Announcing: David Crosby & Graham Nash in Concert to Benefit The Blank Theatre

DAVID CROSBY AND GRAHAM NASH
SET TO PERFORM BENEFIT CONCERT SUNDAY, JULY 17
FOR THE BLANK THEATRE
NOAH WYLE HOSTS AT THE MUSIC BOX HOLLYWOOD

Two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees David Crosby and Graham Nash will play an intimate acoustic concert at the beautifully restored Music Box Hollywood, benefitting The Blank Theatre’s 20th Anniversary Season, on Sunday, July 17, 2011 at 7:30pm. The event will be hosted by The Blank’s Artistic Producer Noah Wyle, and tickets go on sale Friday June 10 at 10am.

About The Blank Theatre

Started in 1990 by Founding Artistic Director Daniel Henning, The Blank Theatre is Hollywood’s regional theatre, consistently offering some of the most high quality and entertaining productions in the area. In its 20-year history, The Blank has won hundreds of awards including every major award in Los Angeles for Outstanding Production, such as the LA Drama Critics Circle, Ovation, LA Weekly, NAACP, and Back Stage Garland awards. The Blank has been at the forefront of providing high quality productions with a risk-taking sensibility and entertaining experiences. With programs such as its Living Room Series and its annual nationwide Young Playwrights Festival, The Blank Theatre is committed to developing excellence in artistic talent and providing the opportunity for artists to take bold risks. For more information, please visit: www.TheBlank.com.

BENEFIT CONCERT INFORMATION

DATE/TIME: Sunday July 17 at 7:30pm

ADMISSION: $75 Reserved, $50 General. (A limited number of Gold Circle tickets, which include post-show reception with David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Noah Wyle; and Silver Circle preferred seating, are also available.)

TICKETS: Online at www.TheBlank.com or by calling (323) 661-9827.

LOCATION: The Music Box Hollywood, 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 90028.

For more information on David Crosby and Graham Nash, visit www.crosbynash.com.

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06-08-11

Announcing: The Blank Theatre Company Announces Final Production of 20th Anniversary Season

THE BLANK THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES FINAL PRODUCTION
OF ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
THE TEMPERAMENTALS BY JON MARANS
DIRECTED BY MICHAEL MATTHEWS

WEST COAST PREMIERE BEGINS PREVIEWS APRIL 9, 2011
AT THE BLANK’S 2nd STAGE THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD

The Blank Theatre Company (Daniel Henning, Founding Artistic Director) has announced the final production of its 20th anniversary season, the West Coast premiere of The Temperamentals by Jon Marans. Directed by Michael Matthews, The Temperamentals will begin preview performances on Saturday, April 9, 2011 and is set to open on Saturday, April 16 at 8pm. The engagement will run through Sunday, May 22.

“Temperamental” was code for “homosexual” in the early 1950s, part of a created language of secret words that gay men used to communicate. The Temperamentals tells the story of two men – the communist Harry Hay and the Viennese refugee and designer Rudi Gernreich – as they fall in love while building the first gay rights organization in the pre-Stonewall United States.

Of the 2009 off-Broadway production, The New York Times called The Temperamentals “Intellectual, emotional, and sexual.” “Combines savvy context and ascending flights of bittersweet fabulousness,” said New York Newsday. And the Associated Press called it, “Fascinating, entertaining, and emotionally affecting.”

Playwright Jon Marans is well known for his play Old Wicked Songs, which was a 1996 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Drama, and has been produced throughout the United States and translated and produced in a dozen countries around the world. Other plays by Marans include A Strange and Separate People, Child Child, and Jumping for Joy. Director Michael Matthews is currently represented by the critically acclaimed, sold out hit Take Me Out at Celebration Theatre. Other L.A. credits include The Women of Brewster Place – The Musical, Haram! Iran!, Three Tall Women, Porcelain, Stupid Kids, Beautiful Thing, and The Bacchae (which was recently seen at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival). On Broadway, he served as assistant director on Butley. Previously for The Blank, Matthews directed The Jazz Age and The Santaland Diaries (in both 2009 and 2010).

