LA STAGE Alliance has announced LA STAGE DAY, a day-long community event for the greater Los Angeles performing arts community. Generously hosted by California State University Los Angeles, the activities will take place on the campus of CSULA on Saturday, May 18, from 8:30am – 7pm.

LA STAGE DAY is set to include provocative inspirational presentations from engaged community members; interactive sessions centered on what’s working and what’s next; a midday bazaar expo with staffed information tables of LA STAGE Alliance and Dance Resource Center member companies, partners, and affiliates; and artistic workshops led by a diverse group of local artists. As an added bonus, coordinated trips to see shows and performances will be available in the evening. The more than eight hours of performing arts community building will also include coffee and pastries (during morning check-in), several food trucks, and cocktails.

“Our aim with LA STAGE DAY is to come together to inspire and inform one another through provocative conversations and the exchange of ideas and information,” said LA STAGE CEO Terence McFarland. He continued, “Our performing arts community is filled with brilliance; LA STAGE DAY hopes to shine a light on the best of what we have to offer.”

A multitude of discussions, workshops, and sessions designed to inspire and exchange creative ideas will be offered throughout the day. Some of the categories scheduled to be explored are: Engaging with High School and College Audiences, Career Paths in LA Performing Arts, Social Media Stories, and Blue Skying – What’s Your Big Artistic Idea? Artistic workshops will be led by Ryan Heffington (Dance), Debbie McMahon (Melodrama), Che’Rae Adams (Playwrighting), and Johanna Smith (Puppetry), and more.

Among the speakers currently scheduled to share and inspire are DJ Kurs, Chris Anthony, Alice Tuan, Craig Fleming, Erin Quill, Yosi Sargeant, Yuval Sharon, Evelina Fernandez, Michelle Ramos-Burkhart, Thor Steingraber, Tim Carpenter, and Mark Seldis. Additional activities and speakers will be added to the schedule in the coming days.

LA STAGE Alliance, a non-profit organization empowering artists and engaging audiences since 1975, is dedicated to building awareness, appreciation, and support for the performing arts in Greater Los Angeles by strengthening the sector through community building, collaborative marketing, audience engagement, professional development, and advocacy.

LA STAGE Alliance programs are sponsored, in part, by Actors Equity Association, The Angell Foundation, Bakers Man Productions, California Arts Council, California Community Foundation, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, DatabaseWorks, DEW Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Entertainment Lighting Services (ELS), Goldstar, Ken Werther Publicity, the James Irvine Foundation, Los Angeles County Supervisors through the LA County Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

For up-to-the-minute information and schedule of activities for LA STAGE DAY, visit http://www.lastagealliance.com/lastageday/.

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05-10-13

Professional actors and directors present 12 winning plays by young playwrights from across the nation during this prestigious four-week
festival. Three different plays are presented each week. For complete list of plays and performance dates, see schedule below. For complete list of play descriptions, mentors, and directors, visit www.TheBlank.com or www.youngplaywrights.com.

DATES: June 6 – 30

TIMES: Thurs/Fri/Sat at 8pm; Sun at 2pm

ADMISSION: Adults $20 Students $14. Festival Pass (one seat each week) $64

TICKET INFO: Available online at www.TheBlank.com, or by calling (323) 661-9827.

LOCATION: The Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Boulevard (at Highland), in Hollywood.

WEEK ONE June 6 – 9

THE GATES
By Margaret Abigail Flowers (age 17), Interlochen, MI

MOM, PUT YOUR FLASK AWAY
By Eliana Pipes (age 16), Altadena, CA

DOWNSIZING
By Nick Mecikalski (age 19), Madison, AL

WEEK TWO June 13 – 16

SOX
By Spencer Emerson Opal-Levine (age 10), Sarasota, FL

EVE
By Patric Verrone (age 17), Pacific Palisades, CA

SURVIVAL STRATEGY
By Nicole Acton (age 19), Galesburg, IL

WEEK THREE June 20 – 23

SAM’S BIRTHDAY PARTY
By Tanner Laguatan (age 17), Coto de Caza, CA

REVE D’AMOUR
By May Treuhaft-Ali (age 17), Jackson Heights, NY

BLACK ICE
By Max Friedlich (age 18), New York, NY

WEEK FOUR June 27 – 30

NOT A GOOD TIME
By Hanel Baveja (age 16), Ann Arbor, MI

GAY MEANS HAPPY
By Rachel Kaly (age 17), Forest Hills, NY

THE EMPTY MAN
By Danny Rothschild (age 19), Interlochen, MI

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05-10-13

MAY 24 – JUNE 30
AT THE HUDSON THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD

