Press Release — Queer Classics Presents ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ at HWD Fringe Festival – Five Perfs Only

QUEER CLASSICS PRESENTS

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
BY OSCAR WILDE
DIRECTED BY CASEY KRINGLEN

AT 2014 HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL
FIVE PERFORMANCES ONLY
JUNE 7, 14, 15, 19, 22
LET LIVE THEATRE AT THE ACTORS COMPANY

Queer Classics re-imagines one of the most popular comedic plays ever written — Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest by presenting the four lovers in the story as dashing gay men. Director Casey Kringlen brings this sassy comedy to the Hollywood Fringe Festival for five performances only at the Let Live Theatre at The Actors Company beginning Saturday, June 7 at 8:30pm.

Two couples fight for the right to be engaged in this masterful satire written by Oscar Wilde, arrested in 1895 for “gross indecency with men.” This timeless story galavants through a world obsessed with appearances, money and social-status. The parallels with today’s Hollywood culture make for searing fun, and by presenting the four lovers as gay men, Queer Classics presents the play in a more hysterically fabulous fashion than Wilde could have imagined possible in his lifetime.

Performance dates and times are as follows — Saturday 6/7 at 8:30pm (press preview); Saturday 6/14 at 3:30pm; Sunday 6/15 at 5:30pm; Thursday 6/19 at 8:30pm; and Sunday 6/22 at 11am. Running time is 90 minutes.

The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Eric DeLoretta, Jeff Elam, Grant Jordan, Nancy La Scala, Mason McCulley, Philip Orazio, Boone Platt, and Megan Soule. The production lighting designer is Dan Weingarten.

Director Casey Kringlen most recently conceived and directed an “Equal Love” version of Romeo and Juliet, a production that workshopped in New Orleans and premiered in downtown LA this past February. Among other projects, he directed LA’s first production of Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol at six01 Studios in December 2012, and The Hereafter, a movement piece exploring death, burial rites, and earthly release at The Satellite and in the 2012 Hollywood Fringe.

Queer Classics is dedicated to sharing classic stories re-imagined through a queer lens — art for the LGBTQ community and its supporters. This production of Earnest is part of the City of West Hollywood’s One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival, which this year celebrates marriage equality and runs May 22 — June 30. To see a full roster of events please visit www.weho.org/pride.

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is an annual, open-access, community-derived event celebrating freedom of expression and collaboration in the performing arts community. Each June during the Hollywood Fringe, the arts infiltrate the Hollywood neighborhood: fully equipped theaters, parks, clubs, churches, restaurants and other unexpected places host hundreds of productions by local, national, and international arts companies and independent performers.

Tickets for the Queer Classics production of The Importance of Being Earnest are $10 for all performances and may be obtained online at www.hollywoodfringe.org or by phone at (323) 455-4585.

The Let Live Theatre at the Actors Company is located at 916 N. Formosa Avenue in Los Angeles, 90036. Street and lot parking are available.

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05-05-14

Press Release — Candice Guardino is ‘Italian Bred’ – Opens May 29 at Hudson Theatre Mainstage

CANDICE GUARDINO
IS
ITALIAN BRED

12 PERFORMANCES ONLY
AT THE HUDSON THEATRE
MAY 29 — JUNE 29

Writer, actor, and storyteller Candice Guardino will bring her new solo show Italian Bred to the Hudson Theatre Mainstage for 12 performances only, it was announced today by Bull by the Horns Productions. Directed by Donna Drake, Italian Bred will play one preview on Wednesday, May 28 at 2pm and opening is set for Thursday, May 29 at 8pm. The limited engagement will run through June 29.

Candice Guardino makes her Los Angeles debut with this funny and heartwarming solo show, sharing personal stories and singing iconic songs while impersonating various members of her family. Additionally, the show includes virtual celebrity appearances from Mario Cantone, Steve Schirripa, Emmy Award-winner Leslie Jordan, Vic DiBitetto (Mall Cop), and more. Combined with the nostalgic scent of Sunday dinner, Italian Bred will remind audiences of their own unique upbringing and unforgettably funny childhood memories.

