Bad in Bed (A Fairy Tale)

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Steve Noll

Stacey Garbarski in "Bad in Bed: A Fairy Tale," 2023.

Stacey Garbarski in "Bad in Bed: A Fairy Tale," a Madison Theatre Guild and Madison College Performing Arts production, 2023.

This comedy by Madison-based playwright Karen Saari centers on one of those unrequited loves from college days that comes back to tease those in its thrall. Saari also wrote the book and co-wrote the lyrics to Ten Days in a Madhouse, produced by Music Theatre of Madison last year. Bad in Bed (A Fairy Tale) is part of World Premiere Wisconsin; Madison Theatre Guild and Madison College Performing Arts are collaborating for the first time. Shows are 7:30 p.m. on March 3-4 and 8-10, and 2 p.m. on March 5 and 11.

press release: MADISON COLLEGE PERFORMING ARTS and MADISON THEATRE GUILD present the world premiere of Karen Saari’s “Bad in Bed (A Fairy Tale)” at the Bartell Theatre, March 3-11.

Madison-based playwright Karen Saari’s plays have been produced and developed around the country. Her latest production happens a little closer to home. 

“Bad in Bed (A Fairy Tale)” is a romantic comedy about old friends, unrequited crushes and a Scandinavian sex curse. The story centers around Charles, whose third wife has just left him. He visits his best friend Jack to drown his sorrows. A surprise reunion with their college friend Betsy reveals a secret from their college days that Charles decides is the root of his problems.  

The play is directed by Allen Ebert, who also serves as Executive Director of Chidren’s Theatre of Madison. 

This is the first time Madison College Performing Arts has teamed with a local theatre organization on a production. The collaboration with Madison Theatre Guild offers students in the college’s Stage and Entertainment Certificate program the chance to work closely with an experienced technical team. 

The goal is to lead students to more hands-on experiences during and after this production.

Students and one alumna are filling critical roles as assistant director, lighting designer, wardrobe, properties assistant, stage crew and more. 

“Bad in Bed (A Fairy Tale)” had a developmental production with Acadiana Repertory Theatre of Lafayette, LA in 2018. It was also a semi-finalist for the 2021 Princess Grace Fellowship and the 2018 Garry Marshall New Works festival. This production gave Saari the nudge she needed to give the script some needed updates. 

And to share more of her work in her home city of Madison. Her work was most recently seen in August 2022 with Music Theatre of Madison’s commissioned production of Ten Days in a Madhouse, for which Saari wrote the book and co-lyrics with Jennifer Hedstrom (music and co-lyrics). 

The cast of local actors features Sam Weeks as Charles, Sarah Edlund as Betsy, Nick Kaprelian as Jack, Stacey Garbarski as Deb and Maya Wetherall as Annie Jo. 

Bad in Bed (A Fairy Tale) will be performed on the Evjue stage.

Tickets: $25. Wednesday is “Industry Night” with reduced prices ($20). Discounts are available to groups of 10 or more.