2Cents Theatre Group has announced its production of Rent, Jonathan Larson’s legendary Broadway smash hit, which is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. Directed by Kristen Boulé, with musical direction by Morgan Fitch, Rent is set to open on Friday, May 24. Private Eyes by Steven Dietz, directed by Shaunessy Quinn, opens on Thursday, May 30, and it will run in repertory with Rent, through June 30 at the Hudson Theatre Mainstage in Hollywood.

Based on Puccini’s La Boheme, Rent is a rock opera that tells the story of one year in the life of a group of bohemians struggling in East Village New York during the 1990s. The story centers around Mark and Roger, two roommates. While a former tragedy has made Roger numb to life, Mark tries to capture it through his attempts to make a film. In the year that follows, the group deals with love, loss, AIDS, and modern day life, all wrapped up in one powerful story.

Private Eyes is a play about deception and broken trust, labeled by the author as a “comedy of suspicion,” as the story is told in multiple layers and the audience is repeatedly tricked to believe that the current situation is real. It is sometimes considered an homage to The Real Thing (by Tom Stoppard, 1982), a play with the same theme and techniques. Although each layer by itself is deceptively plausible, the play takes several turns that make events in previous layers and sometimes even the overall story impossible.

Rent director Kristen Boulé is the founding artistic director of 2Cents Theatre Group currently in residence at the Hudson Theatres. She directs their 2nd Sundays Cabaret which appears monthly in the Hudson Café. Rent marks Boulé’s third show at the Hudson, following The Last Five Years in 2012, and her own Dreams in Variation in 2011. Boulé, a filmmaker from Baltimore, has worked on films including Eagle Eye, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Body of Lies, Live Free or Die Hard, State of Play, and The Green Hornet, as well as several network television series. Private Eyes director Shaunessy Quinn has directed readings and full productions in Illinois and Los Angeles, among them Toll, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, The Pilo Family Circus, Hassle Free Delivery, Parlour Games, and Feeling Up. He has also served as assistant director on Deathtrap, The Sonneteer, Lemon Durang Pie, and Equus in and around LA.

The cast of Rent will feature (in alphabetical order) Dedrick Bonner, Kate Bowman, Amber Bracken, Ariel Brooker, Cole Chapman, Brian Gamble, Lauren Joy Goss, Jonathon Grant, Michael Levine, Juan Lozano, Alli Miller, Tyler Olshansky, Reagan Osborne, Deondray Randolph, and Jessika Rowe. The cast of Private Eyes is (in alphabetical order) Philip Asta, Deigo Garcia, Mikayla Park, Tiffany Roberts, and Theresa Tilly. Both productions will feature set design by Anderson William, lighting design by Donny Jackson, and costume design by Abbey Hocker. Stage manager is Nick Acciani, and producers for 2Cents Theatre Group are Kristen Boulé, Cody Lyman, Kate Bowman, Tiffany Roberts, and Mike Abramson (producer of DOMA Theatre Company’s recent productions of Avenue Q and Dreamgirls, both which were designated as Ovation Recommended and LA Times Critics Choice).

Rent opens on Friday, May 24 at 8pm, with a red carpet gala beginning at 6:30, and will run Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm through June 30. General admission tickets for Rent are $34, with student and senior tickets available for $25 with valid ID. Private Eyes opens on Thursday, May 30 at 8pm, and will play Thursday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm, also through June 30. General admission tickets for Private Eyes are $20, with student and senior tickets available for $15 with valid ID. To purchase tickets for Rent online, go to www.plays411.com/rent, and to purchase online for Private Eyes, go to www.plays411.com/eyes. To purchase by phone, the number to call for both shows is (323) 960-4410.

The Hudson Theatre is located at 6539 Santa Monica Boulevard, on Theatre Row in Hollywood, 90038. Parking is available across from the theatre on Hudson Avenue ($5).