Guardino was born in Brooklyn, NY and earned her BA in Musical Theatre at Wagner College on Staten Island. During her career on the NY stage, she has written screenplays, dramas, sketch comedies, and sitcoms. Favorite roles include That Other Woman’s Child, Worlds Away, Gypsy, West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, and Antigone. Guardino has performed with UCB in both Los Angeles and New York. She is also a licensed Core Fusion and Pilates instructor.

The lighting design for Italian Bred is by Jason Fassl, David Dabbon serves as musical supervisor, and the stage manager is Jen Bendik. For further show info, please visit www.italianbredshow.com.

Italian Bred will play one preview performance on Wednesday, May 28 at 2pm and opening is set for Thursday, May 29 at 8pm. The regular running schedule is Tuesday and Thursday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm through June 29 only (curtain time on Sunday 6/8 is 7pm). Tickets are $25 for front row seating and $20 for general seating and are available online at www.plays411.com/italianbred or by phone at (323) 960-7774. The Hudson Theatre is located at 6539 Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood, 90038. Street parking is available.

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05-01-14

Press Release — Kate Rubin’s ‘Why I Died, a Comedy!’ – Five Perfs Only at 2014 Hollywood Fringe Festival

WHY I DIED, A COMEDY!
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY
KATIE RUBIN
AT 2014 THE HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL
FIVE PERFORMANCES ONLY
JUNE 7, 14, 20, 27, 29

Actor, writer, and comedienne Katie Rubin will bring her fourth solo show, Why I Died, a Comedy! to the Hollywood Fringe Festival for five performances only at the Elephant Space beginning June 7 at 8pm. Directed by Victor Bumbalo, Why I Died, a Comedy! recently enjoyed an acclaimed engagements at the Hudson and Atwater Village Theatres and Rubin continues her work with director Bumbalo to hone the writing and sharpen the performance.

Why I Died … is Rubin’s tale of navigating a deep spiritual awakening in the face of a hilariously pushy producer, an intense writing deadline, the uncontrollable nature of her own imagination, a codependent mugger, pop stars, reality TV, infomercials, and a bevy of “false prophets.” Through the voices of 10 comedic characters, Rubin chronicles her attempt to create and evolve simultaneously. Will her spiritual and creative efforts merge? Or will she have to give up one for the other?

Performance dates and times are as follows — Saturday 6/7 at 8pm (press preview); Saturday 6/14 at 4:30pm; Friday 6/20 at 10pm; Friday 6/27 at 7pm; and Sunday 6/29 at 6:30pm.

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is an annual, open-access, community-derived event celebrating freedom of expression and collaboration in the performing arts community. Each June during the Hollywood Fringe, the arts infiltrate the Hollywood neighborhood: fully equipped theaters, parks, clubs, churches, restaurants and other unexpected places host hundreds of productions by local, national, and international arts companies and independent performers.

Writer/Performer Katie Rubin began her career at Amherst College with her first original piece, PartyBoobyTrap. Her second play, Avoiding Less Blue, was produced in the 2000 New York Fringe Festival. Rubin’s first original solo show, Insides OUT!, toured to venues across the country. In 2010, Sacramento’s Capital Stage Theater Company commissioned her to complete her second theatrical solo show, Amazing and Sage, and shortly thereafter she completed her third solo piece, My Spiritual Death, a Comedy Show! with which Rubin has been touring for the past three years to venues in California, New Mexico, Colorado, and Florida. In addition to performing and writing original material, Rubin also works as a regional theatre actress and director.

Director Victor Bumbalo is also a playwright whose work has been produced worldwide and translated into five languages. His plays include Adam and the Experts, Niagara Falls, What Are Tuesdays Like?, Tell, and Questa. Bumbalo is the recipient of an Ingram Merrill Award for Playwriting. He has written for several popular television series including NYPD Blue, American Gothic, Relativity, and HBO’s Spawn. His short film Two Boys has recently appeared in several major film festivals. At the 2011 Beverly Hills Shorts Film Festival his film won the Jury Award for Best Drama. Bumbalo also won Best Director at the 2012 Raleigh Studios ITN Distribution Film Festival.

Tickets for Why I Died, a Comedy! go on sale May 1 and may be obtained online at www.hollywoodfringe.org or by phone at (323) 455-4585.

The Elephant Space is located at 6322 Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood, 90038. Street and lot parking are available.

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05-01-14