Announcing: Elephant Theatre Company Announces ‘Poker Royale’ Benefit – Saturday 8/18 at 6pm

ELEPHANT THEATRE COMPANY
ANNOUNCES POKER ROYALE BENEFIT
ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
★ FIRST ANNUAL TEXAS HOLD ‘EM TOURNAMENT ★

The award-winning Elephant Theatre Company, David Fofi and Lindsay Allbaugh, Artistic Directors, has announced its first annual Poker Royale benefit. The Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament will be held on Saturday, August 18, beginning at 6pm. All proceeds will go toward shows in the highly anticipated 2013 season of the critically acclaimed company.

Poker Royale will be a star-studded night of Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, Blackjack, raffles, food, drink, and surprise celebrity guests. The tournament will be a World Series of Poker style event, coordinated by West LA Poker, and valuable prizes for top winners include gift cards valued at hundreds of dollars, tickets to various shows, restaurant gift cards, and much more. Food at the event will be provided by Big Wangs, beer provided by Black Star, and cocktails by Karma Tequila and Devotion Vodka.

The Elephant Theatre Company is a staple of the Los Angeles theatre community. Known for developing and producing new work, the company has been named three years in a row by Back Stage as ‘Favorite Theatre Company to See and Work With,’ as well as receiving multiple Ovation, LADCC, and LA Weekly Award nominations and wins. Last season’s west coast premiere of Kate Fodor’s 100 Saints You Should Know was nominated for four LA Weekly Awards, winning Best Supporting Female Performance (Kate Huffman), and was also nominated for one LADCC Award. The Elephant concluded its very successful 15th season in December 2011, with the world premiere play Love Sick by Kristina Poe, and the rarely produced Baby Doll by Tennessee Williams, both of which had extended, sold-out runs.

The doors for Poker Royale will open at 6pm on Saturday, August 18. Poker lessons begin at 6:30pm, and the tournament starts promptly at 7pm. (Players can enter the tournament up to 8pm.) Tickets are $80, including poker tournament entry and all you can eat and drink. Spectator tickets are available for $25, which include Fun-Play Blackjack along with food and drink. Admission prices will be $10 higher at the door. Tickets are available now at www.ElephantTheatreCompany.com. For information on sponsorship opportunities, email rick@elephanttheatre.org.

Poker Royale will take place at 6314 Santa Monica Boulevard (one block west of Vine), two doors down from the Elephant Theatre. Valet parking will be available. Visit the Elephant on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @elephanttheatre.

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07-31-12

Announcing: Elephant Theatre Company Announces Planning Initiative for 2012 Season

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED, AWARD-WINNING
ELEPHANT THEATRE COMPANY
ANNOUNCES PLANNING INITIATIVE FOR 2012 SEASON

Elephant Theatre Company Artistic Directors David Fofi and Lindsay Allbaugh have announced that the company will be taking one year off (the 2012 season) from mounting productions, with the intention of using the year to strengthen the company, and restructure the management and membership, as well as the Board of Directors. The Elephant also plans to hire a Managing Director, and to focus on the development of sustainable fundraising initiatives.

Said Allbaugh, “Although this is a very difficult decision, it is a necessary one for the future and health of our company. There is no doubt that we can produce a high quality show with our ensemble of award-winning actors, designers, and playwrights. However, it has become very clear to us that over the past couple of seasons that in order to achieve greater stability in this economy, and to rise to the next level, it takes more than ‘putting on a great show.’ Our administrative capacity, our fundraising initiatives, and even our developmental programming is often neglected due to the immediate production needs and deadlines. In this upcoming year we will strengthen the core of our company and our mission, we will focus on creating a strategic plan which will support our artistic endeavors, and we will continue to develop new work with our ensemble.”

The Elephant Theatre Company, now entering its 16th season, is a staple of the Los Angeles theatre community. Known for developing and producing new work, the company has been named three years in a row by Back Stage as ‘Favorite Theatre Company to See and Work With,’ as well as receiving multiple Ovation, LADCC, and LA Weekly award nominations and wins. Last season’s west coast premiere of Kate Fodor’s 100 Saints You Should Know is currently nominated for four LA Weekly Awards, and one LADCC Award. The Elephant concluded its very successful 15th season with the world premiere play Love Sick by Kristina Poe, and the rarely produced Baby Doll by Tennessee Williams, both of which had extended, sold out runs.

Hollywood’s Elephant Theatre Company will return in early 2013 with an exciting new season of plays. A job description for the position of Managing Director will be posted in March. For more information, visit www.elephanttheatrecompany.com. Visit the Elephant on Facebook, and follow us on twitter @elephanttheatre.

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02-28-12

“Love Sick” Re-Opens at Elephant Stages/Theatre Asylum on Friday 11/18

ELEPHANT THEATRE COMPANY’S SMASH HIT PRODUCTION
LOVE SICK BY KRISTINA POE
RE-OPENS AT ELEPHANT STAGES/THEATRE ASYLUM
12 PERFORMANCES ONLY, NOVEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 17

Due to ongoing popular demand, the Elephant Theatre Company’s smash hit world premiere production of Love Sick by Kristina Poe, directed by David Fofi, will re-open at Elephant Stages/Theatre Asylum for 12 performances only, beginning Friday, November 18 at 8pm. Theatre Asylum is next door to the Elephant Space, where the show completed its original run on November 5.

Love Sick is a graphic tale which follows one woman’s dark and comic quest for revenge. When Emily’s happily ever after comes crashing down, she embarks on a journey of seduction, power, coercion and self-discovery which quickly descends into a riddled web of mysterious and alluring encounters. Playwright Kristina Poe wrote Love Sick, her first play, as a member of LAByrinth Theater Company in New York City.

The cast of Love Sick (in alphabetical order) is Robert John Brewer, Etienne Eckert, Michael Friedman, Christopher Game, Laura Harman, Alexandra Hoover, Kate Huffman, Melanie Jones, Nikki McCauley, Tara Norris, Charles Pacello, Dominic Rains, Kenny Suarez, Caryl West, and Salvator Xuereb. The set design is by Elephant Stageworks, lighting design is by Matt Richter, costume design is by Louis Douglas Jacobs, and sound design is by Joseph Slawinski. The stage manager is Rebecca Schoenberg, and Love Sick is produced for the Elephant by Lindsay Allbaugh, Cheryl Huggins, and Tara Norris.

The additional performance schedule is as follows: Thursdays, December 1 and 15 at 8pm; Fridays, November 18, December 2, 9, and 16 at 8pm; Saturdays, November 19 and 26, December 3, 10, and 17 (final performance) at 8pm; and Sunday, November 27 at 7pm. Tickets may be purchased by calling (877) 369-9112 or by reserving online at www.elephanttheatrecompany.com.

For more information, go to www.elephanttheatrecompany.com. Visit the Elephant on Facebook, and follow us on twitter @elephanttheatre. Elephant Stages/Theatre Asylum is located at 6320 Santa Monica Boulevard (one block west of Vine), in Hollywood, 90038. Street parking is available.

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11-9-11