PRESS RELEASE — ALL NEW PRODUCTION OF “THE SANTALAND DIARIES” AT WORKING STAGE THEATER — 12 PERFS ONLY

THE SANTALAND DIARIES
RETURNS TO LOS ANGELES

ALL NEW PRODUCTION STARRING MATT CRABTREE

DIRECTED BY DEIDRA EDWARDS

OPENING SET FOR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 AT 8PM

Aggramomic Productions, D&ME Productions LLC and Brenda Davidson have announced and all new production of The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris. Starring Matt Crabtree and directed by Deidra Edwards. Santaland begins performances on Thursday, December 4 at 8pm and opening is set for Friday, December 5 at 8pm at the Working Stage Theater in Los Angeles.

The Santaland Diaries is an outrageously funny solo play by NPR’s well-loved humorist David Sedaris about his experiences as a 33-year-old unemployed writer who takes a job as a Christmas elf at Macy’s in New York City. The show recounts all of his exploits with hysterical tales of being in the Customer Service industry during one of the most anticipated and emotionally charged holidays of the year. For those who like a little spice with their Christmas sugar, this tale of mass marketing, stressed out sales clerks, drunk Santas, screaming kids and the general insanity of the holidays is hilarious, sardonic and unpredictable, mercilessly cutting through the Christmas spirit to point out the crazy things human beings do during the holidays. Cycling through 50 characters in 65 minutes, The Santaland Diaries is a wild ride of sarcasm and wit that is at times funny and at times touching and will leave the hearts of audience members filled with joy.

Matt Crabtree started his career on the first National Tour of She Loves Me. Los Angeles theatre credits include Doctor Anonymous, The Homosexuals, Epic Proportions, Mommie Queerest, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Frank Zappa’s Joe’s Garage, and 175 performances of The Book of Liz by Amy and David Sedaris. On TV: Modern Family, Masters of Sex, Bones, NCIS, Monday Mornings, Grey’s Anatomy, and Will & Grace, among others. Films include Jamesy Boy, Fast and the Furious: Supercharged, The 41-Year-Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall, and Felt Superbad About It. Crabtree created the web series Failing Upwards and he is a TOSCAR Golden Fist winner for his portrayal of Joaquin Phoenix as Ted in the Best TOSCAR parody Terminate Her.

Deidra Edwards just returned from the Guthrie Theater where she assistant directed A Steady Rain for Steppenwolf Theatre Company co-founder Jeff Perry. The Santaland Diaries marks her Los Angeles theatre directing debut. As an actress, she starred in the critically acclaimed Los Angeles revival of Neil LaBute’s Fat Pig. Starring in the award-winning indie feature Disfigured she received an award specifically created for her performance by the Women Film Critics Circle “to recognize Deidra Edwards for redefining conventional standards of female physical beauty and pride on screen, and promoting positive images of big bodied women.”

The scenic design for The Santaland Diaries is by David Mauer, lighting design is by Amanda Mauer, and the stage manager is Daniel Coronel.

Performances begin on Thursday, December 4 at 8pm and opening is set for Friday, December 5 at 8pm. The regular running schedule is Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm through December 21 only. All tickets are $25 ($20 with unwrapped toy donation for “Spark of Love” Toy Drive) and may be purchased online at www.santaland2014.brownpapertickets.com or by calling (800) 838-3006. The Working Stage Theater is located at 1516 N. Gardner Street in Los Angeles, 90046.

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11-12-14

PRESS RELEASE — COEURAGE THEATRE COMPANY PARTNERS WITH SILVER LAKE FOOD PANTRY

COEURAGE THEATRE COMPANY
AND ITS PRODUCTION OF TREY PARKER’S
CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL
PARTNER WITH
SILVER LAKE FOOD PANTRY

Coeurage Theatre Company (Jeremy Lelliott, Artistic Director; Nicole Monet, Managing Director), LA’s ‘Pay What You Want’ Company, has announced a partnership with Silver Lake Food Pantry, a community food bank serving the Silver Lake area, during the run of Trey Parker’s Cannibal! The Musical at the Lyric-Hyperion Theatre. Coeurage’s ongoing goal is to expand the reach of its productions outside the walls of the theatre and into the community that the company serves.