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05-09-13

OPENS SATURDAY, MAY 25
AT THE LOST STUDIO ON LA BREA
FOR FIVE WEEKS ONLY THRU JUNE 23

Coeurage Theatre Company (Jeremy Lelliott, Artistic Director), LA’s ‘Pay What You Want’ Company, has announced their production of Translations by Brian Friel, directed by Coeurage Associate Artistic Director Ryan Wagner. There will be one preview performance on Friday, May 24 at 8pm, and opening is set for Saturday, May 25 at 8pm. Translations will play through June 23 only at The Lost Studio on S. La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles.

In the early 19th century, thousands of British soldiers marched into Ireland to execute the first geographic survey of the region. Their orders were to translate every Gaelic location name into English, effectively erasing centuries of Irish history and culture. Translations tells the story of a small community of impoverished, Irish farmers and the British soldiers who set up camp in their village. As the two cultures collide, the severe language barrier between them prompts humor, strife, and ultimately tragedy.

Brian Friel has written more than 30 plays in a six-decade spanning career. He is considered to be one of the greatest living English language dramatists, hailed by the English-speaking world as an “Irish Chekhov” and “the universally accented voice of Ireland.” In 1990, his play Dancing At Lughnasa brought Friel great international acclaim, winning him several Tony Awards including Best Play, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Play and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. Some other plays for which Friel is well known include Philadelphia Here I Come! (1964), Faith Healer (1979), Aristocrats (1979), and Molly Sweeney (1994).

The cast of Translations will feature (in alphabetical order) Ted Barton, Michael Faulkner, Mark Jacobson, TJ Marchbank, Rebecca Mason-Wygal, Kurt Quinn, John Henry Richardson, Sammi Smith, Erin Way, and Peter Weidman. The set design is by Ryan Wagner, production and lighting design is by Tito Ladd, costume design is by Karen Fix Curry, and sound design is by Joe Calarco. The stage manager is Brooke Baldwin.

There will be one preview performance on Friday, May 24 at 8pm, and opening is set for Saturday, May 25 at 8pm. The running schedule is Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm, through June 23 only. All seats are available on a Pay What You Want basis, and may be reserved online at https://coeurage.secure.force.com/ticket, or by calling (323) 944-2165.

The Lost Studio is located at 130 S. La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles, 90036. Street parking is available.

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05-06-13

**The Coeurage PAY WHAT YOU WANT Policy**
Pay What You Can is based on a person’s ability to pay.
Pay What You Want is based on a patron’s desire.
It is a value placement as well as an economic decision, designed to eliminate cost as a factor
in attending theatre. Each patron decides what a theatre experience is worth to him or her,
and some decide it is worth more than they initially paid.
For that reason, the box office is kept open during intermission and after performances.

12 PLAYS BY THE NATION’S BRIGHTEST YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS
WILL BE PERFORMED AT THE STELLA ADLER THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD
JUNE 6 — 30, 2013

Now celebrating its 21st Anniversary, The Blank Theatre’s Nationwide Young Playwrights Festival has chosen 12 plays by young playwrights aged 10 — 19, from six different states. These plays will be presented by professional actors and directors in this year’s festival at The Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, June 6 — 30.

“Ever since I acted in the first Young Playwrights Festival, I have always had a special place in my heart for these extremely talented young writers,“ said Blank Artistic Producer Noah Wyle. “The issues tackled, and the depth of emotion and understanding these kids have is remarkable. I wish I knew as much as they do when I was their age!”

This year’s winning plays are: THE GATES by Margaret Abigail Flowers, Interlochen, MI, Age 17; MOM, PUT YOUR FLASK AWAY by Eliana Pipes, Altadena, CA, Age 16; DOWNSIZING by Nick Mecikalski, Madison, AL, Age 19; SOX by Spencer Emerson Opal-Levine, Sarasota, FL, Age 10; EVE by Patric Verrone, Pacific Palisades, CA, Age 17; SURVIVAL STRATEGY by Nicole Acton, Galesburg, IL, Age 19; SAM’S BIRTHDAY PARTY by Tanner Laguatan, Coto de Caza, CA, Age 17; REVE D’AMOUR by May Treuhaft-Ali, Jackson Heights, NY, Age 17; BLACK ICE by Max Friedlich, New York, NY, Age 18; NOT A GOOD TIME by Hanel Baveja, Ann Arbor, MI Age 16; GAY MEANS HAPPY by Rachel Kaly, Forest Hills, NY, Age 17; and THE EMPTY MAN by Danny Rothschild, Interlochen, MI, Age 19.