Tickets will go on sale February 1 and may be purchased by calling (323) 661-9827 or online at www.TheBlank.com. The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre is located at 6500 Santa Monica Boulevard (at Wilcox), in Hollywood. Secured valet parking is available.

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01-04-11

Announcing: Cast set for The Blank Theatre Company’s production of The Cradle Will Rock

REX SMITH SET TO HEAD CAST
FOR THE BLANK THEATRE COMPANY’S REVIVAL OF
MARC BLITZSTEIN’S 1937 MUSICAL
THE CRADLE WILL ROCK

COMPLETE CAST ANNOUNCED AND REHEARSALS ARE UNDERWAY
PREVIEWS BEGIN FEBRUARY 5, 2011
AT THE STELLA ADLER THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD

Casting is complete and rehearsals have begun for The Blank Theatre Company’s third production of its 20th anniversary season, Marc Blitzstein’s The Cradle Will Rock. Directed by The Blank’s Founding Artistic Director Daniel Henning, and featuring musical direction by David O, Cradle will begin preview performances on Saturday, February 5, 2011 and is set to open one week later on Saturday, February 12 at 8pm. The engagement will run through Sunday, March 20.

Along with stage, television, and recording star Rex Smith, the cast (in alphabetical order) is Tiffany Adams, Will Barker, Gigi Bermingham, Christopher Carroll, Rob Roy Cesar, Matthew Patrick Davis, Mikey Hawley, Jim Holdridge, Jack Laufer, Roland Rusinek, Meagan Smith, Lowe Taylor, David Trice, Peter Van Norden, Matt Wolpe, Adam Wylie, and Penelope Yates.

In The Cradle Will Rock, corporations and churches use their influence to shape laws to their favor, unemployment hits new heights, and millions of Americans are losing their homes. Sound like the new millennium? In 1937, Mark Blitzstein’s musical called these issues into question with his scathing satire of greed, corruption and politics in the U.S.A. So scandalous, in fact, was The Cradle Will Rock that the U.S. Government tried to shut it down. But Blitzstein’s humor, music and agitprop parody ruled the day and the public got to hear this terrific, fun, jazzy score. Snappy tunes, wonderful characters and deep questions about our nation will take you on a roller-coaster ride through the American patriotic psyche.

The Blank Theatre Company first presented The Cradle Will Rock in 1994, directed by Henning, and the production received two Ovation Award nominations (Musical in an Intimate Theatre, Director of a Musical), three Drama-Logue Awards (including Production and Director), and the L.A. Weekly Award for Musical of the Year. Philip Brandes of the Los Angeles Times said, “Sophisticated, witty … Henning’s insightful staging and the inspired performances showcase the enduring brilliance of this under-appreciated watershed musical.” And in the L.A. Weekly, Martin Hernandez wrote, “Blitzstein’s fervent, catchy score and earthy humor complement the piece’s revolutionary politics.” A complete recording of the score was released by The Blank in 1995; that recording will be re-released in celebration of this new production and The Blank’s 20th Anniversary.

Preview performances of The Cradle Will Rock are Saturday, February 5 at 8pm, Sunday, February 6 at 2pm, and Tuesday, February 8 – Friday, February 11 at 8pm. Opening night is set for Saturday, February 12 at 8:00. The regular performance schedule is Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm through March 20. All preview seats are $30; regular performance prices are $30 on Thursday and Sunday, $34.99 on Friday and Saturday. Tickets may be purchased by calling (323) 661-9827 or online at www.TheBlank.com. For group sales, call (323) 871-8018.

The Stella Adler Theatre is located at 6773 Hollywood Boulevard (2nd Floor), in Hollywood.  Validated parking ($2) is available at the Hollywood and Highland complex.

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12-16-10