Each Friday night for the remainder of the Cannibal! run has been designated ‘Food Bank Friday’ when audience members may bring non-perishable foods to the theatre, all of which will be delivered directly to the Food Pantry. Donors will receive a pair of tickets to the first Coeurage Theatre production of 2015. In addition, Cannibal! cast members, company members, and friends of Coeurage will be volunteering on Wednesday, November 12 and Wednesday, November 19 to hand out food at the Pantry. Those interested in participating should send an email to Coeurage Marketing & Development Associate Katie Pelensky at katiep @ coeurage.org.

The Coeurage Theatre Company production of Cannibal! The Musical has received unanimous critical raves. Says Ryan McRee of neontommy.com, “Coeurage Theatre Company’s production of Cannibal! The Musical is a true thrill for anyone who wants to see what barebones theatre can do.” Ellen Dostal at BroadwayWorld.com says, “… a surprisingly satisfying musical comedy about people eating dead people and singing and dancing while they do it. If you’ve got a sense of humor and don’t mind a little gore, you’re gonna love it.” And from Travis Michael Holder at ArtsInLA.com, “… there’s not a moment of this wonderfully silly musical treat that won’t make you howl with laughter.”

The remaining performances of Cannibal! The Musical are as follows — Fridays, November 14 and 21 at 8pm and Saturdays, November 15 and 22 at 8pm and midnight. All seats are available on a ‘Pay What You Want’ basis and may be reserved online at www.coeurage.org/tickets or by calling (323) 944-2165.

The Lyric-Hyperion Theatre & Cafe is located at 2106 Hyperion Avenue in Los Angeles, 90027. Street parking is available.

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11-12-14

PRESS RELEASE — SIXTH AVENUE TOWN HALL READING SERIES PRESENTS “ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING: THE BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER MUSICAL”

SIXTH AVENUE TOWN HALL
BACK ROOM PLAY READING SERIES
CONTINUES WITH
JOSS WHEDON’S
ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING:
THE BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER MUSICAL
DIRECTED BY TONY SOTO
MUSICAL DIRECTION BY DAN WESSELS
AT AKBAR IN SILVER LAKE
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 AT 8PM

Sixth Avenue’s Town Hall Back Room Reading Series continues with Joss Whedon’s Once More, With Feeling: The Buffy the Vampire Slayer Musical, directed by Tony Soto with musical direction by Dan Wessels, it was announced today by Sixth Avenue producer Adam Silver. The musical episode will be read one night only, Tuesday, November 11 at 8:00 at Akbar in Silver Lake.

Along with a live rock band, the cast will feature Nicci Claspell as Buffy along with (in alphabetical order) Tom DeTrinis, Jay Donnell, Geoffrey Going, Ashley Joyce, Natalie Lander, James Lynch, Kimberly Moore, Reagan Osborne, and Cailan Rose. In Once More, With Feeling, the classic episode from Season Six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a mysterious force compels the Sunnydale residents to burst into musical numbers revealing their innermost secrets and desires.

Town Hall is Sixth Avenue’s monthly play reading series taking place on the second Tuesday of every month at Akbar. On December 9, Sixth Avenue will read Love in the Time of Chanukah by Joshua Harmon (Bad Jews) directed by Luke Kanter. A slate of events for 2015 will be announced shortly.

Akbar, Silver Lake’s “neighborhood oasis,” is located at 4356 W. Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Admission is free, but reservations are suggested at www.6avenue.org. For more information on Sixth Avenue and Town Hall, visit www.6avenue.org.

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11-04-14