This year’s winners join a prestigious club of alumni which includes 2012 Pulitzer Prize finalist Stephen Karam, who was a three-time festival winner, and Adam Cochran (a two-time winner in YPF), who was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in NYC for Outstanding Music in a Play in 2011.

A panel of theatre professionals chose from over 200 plays submitted by young writers across the nation. Winning playwrights are next assigned a mentor, and then a professional director who will help them hone their scripts for four public performances with professional actors. This year’s mentors include David Rambo (Revolution, V, CSI), John Cariani (Almost Maine), Dave Holstein (Weeds), and Ellen Byron (Just Shoot Me, Wings) as well as Bob Lowry, Brighde Mullins, Oahn Ly, Patrick Burleigh, Gary Tieche, and Robert Freedman. This year’s directors are (in alphabetical order) Barbara Bain, Kevin Chamberlin, Warren Davis, Nicole Dominguez, Jane Lanier, Michael Matthews, Richey Nash, Michael Shepperd, David Shine, Richard Tatum, and Jason Weiss.

Over the past 20 years, The Blank has produced more than 230 plays by young playwrights. Eleven of those plays or playwrights have gone on to be presented on The Blank’s mainstage, including Speech & Debate by Stephen Karam. Additionally, many of the plays have been nominated for LA theatre awards, including an Ovation Award for Best Writing—World Premiere, and an LA Weekly Award for Best One-Act Playwriting. Other alumni playwrights are populating the nation’s theatres and sound stages with their work. Many YPF winners have gone on to successful writing careers creating TV shows, filling regional stages, teaching writing to others, and founding regional Young Playwrights Festivals.

This year’s festival is made possible by Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, The Plum Foundation, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, and City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

The Blank Theatre’s 21st Annual Young Playwrights Festival runs June 6 — 30 at the Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood. The performance schedule is Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Each week’s program includes three plays, and admission is $20 for adults and $14 for students. Festival passes, which are good for one ticket each week of the festival, are $64. Tickets may be purchased in advance online at www.TheBlank.com, or via phone by calling (323) 661-9827.

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05-02-13

2012 NEW YORK FRINGE FESTIVAL WINNER
FOR OVERALL EXCELLENCE IN SOLO PERFORMANCE
2012 TORONTO FRINGE FESTIVAL WINNER FOR BEST OF FRINGE

FINAL LOS ANGELES ENGAGEMENT
MAY 18 – JUNE 29
AT WHITEFIRE THEATRE IN SHERMAN OAKS

Following back-to-back wins for best solo performance at the Toronto and New York Fringe Festivals in 2012 and a brief run at the Santa Monica Playhouse earlier this year, Tara Grammy will reprise her acclaimed solo performance in Mahmoud at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks beginning May 10 NOW OPENS ON SATURDAY, MAY 18. This limited, final run in the Los Angeles area will run through June 29 only.

Mahmoud tells the tale of an aging Iranian engineer-cum-taxi drive, a fabulously gay Spaniard, and a young Iranian-Canadian girl who are all trying to get through the day-to-day grind in a large metropolitan city. Hilarious, insightful, and touching, Mahmoud takes a memorable look at racism against Middle Eastern immigrants, homophobia within immigrant communities, and media-created stigmas surrounding Middle Eastern culture. Co-written by Tara Grammy and Tom Arthur Davis and directed by Davis, the show has a running time of one hour.

Performer and co-writer Tara Grammy is a recent graduate of the University of Toronto, where she worked with some of Canada’s top theatre artists, including Ken Gass, Leah Cherniak, Soheil Parsa and Martha Ross. Born in Tehran, she has lived in Germany, the United States, and Canada, and has traveled all across the world. She is interested in the immigration experience in her artistic endeavors, in an attempt to better understand multi-national identities. Recent credits include the Toronto Fringe hit show The Traveling Salesman & His Magical Suitcase of Desires, Necessary Angel’s award-winning SummerWorks production, White Rabbit Red Rabbit, and the indie smash hit Murder on Ossington. Her roles in these shows have ranged from a crazy British Mayor based on the commedia dell’arte character Pantalone, to a six-year-old child, to a dominatrix.

