Announcing: The Blank Theatre Presents ‘Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers’ – Opening April 27

THE BLANK THEATRE PRESENTS
PETER PAN: THE BOY WHO HATED MOTHERS
BY MICHAEL LLUBERES
BASED ON PETER AND WENDY BY JM BARRIE
DIRECTED BY 2012 OVATION AWARD-WINNER MICHAEL MATTHEWS

WEST COAST PREMIERE
AT THE BLANK’S 2nd STAGE THEATRE
OPENS APRIL 27
EXTENDED THROUGH JUNE 16
NOW EXTENDED THROUGH JUNE 30
EXTENDED THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 28
FINAL EXTENSION THROUGH AUGUST 18

The Blank Theatre (Daniel Henning, Founding Artistic Director; Noah Wyle, Artistic Producer) has announced that casting is complete and rehearsals are underway for Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers by Michael Lluberes, directed by 2012 Ovation Award-winner Michael Matthews. Previews begin April 20, and opening is Saturday, April 27 at 8pm. The engagement will run through June 2 is extended through June 16 June 30 July 28 August 18.

This radically fresh retelling of the JM Barrie classic explores the original ideas and inspirations behind the iconic fantasy of Peter Pan. Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers is a dark new retelling of the story of the boy who wouldn’t grow up. This is ‘Peter Pan’ as you have never seen it before, but how it was always meant to be told. “This dark, disturbing, yet magical adaptation based on JM Barrie’s original ideas behind Peter Pan is one of the most thrilling scripts I have read in years,” said The Blank Artistic Director Henning. “Michael Lluberes’ adaptation and Michael Matthews’ visionary direction are a perfect match. I am excited for our audiences to experience Peter Pan as they have never experienced it before.”

Playwright Michael Lluberes’ other plays include The Boy in the Bathroom and The Geranium on the Windowsill Just Died. He has directed productions of Twelfth Night, Nighttime Traffic, and 1,000 Cats. Lluberes is also an actor, having appeared in the National Tour of Dirty Dancing, and Off Broadway in American Dreams: Lost and Found, Pudd’nhead Wilson, The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, and Heaven Knows. He is the recipient of The American Harmony Prize, an NEA New Artist Initiative Award, and Hambidge and Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Fellowships. He is a graduate of The North Carolina School of the Arts, a member of The Acting Company, Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and The Dramatists Guild. www.MichaelLluberes.com.

Michael Matthews directed the 2012 intimate theatre premiere of The Color Purple, The Musical, which won six Ovation Awards, including Best Director of a Musical. Also in 2012, his production of What’s Wrong With Angry? was Ovation Award-nominated, including Best Director of a Play. Matthews is the winner of two 2011 NAACP Image Awards for his direction of The Women of Brewster Place and Take Me Out, both at Celebration Theatre. He has directed The Blank’s productions of The Santaland Diaries, The Jazz Age and The Temperamentals. His most recent production, Wolves by Steve Yockey, is now running at Celebration Theatre. www.MichaelMatthewsDirector.com.

The cast of Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers will feature (in alphabetical order) Liza Burns, Benjamin Campbell, Jackson Evans, David Hemphill, Trisha LaFache, Amy Lawhorn, and Daniel Shawn Miller. Set design is by Mary Hamrick, lighting design is by Zack Lapinski and Tim Swiss, costume design is by Kellsy MacKilligan, and sound design is by Rebecca Kessin. The stage manager is Rebecca Eisenberg; Sarah Bauer and Stephen Moffatt serve as producers.

Preview performances of Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers begin on Saturday, April 20 at 8pm, and continue Sunday, April 21 at 2pm, and Tuesday through Friday, April 23 — 26, at 8pm. Opening is set for Saturday, April 27 at 8pm. The regular performance schedule will continue on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and Sunday at 2pm, through June 2 now through June 16 June 30 July 28 August 18. All seats are $30, and may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com, or via phone by calling (323) 661-9827.

The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre is located at 6500 Santa Monica Boulevard (at Wilcox), in Hollywood.

