NEWS RELEASE — HEATHER PROVOST NAMED PRODUCING DIRECTOR OF HOLLYWOOD’S BLANK THEATRE

HEATHER PROVOST
NAMED PRODUCING DIRECTOR
OF HOLLYWOOD’S BLANK THEATRE

Heather Provost has been named The Blank Theatre’s new Producing Director, it was announced today by Daniel Henning, Founding Artistic Director and Noah Wyle, Artistic Producer.

Heather Provost is a Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Award-nominated producer. Critically acclaimed hits on Broadway include Reasons To Be Pretty by Neil LaBute (three Tony nominations including Best Play), and the musical [title of show] (Tony Nomination for Best Book of a Musical). She produced the hugely successful Under My Skin segment of ‘The Pink Campaign’ on Broadway for which all proceeds went to the Susan G. Komen Foundation and she also produced and directed the California Theatre’s acclaimed productions of Driving Miss Daisy and Love Letters. Provost produced the short film Harmony starring Jason Alexander and just wrapped the feature film Racing Colt which she produced and co-directed. She is currently producing the Broadway-bound play Coffee Stains and the musical V-V-Voice. Current feature films include Among, Harmony, and A December Destiny. Other credits include Page To The Stage, History of Musical Theater, Reality Check, Who Knew?…The In-the-Know Travel Show, and Chix 6. She is founding partner at Provost Entertainment Inc., and was on the faculty at The Commercial Theater Institute in New York City.

Said Founding Artistic Director Daniel Henning, “I am so looking forward to beginning this new journey with Heather as the Producing Director of The Blank. She is the perfect fit for our cutting-edge new work. Her sensibilities and experience will help The Blank reach new heights and new audiences. We are lucky to have her on our team for this exciting time in our history.”

“We are thrilled to have Heather joining us at The Blank,” said Artistic Producer Noah Wyle. “Her energy, creativity, and experience make her a perfect fit for The Blank’s numerous programs. I’m really excited to see what we can create together in the coming years.”

The Blank’s upcoming world premiere production of A Singular They by Aliza Goldstein begins previews on March 19. Directed by Christopher J. Raymond, the cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Nick Ballard, Lily Nicksay, and Hannah Prichard. Preview performances begin on Saturday, March 19 at 8pm and continue on Sunday, March 20 at 2pm, and Tuesday through Friday, March 22—25 at 8pm. Opening is set for Saturday, March 26 at 8pm. The regular performance schedule will be Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm through May 1. Tickets are $25 for previews and $30 for regular performances and may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com or via phone at (323) 661-9827. The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre is located at 6500 Santa Monica Boulevard (on Theatre Row at Wilcox), in Hollywood, 90038.

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03-08-16

NEWS RELEASE — “VARLA JEAN MERMAN’S BIG BLACK HOLE” — THREE NITES ONLY AT LALGBT’s RENBERG THEATRE APRIL 1, 2, & 3

The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s
Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center
Presents
Varla Jean Merman’s
Big Black Hole
Written by Jeffery Roberson and Jacques Lamarre
With Gerald Goode on piano
Directed by Michael Schiralli

Friday & Saturday, April 1 & 2 and Sunday, April 3

The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center has announced the return of the extraordinary Varla Jean Merman to the Renberg Theatre. Long a favorite with Renberg audiences, Varla (the drag persona of New Orleans native Jeffery Roberson) will take the stage again after a 10-year absence during which the acclaimed performer did extensive research in outer space. Her new solo show, the science fiction-themed Varla Jean Merman’s Big Black Hole, is the culmination of this long and grueling research. It will play for three nights only at the Renberg Theatre on April 1, 2 and 3.

Described as “a warp-speed, warped tour of outer space” (Provincetown Magazine), Big Black Hole combines story, song, and video in “an inventive night of theatre, full of high-class production, vaudevillesque low-brow humor, and the vocal prowess of a grand dame of the stage.” (ibid.) The show also features the piano stylings of accompanist and Varla-foil Gerald Goode.

As Varla Jean Merman, Jeffery Roberson has filled cabarets and concert halls across the world including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, the New York Public Theater, London’s Soho Theatre, and the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Renberg Theatre. He wrote and starred in the short Improve Your History with Varla Jean: Stonewall for the launch of the MTV television network logo, and was also seen in their One Night Standup: Dragtastic special. Varla starred in the new musical Lucky Guy opposite Leslie Jordan in New York at the Little Shubert in the spring of 2011, receiving rave reviews. Roberson has also guest-starred on Ugly Betty, Project Runway Season 5, appeared as Mary Sunshine in the revival of Chicago on Broadway, and recurred as lady-of-the-evening Rosemary Chicken on the classic ABC soap opera All My Children. For his role in the cult camp hit Girls Will Be Girls, Roberson won both Best Actor and Best Actress awards (Outfest, Aspen HBO Film Festivals). For more information about Varla Jean Merman, visit varlaonline.com.

General admission tickets are $25 and may be purchased online at www.lalgbtcenter.org/theatre or by phone at (323) 860-7300. The performances on Friday 4/1 and Saturday 4/2 are at 8pm, and on Sunday 4/3 the curtain will rise at 7pm. Net proceeds from all ticket sales will support the full range of free and low-cost programs and services offered by the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Renberg Theatre is located at 1125 N. McCadden Place (one block east of Highland, just north of Santa Monica Boulevard), in Hollywood, 90038. Free onsite parking is available.

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03-07-16

NEWS RELEASE — THE BLANK THEATRE NOW ACCEPTING SCRIPTS FOR 2016—2017 LIVING ROOM SERIES

THE BLANK THEATRE NOW ACCEPTING SCRIPTS FOR 2016—2017 LIVING ROOM SERIES

The Blank Theatre in Hollywood is now accepting scripts for its 2016—2017 Living Room Series. Submissions will be accepted between March 1 and May 31, 2016.

Now in its 25th year, the Living Room Series is a New Play Development program which embodies The Blank’s commitment to developing new work by both established and emerging writers. The Living Room Series takes place on Monday evenings between Labor Day and Memorial Day at The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre. This program offers a week-long rehearsal process for the playwright, director, and actors to explore and refine the play before presenting it to an audience. The performances are minimally staged with actors carrying scripts and are a wonderful opportunity for the playwright to get a sense of the play’s full potential.

The Living Room Series develops and produces approximately 30 new plays each year. Many of these plays have later received productions at venues including Manhattan Theatre Club, Transport Group, Laguna Playhouse, Malibu Playhouse, The Colony Theatre, Primary Stages, Vineyard Theatre, LaMaMa ETC, and Brideswell Theatre in London. In 2014 The Explorer’s Club by Nell Benjamin (twice developed in the LRS) was produced by Manhattan Theatre Club where it won the NY Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off Broadway Play.

Fifteen plays from the Living Room Series have received mainstage productions at The Blank, including Heads by EM Lewis which won the 2008 Francesca Primus Prize and has had subsequent productions at Theater For A New City and other regional venues. In addition, two of the three 2015 Ebell Prize winners, Aliza Goldstein (1st place) and Val Stulman, (3rd place) are LRS alums.

For submission guidelines and further instructions, visit www.theblank.com and click on the Living Room Series.

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03-01-16