The lighting design for Mahmoud is by Jenna Koenig, the sound design is by Mike Conley, and stage managers are Morgan Zupanski and Jenna Koenig. The producers are Ty Donaldson and Michelle Grant.

Mahmoud will play one preview performance on Friday, May 10 at 8pm, and opening is set for Saturday, May 11 at 8pm. The regular running schedule is Friday and Saturday at 8pm through June 29. Admission is $30 and tickets are available now, online at www.mahmoudtaxi.tix.com or by phone at (800) 504-4849. The Whitefire Theatre is located at 13500 Ventura Boulevard (on the corner of Sunnyslope, between Coldwater Canyon and Woodman), in Sherman Oaks.

For more information, visit www.mahmoudtaxi.com or www.whitefiretheatre.com.

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04-25-13

MAY 17 – JUNE 9, 2013
AT THE RAVEN PLAYHOUSE IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD

Collaborative Artists Ensemble has announced the West Coast premiere of Through A Glass Darkly, written by Ingmar Bergman, and adapted for the stage by Jenny Worton. Directed by Steve Jarrard, the production is set to open on May 17 for a limited engagement through June 9 only.

Ingmar Bergman’s chamber drama Through A Glass Darkly is a character study dealing with the universal themes of faith, family, and reality. Recently released from a mental hospital, Karin and her family go on their annual holiday to a small island off the coast of Sweden. They all have high hopes for regaining a sense of normalcy, but Karin’s inner and outer worlds begin to collide, forcing a shattering of her sense of reality and those of the men (her husband, father, and brother) who are trying to save her. Bergman’s movie won the 1962 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The stage version of Through A Glass Darkly has been presented only twice before. The play received its world premiere at the Almeida Theatre in London in 2010, and had its American premiere at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2011.

Adaptor Jenny Worton is the Almeida’s Artistic Associate. She was previously Literary Manager at the Tricycle Theatre, and worked in the Literary Departments at the Bush Theatre, the National Theatre, and Out Of Joint. Worton adapted Dolls for the stage (National Theatre of Scotland and Hush Productions), and acted as dramaturg for Breathing Irregular at the Gate Theatre in London. Her original work for Radio Four includes Demonstrating Grace and A Hallowed Space.

Director Steve Jarrard, a Southern California native, is the Managing Director of Collaborative Artists Ensemble, and has directed six out of nine of the company’s previous productions including The Food Chain, How I Learned To Drive, Eleemosynary, Lucia Mad, and the West Coast premiere of Carson McCullers’ The Square Root of Wonderful. Some of Jarrard’s other directing credits include Civilization, Doubting Thomason, and Noel Coward’s Present Laughter at Edgemar Center for the Arts in Santa Monica, among others.

The cast of Through A Glass Darkly will feature (in alphabetical order) Anthony Auer, Jon Boatwright, Timothy Walker, and Meg Wallace. The set design is by Steve Jarrard, and the stage manager is Tymica Spiller.

Through A Glass Darkly opens on Friday, May 17 at 8pm. The regular performance schedule is Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm through June 9. Admission is $25, with a discount available for seniors ($15). Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at www.plays411.com/darkly or via telephone at 323-860-6569. Collaborative Artists Ensemble performs at the Raven Playhouse, 5233 Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, 91601. Street parking is available.

For more information on Through A Glass Darkly or Collaborative Artists Ensemble, visit www.collaborativeartistsensemble.com.

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04-18-13

LA STAGE Alliance has announced the opening of LA STAGE Space, a new facility at 4200 West Chevy Chase Drive in the vibrant Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, 90039.

The LA STAGE Space building will include a 7000-square-foot Warehouse Co-op for LA performing artists to house and share sets, props, costumes, and miscellaneous equipment throughout the year; Community Lounge, a shared physical space where artists and community members can gather, seek materials and information on arts sustainability; and simply relax (with free coffee and free wi-fi available). Additionally, there will be space for meetings, auditions, and rehearsals.

