Announcing: Block Nine

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED, AWARD-WINNING ELEPHANT THEATRE COMPANY
TO STAGE WORLD PREMIERE OF
“BLOCK NINE” BY TOM STANCZYK

ROTATING CASTS OF NINE MEN AND NINE WOMEN WILL PERFORM IN REP
OPENING AUGUST 14 & 15 AT LILLIAN THEATRE

The critically acclaimed, award-winning Elephant Theatre Company will continue its 13th season with the world premiere of Block Nine by Tom Stanczyk, it was announced today by Elephant artistic director David Fofi.  Preview performances of Block Nine begin on Saturday, August 8 for a limited engagement through Sunday, September 20.  Two casts, one fellas and one dames, will perform the play in rotating rep. Opening nights are set for Friday, August 14 (dames) and Saturday, August 15 (fellas), both at 8:00.

Block Nine is an unapologetically same-sex, retro-noir 1930s gangster homage.  An exploration of sexuality, gender, stereotype, romance and aggression, this new dark comedy tells the story of an undercover cop’s journey into an underworld full of guns, jail breaks, booze and bodies.

The cast of dames will feature (alphabetically) Kerry Carney, Amy French, Laura Hess, Alexandra Hoover, Cheryl Huggins, Dylan Jones, Nikki McCauley, Marisa O’Brien, Maya Parish and Julie Weidmann.  The cast of fellas will feature (alphabetically) Darryl Armbruster, Josh Breeding, Colin Michael Day, Jeremy Glazer, Louis Douglas Jacobs, Ryan Radis, Dominic Rains, Matthew Rimmer, Kenny Suarez and Max Williams.  The multiple award-winning design team for Block Nine includes Danny Cistone (set), Joel Daavid (lighting), Jack Arky (sound) and Sara Ryung Clement (costumes).

Tom Stanczyk is an actor, director and writer whose other plays include Close, The Ceremony and Fertile Ground (coming soon).  Emilie Beck (Chicago ‘Jeff’ Award-winner for Because They Have No Words, which was originally produced in Los Angeles at the Lounge Theatre), directs the dames; Pete Uribe (North American tour of The Who’s Quadrophenia) directs the fellas.  Block Nine is being produced by David Fofi and Lindsay Allbaugh (who also serves as producing director of the Elephant Theatre Company).

Preview performances of Block Nine will run as follows:  the dames on Saturday, August 8 and Thursday, August 13 at 8pm; the fellas on Sunday, August 9 at 7pm and Wednesday, August 12 at 8pm. THE MEDIA IS INVITED TO ATTEND OPENING NIGHTS ON FRIDAY 8/14 AND SATURDAY 8/15 AT 8:00, AND IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO SEE BOTH GENDERS PERFORM THE PLAY. The regular performance schedule is Thursday through Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm and 7pm through September 20.  All tickets for regular performances are $25 (previews are $15) with a special $35 ticket available for viewing both versions of the production.  To purchase tickets, call (323) 960-4410 or reserve online:  www.plays411.com/blocknine.  For more information on the Elephant Theatre Company, visit www.elephantstageworks.com.

The Lillian Theatre is located at 1076 Lillian Way (off Santa Monica Boulevard, just west of Vine), in Hollywood.  Street parking is available.

#  #  #

07/24/09