THE HUNGER ARTISTS THEATRE COMPANY, FULLERTON, CA

December 5th through December 21st, 2008

FULLERTON, CA – The Hunger Artists Theatre Company is proud to present the final show of its 2008 season, Flying Spaghetti Monster: The Holy Mug Of Grog. This follow-up to Hunger Artists’ 2006 hit comedy The Flying Spaghetti Monster Holiday Pageant is written by Artistic Director Jeremy Gable and directed by Associate Managing Director Katie Chidester, and runs from December 5th through December 21st.

The Holy Mug Of Grog centers around Travis Greenwell, an ordinary Subway employee who is known for his love of religious debate. However, debate suddenly turns into adventure when he finds himself on a quest for the last relic of Flying Spaghetti Monsterism: the Holy Mug of Grog. This mug, which belonged to the first midget on earth during The Last Barbecue, has been reported to be unearthed, and it is up to Greenwell, the rumored next prophet of Pastafarianism, to track it down and keep it safe.

Helping him on his journey are a European-accented co-worker, an Ian McKellan-esque professor, a beautiful flight attendant and the last two pirates on earth. What they will uncover is a conspiracy so labyrinth and fantastic, it almost seems to be reminiscent of other religious quest adventures like The Da Vinci Code and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Almost.

Chidester has assembled a cast of some of Hunger Artists’ most talented company members, many of whom are praciting Pastafarians, including Leonard Joseph Dunham, Anthony Galleran, Duncan Hutchinson, Scott Keister, Jessica Lynch, Topher Mauerhan, Garrett T. McDonald, Amber Scott, Kaitlyn Tice and Maile Walker.

Christina Acero will serve as Stage Manager for the production, as well as provide its Sound Design. Set design is by Andrew Vonderschmitt, with Scenic Painting by Antonio Swagler. Costume design is by Margaret McGurr. Prop Design is by David Yu.

Flying Spaghetti Monsterism is currently the world’s fastest growing religion. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was started by Bobby Henderson in 2005 when he wrote a letter protesting the Kansas School Board’s decision to include Intelligent Design in the Science curriculum. The letter specified the religion’s origins and beliefs, and threatened legal action if the religion was not taught in schools. It became an Internet phenomenon, spawning a gospel, several knock-off religions, a multitude of merchandise and, of course, a Holiday show.

Playwright Jeremy Gable is the Artistic Director of the Hunger Artists Theater Company. He penned the show’s predecessor, The Flying Spaghetti Monster Holiday Pageant. For Hunger Artists, he has also written Re: Woyzeck, Marat.Sade (Nominee – OC Weekly Theater Award – Best New Play) and pieces for Hunger Artists’ 24 Hour Theater and Dead Letter Office festivals.

“Religion was always a very slippery slope for me, without any answers that I could latch onto,” says Gable. “However, when I heard about Flying Spaghetti Monsterism, it seemed to make the most sense. Its principles are simple - have fun, don’t do anything stupid or mean, love pasta – and its heaven contains a beer volcano and a stripper factory. I was instantly hooked, and I’ve been sharing His Noodlyness’ words ever since.”

Director Katie Chidester is the Associate Artistic Director of the Hunger Artists Theater Company. She directed the world premieres of The Flying Spaghetti Monster Holiday Pageant, The Lutz Radio Show and Emily Brauer’s Searching For Americana, the Orange County premiere of Neil Labute’s bash: latter-day plays (Nomination - OC Weekly Theater Award - Best Production), as well as for Hunger Artists’ Dead Letter Office festival.

“After the success of the first show, it seemed natural to put up another production to continue spreading the sacred word,” says Chidester. “And I’m excited to be working with Jeremy again, mainly because this means that now all debts have been paid off. Seriously, that guy holds a grudge!”

Performances of Flying Spaghetti Monster: The Holy Mug Of Grog will take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 7 pm, with a special performance on Thursday, December 18th at 8 pm. General admission tickets are $18; senior and students (with valid ID) may purchase tickets for $15. Tickets for the Thursday performance are $5. Patrons may purchase tickets online by visiting our website (www.hungerartists.com). To reserve tickets by phone, please call 714.680.6803.