CEO Terence McFarland is thrilled at this new chapter for LA STAGE Alliance. “By creating LA STAGE Space, we address many of the community’s needs at once — both economic and environmental concerns, creating a hub of activity for networking, creating, and convening,” McFarland said. “We’re excited to see such an outpouring of support for this project, and for LA to continue to lead with innovative collaborations.”

LA STAGE Alliance is optimistic and excited about the many ways the new facility and its activities will benefit the community, including (1) helping non-profit arts organizations save money and be financially sustainable; (2) reducing waste by reusing materials and resulting in a more eco-friendly LA and LA arts community; (3) unifying the community by providing a physical location for artists to congregate and share; and (4) inspiring collaboration for performing artists, and (5) promoting innovation to act as one of the leaders in the national dialogue around cultural collaboration.

Partners on this new project include the following organizations dedicated to sustainability in Los Angeles and around the world: the Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, Good Media Planet, and Arts: Earth Partnership.
Toward the goal of outfitting the new LA STAGE Space, an IndieGoGo fundraising campaign has been launched, with the goal of raising $25,000 by May 1. Donations will help outfit the building with shelving, ladders, furniture, a high-tech and easy to use barcoded inventory system (DatabaseWorks/RentalWorks), and a moving truck, which will allow co-op members to arrange pickups and deliveries during production load-ins and following production strikes. For more information and to donate, visit http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/create-the-la-stage-space.

LA STAGE Alliance, a non-profit organization empowering artists and engaging audiences since 1975, is dedicated to building awareness, appreciation, and support for the performing arts in Greater Los Angeles by strengthening the sector through community building, collaborative marketing, audience engagement, professional development, and advocacy.

LA STAGE Alliance programs are sponsored, in part, by Actors Equity Association, The Angell Foundation, Bakers Man Productions, California Arts Council, California Community Foundation, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, DatabaseWorks, DEW Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Entertainment Lighting Services (ELS), Goldstar, Ken Werther Publicity, the James Irvine Foundation, Los Angeles County Supervisors through the LA County Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

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04-09-13

SECOND PLAY OF 2013 SEASON
OPENS APRIL 26 AT THE ELEPHANT SPACE

The critically acclaimed, award-winning Elephant Theatre Company continues its 17th season with the Los Angeles premiere of The North Plan by Jason Wells, directed by Elephant Co-Artistic Director David Fofi. Preview performances begin Wednesday, April 24, and opening night is set for Saturday, April 27. The North Plan will run through June 1.

When a ruthless splinter group seizes power in Washington, a bureaucrat for the State Department runs off with the new regime’s top-secret Enemies List. With Department of Homeland Security agents trailing him, he finds himself trapped in a police station in a small Missouri town. His last hope for survival is in the people around him: an unsympathetic police chief, an ambivalent administrative assistant, and a fellow prisoner ­ a motor-mouthed local who’s turned herself in for drunk driving. The North Plan is a sharp, dark, dystopian comedy set in the here and now.

Playwright Jason Wells is a winner of the M. Elizabeth Osborn Award, and a finalist for the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/New Play Award, both from the American Theatre Critics Association. His other plays include Men of Tortuga and Perfect Mendacity. The North Plan debuted at Steppenwolf’s First Look in Chicago in 2010, and had its official world premiere at Portland Center Stage in Oregon. Of the play, the Chicago Tribune said, “A black and darkly entertaining comedy … fun, smart, involving, and just disturbing enough for a Saturday night on the town.”

The cast of The North Plan will feature (in alphabetical order) Kerry Carney, John Forest, Chris Game, Gregory Hoyt, Dominic Rains, Stan Roth, Bernadette Speakes, and Salvator Xuereb. The design team includes Joel Daavid (set), Matt Richter (lighting and sound), and Michael Mullen (costumes). Rebecca Schoenberg is the production stage manager, and Lindsay Allbaugh serves as producer.