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03-13-13

^{Cast of Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers at The Blank Theatre, with director Michael Matthews. PHOTO BY MATT GRABER.
L to R (front): David Hemphill, Amy Lawhorn, Trisha LaFache, Liza Burns, Daniel Shawn Miller, Michael Matthews.
L to R (back): Jackson Evans, Benjamin Campbell.}

Announcing: Impro Theatre Presents ‘Jane Austen UnScripted: The Cross-Dress Version’ for Two Performances Only

IMPRO THEATRE
PRESENTS
JANE AUSTEN UNSCRIPTED:
THE CROSS-DRESS VERSION

TWO UNIQUE PERFORMANCES
IN WHICH THE BOYS PLAY GIRLS AND THE GIRLS PLAY BOYS
SATURDAY, MARCH 9 AT 10:30PM & SUNDAY, APRIL 7 AT 7PM

Impro Theatre, now mid-way through its return engagement of Jane Austen Unscripted at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre in Pasadena, directed by Dan O’Connor and Paul Rogan, will present The Cross-Dress Version, two unique performances in which the boys play girls and the girls play boys, on Saturday, March 9 at 10:30pm and Sunday, April 7 at 7pm.

“During a previous run of Jane Austen Unscripted, we had the crazy notion of performing our show for one night cross-dressed … girls playing boys, and boys playing girls,” said Dan O’Connor, Impro Theatre Artistic Director. “The result was absolute hilarity, and has been much discussed and requested since. We are delighted to bring back the idea for two shows only in the midst of our regular run in Pasadena.”

Jane Austen Unscripted is a completely improvised comedic play in the style of beloved author Jane Austen. The cast of Impro Theatre creates and performs a never before seen, all new, Jane Austen story right before the audience’s eyes. The entire performance is based on audience suggestion, so every show is totally unique. The essence of Austen’s beloved, timeless romantic comedies and social satires is brought to life by the expert team of funny and gifted actors that are Impro Theatre.

The cast is a rotating ensemble, including (in alphabetical order) Impro company members Tracy Burns, Kari Coleman, Lisa Fredrickson, Brian Jones, Stephen Kearin, Lauren Lewis, Brian Lohmann, Nick Massouh, Jo McGinley, Dan O’Connor, Edi Patterson, Paul Rogan, Michele Spears, and Floyd Van Buskirk. The Jane Austen Unscripted cast also features guest artists, including (in alphabetical order) Josh Dean, Kelly Holden, Rebecca Lowman, Mike Rock, and Patty Wortham. Set and costume design are by Sandra Burns, and lighting design is by Leigh Allen.

Impro Theatre is an Unscripted Repertory Company that has brought innovative, unscripted theatre to Los Angeles and the world. The company’s goal is to take core narrative and style elements of great playwrights and writers, and create a new play using no more than the essence of an author’s work and an audience suggestion. Most recently, unscripted explorations of great literary figures has included Shakespeare, Dickens, Stephen Sondheim, and Tennessee Williams. For more, visit www.ImproTheatre.com.

Critical reaction for Impro Theatre’s work has included the following praise: “First rate comedians … breathtaking wit …” (LA Weekly); “Quite unbelievable, actually … an amazing comedy troupe spins an entire play into comedy gold right before your eyes … a stunning feat of performance …” (Los Angeles Times); “Ingenuity, imagination, and hilarity … improv artists at the top of their field … must-see theatre …” (StageSceneLA.com); and “Comic gold … a delectably smart, tasty treat.” (San Diego News Network)

The run of Jane Austen Unscripted continues through April 14 only. The performance schedule is Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Admission is $25 for regular performances, and $30 for the two Cross-Dress performances on March 9 and April 7. Student and senior discounts are available. Tickets may be purchased online at www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org, or by calling (626) 356-7529.

The Carrie Hamilton Theatre is located upstairs at The Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Avenue, in Pasadena, 91101.

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03-04-13

Ben Rimalower / Patti Issues (LAArtsOnline.com)