For more information about Flying Spaghetti Monster: The Holy Mug Of Grog or the Hunger Artists Theatre Company’s upcoming 13th season, please visit www.hungersartists.com. For more information on the Flying Spaghetti Monster, visit the official website at www.venganza.org. Programming, dates and times are subject to change.

FACT SHEET

The Hunger Artists Theatre Company presents Flying Spaghetti Monster: The Holy Mug of Grog

Written by Jeremy Gable

Directed by Katie Chidester

December 5 – December 21, 2008

CAST

Leonard Joseph Dunham………Narrator

Anthony Galleran………………Customer/Dr. Chidester

Duncan Hutchinson…………….Norman/Male Pilot/Plumber

Scott Keister……………………Hooded Figure/Midget/Chauffeur/D.I.

Jessica Lynch…………………..Sylvia Sylvstajga

Topher Mauerhan………………Shamus

Garrett T. McDonald……………Travis Greenwell

Amber Scott…………………….Bonnie

Kaitlyn Tice……………………..Apostle/Stewardess Katie

Maile Walker…………………….Female Pilot/Guard

Benjamin Hollingsworth III…….Judy Tenuta/Existentialism/Yo Mama

DATES: December 5 – December 21, 2008

Special performance on Thursday, December 18

Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.; Sundays at 7:00 p.m.

Thursday Performance at 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: The Hunger Artists Theatre Company

699-A South State College Boulevard, Fullerton, CA 92831

located between Orangethorpe and Commonwealth in the

Trico College Business Park, just off the 91 and 57 freeways

TICKETS: $18 general admission; $15 for seniors/students with ID; $5 general admission - Thursday Performance

PHONE: 714.680.6803

WEBSITE: www.hungerartists.com

PARKING: Free

ADVISABLE CONTENT: Adult language, goofy violence and religious satire

[Previous counter-protest to Westboro event. Photo cred - Brian Chilson]

This Friday, November 28th, 7pm-8pm, at the Havana Theatre in Vancouver, B.C., there will be a Pastafarian counter-protest to the Westboro Baptist Church protest at the same location.

For those who do not know, Westboro Baptist Church is a hate group out of Kansas, best known for picketing funerals of soldiers killed in the Iraq War. From wikipedia:

The church runs numerous websites such as GodHatesFags.com, GodHatesAmerica.com and others expressing condemnation of homosexuality, Roman Catholics, Muslims and Jews, as well as populations it believes are supporting the aforementioned groups, including Chinese, Swedes, Canadians, Irish, British, Mexicans and Americans.

A few weeks ago, the Central Arkansas Pastafarians staged a counter-protest to another Westboro Baptist Church event, causing it to be cancelled. The picture, above, is from this counter-protest. Read more about it here.

Please come if you can, and help put these assholes in their place. Please be civil, we are simply countering their protest with one of our own - don’t get arrested or cause bad press for Pastafarians.

Please spread the word. Dress in pirate regalia if you can. Take pictures.

What: Pastafarian Counter-Protest to Westboro Baptist Church hate event.

Where: The Havana Theatre in Vancouver, B.C.
1212 Commercial Drive Vancouver, British Columbia

Contact: Pastafarian Ben - he is the man behind this operation. You can reach him at: tremblay47@gmail.com

*NOTE*

What exactly is the Westboro Baptist Church protesting? On Friday, the Havana Theatre in Vancouver is staging a play called The Laramie Project. The Laramie Project is about the reaction to the murder of a gay student named Matthew Shepard in 1998. Matthew Shepard was beaten to death by a hate group because he was gay. He was tortured, tied to a fence and left to die. The Westboro Baptist Church contends the actions were justified and is protesting the play.

In their press release for this event, WBC says “Matt Shepard has been in Hell now for ten years, with eternity left to go on his sentence - without appeal, parole, or time off for good behavior. All else about Matt is trivial and irrelevant. You may join him soon. Deal with it.”

So, who’s coming to ruin Westboro Baptist Church’s day?

Important message from the comments:

If anyone does go, be very careful - Phelps LOVES to antagonize people into physically attacking him and/or his followers, and then sues the hell out of them.

My friend was at the rally against Prop.8 in florida and spotted his noodley appendages on a sign
-Ryan