There will be three lower-priced preview performances of The North Plan on Wednesday, April 24, Thursday, April 25, and Friday, April 26 at 8pm, and opening is Saturday, April 27 at 8pm. The regular running schedule is Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, through June 1 only. Tickets for previews are $20, regular performances are $25, and opening night tickets are $35 (which include a post-performance reception with the cast). The Thursday, May 2 performance will be ‘Pay What You Can.’ Also, there will be an added ‘Play Care’ performance on Saturday, May 25 at 2pm, at which parents can bring their kids, who will be looked after by experienced child caregivers (at no extra charge), while the parents watch the show.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.ElephantTheatre.org, or via phone at (855) NO-FORGET [663-6743]. For more information on the Elephant Theatre Company, visit www.ElephantTheatre.org. Visit the Elephant on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @elephanttheatre.

The Elephant Space is located at 6322 Santa Monica Boulevard, just west of Vine, in Hollywood. Street parking is available.

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04-08-13

ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR STAFFORD ARIMA SET TO DIRECT THE FINAL SHOWCASE
WITH CHOREOGRAPHY BY EMMY AWARD-NOMINATED SPENCER LIFF

The Broadway Dreams Foundation will partner with UCLA to present a week-long Summer Performing Arts Intensive on the UCLA campus June 17 — June 23, 2013. Olivier Award-nominated director Stafford Arima (bare, Altar Boyz, Ragtime), Emmy Award-nominee Spencer Liff (So You Think You Can Dance, Smash), and a roster of Broadway veterans to be announced will work with aspiring performers of all ages in preparation for Circle of Dreams, a unique Broadway concert open to the public at UCLA’s Freud Playhouse.

“The chance to audition for, work with and learn from these exceptional Broadway professionals is an invaluable opportunity that we are proud to be able to offer to LA’s emerging artists,” said BDF Executive Director Annette Tanner. Added BDF Artistic Director Nicholas Rodriguez, “For young performers interested in pursuing a career in musical theatre, I cannot think of a more valuable experience than working with some of the industry’s most respected and admired directors for a week of intensive training,”

Attendees of the week-long BDF Summer Performing Arts Intensive will receive first-rate training in acting, dance and vocal performance by savvy Broadway veterans who will share their invaluable knowledge on the skills needed to make it in show business. Students will also learn how to improve their audition skills and have the opportunity to audition for top NYC casting directors from Telsey + Company, who will offer constructive feedback. At week’s end, all participants will perform alongside their Broadway idols in a “one night only” concert event open to the public.

Tuition for the L.A. Intensive is $895. Auditions will be held on Sunday, April 7, with final placement auditions on Sunday, May 12. Appointments may be scheduled by sending an email to auditions@mybroadwaydreams.com.

The Broadway Dreams Foundation is the country’s premier performing arts education program dedicated to ongoing engagement, inspiration, and access regardless of a student’s ability to pay. With a faculty of Broadway stars, directors and agents committed to giving back to the theatrical community, BDF provides invaluable training to anyone who aspires for a career in the performing arts. The unique program offers students highly personalized and supportive mentorship, an exciting and collaborative learning environment and ongoing networking to build confidence and life skills. The Broadway Dreams Foundation provides a life changing experience. For more information on The Broadway Dreams Foundation, please visit www.mybroadwaydreams.com or call 347-927-4233.

CIRCLE OF DREAMS – THE 2013 SUMMER INTENSIVE TOUR

ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Dream LAB
June 3 – June 7
RISPA (4155 GA Highway 9, Milton, GA)
Directed by Stafford Arima, Dan Knechtges and Matt Lenz
Audition Dates: Sunday, April 28 with final casting on Saturday, June 1
Tuition Cost: $495 for 12 and over; $395 for 11 and under

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA
Dream LAB
June 9 – June 11
Matthews Playhouse (100 McDowell Street, Matthews, NC)
Directed by Dan Knechtges
Audition Dates: Final casting on June 8
Tuition Cost: $295 for 11 and over

OMAHA, NEBRASKA
July 8 – July 14
Omaha Performing Arts (1200 Douglas Street)
Directed by Matt Lenz and Dan Knechtges
Audition Dates: Final casting June 14 – 15
Tuition Cost: $895

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
August 5 – August 11
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (260 South Broad Street)
Director TBD
Audition Dates: Final casting July 26 – 27
Tuition Cost: $995

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04-04-12