is the Casting Director for the Wilma Theater and he teaches acting classes at Walnut Street Theatre and Wilma Theater. Before his work with Philadelphia Theatre Workshop, he directed for the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the Philadelphia Gay/Lesbian Theatre Festival and the Walnut Street Theatre.

His latest project, Swimming in the Shallows stars Chris Fluck, Mike Hagan, Marie Howey, Aaryn Kopp, Polly MacIntyre, and Joe Nevin. Set design by Andrew Cowles, lighting design by Wayne Romanowski, original music and sound design by Greg Wilder, and costume design by Melissa Black. The Show opens November 19, 2005 at Walnut Street Theatre Studio Five. To reserve tickets and pay cash at the door call the box office at 215-635-2137. To buy online with credit card visit www.philadelphiatheatreworkshop.org.

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