Born Yesterday

Hale Centre Theatre presents Born Yesterday

GILBERT, AZ (March 15, 2010).

Show Summary

Harry Brock (Don Crosby) is a business tycoon who goes to Washington trying to break into the "special interest" business with an ethically challenged senator (Chip Wood). He realizes his fiance, Billie Dawn (played by audience favorite, Alaina Beauloye), may need a makeover to fit his new inside-the-beltway image. To ensure that Billie gets properly "culturefied", Brock hires a Paul (Eric Thompson), a D.C. journalist, to give the seemingly dim-witted blonde a crash course in politics, history, literature, and of course- true love. This play from the Golden Age of comedy proves that times haven't changed.

Hale Theatre is proud to have Eric Thompson as Paul. Eric is a trained Shakespearian actor having just completed working in Los Angeles, and has recently moved to Mesa Arizona. He is an ariZoni Award nominated actor, who just recently appeared in Beau Jest here on our stage. He is also a writer and recently earned the Audience Choice Award and Best Short Comedy at the New York Independent International Film Festival. Eric was nominated as best actor and best writer in the regional film festival as Malvolio.

Hale audience favorite, Alaina Beauloye (Billie Dawn), has been acting professionally since she was a child. Alaina worked on Broadway in the 80's then took time off to come to Arizona where she met her husband. Alaina has appeared in numerous shows since the Hale Theatre opened, most recently Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, where she appeared in every performance, even after breaking her foot on opening night! Alaina also recently received an AriZoni nomination for Best Female Actress for the role of Anna in The King and I on our stage. Alaina does TV commercials, plays and film here in the Valley and hosts the local TV show Maricopa Now.

Don Crosby (Harry Brock) is excited to be playing the part of Brock in Born Yesterday. He is not a stranger to the Hale Centre Theatre. He has been seen here recently in Camelot and Lend Me a Tenor. Don can also be seen performing in other theatres around the valley. He plays piano & keyboard, writes music and has a B.A. in Theatre from Grand Canyon University. Don is the director of Heartlight Productions and Kids on Stage where he teaches acting, piano, and directs. Don would like to thank his family for their support …the Lord for the talent and opportunities, his son Matthew for always keeping him humble and reminding him what’s important in life, and D.C. for taking him to the moon.

The director, Allan Dietlein has directed numerous Hale Theatre hits, including The King and I, The Rainmaker, The Man With the Pointed Toes, Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Bare Foot in the Park, The Odd Couple and many others for which he has received Arizoni Awards. He is one of the founders of the Hale Theatre and was a long time producer, director and theater owner. Mr. Dietlein has received many awards and commendations for his work from Los Angeles theatre critics to Presidents Reagan and Clinton.

Background

Born Yesterday had a very successful run on Broadway, opening in February of 1946 and showing for 1,642 performances. It showcased Tony Award Winner Judy Holliday as Billie Dawn who later won an Academy Award for reprising her role in the 1950 film version.