Announcing: Mike Farrell, Catherine Hicks, & Megan Ward Added for “Windows on the World” Reading

MIKE FARRELL, CATHERINE HICKS AND MEGAN WARD
WILL JOIN THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED
NOAH WYLE, VIRGINIA MADSEN, MARK VALLEY,
JUSTINA MACHADO, GALE HAROLD, PERRY OJEDA
AND NICHOLAS BRENDON

FOR READING OF WINDOWS ON THE WORLD
BY COLETTE KEEN
TO BENEFIT THE BLANK THEATRE’S
NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM,
‘THE LIVING ROOM SERIES’

ONE NIGHT ONLY
SEPTEMBER 12, 2011 AT THE STELLA ADLER THEATRE

Mike Farrell, Catherine Hicks, and Megan Ward have signed on for the reading of Windows On The World by Colette Keen, directed by Kirsten Sanderson, on Monday, September 12 at 8pm, at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood. They join the previously announced Noah Wyle, Virginia Madsen, Mark Valley, Justina Machado, Gale Harold, Perry Ojeda, and Nicholas Brendon.

Mike Farrell is perhaps best known for playing Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on television’s M*A*S*H. During his eight years on the show, he also wrote and directed several episodes, earning him nominations for Director’s Guild and Emmy Awards. In the fall of 2010, Farrell appeared at The Blank as James in Terre Haute. Catherine Hicks became known for her three-year stint on Ryan’s Hope. She has made many films, and for eleven years and 240 episodes, she played Annie Camden on 7th Heaven. In early 2010, she appeared in The Blank’s production of Christopher Durang’s Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them. Megan Ward has countless television appearances to her credit, including General Hospital, CSI, Without A Trace, ER, and Boomtown, among others. Ward appeared in this year’s Young Playwright’s Festival at The Blank.

Said Daniel Henning, The Blank’s Founding Artistic Director, “The events of 9/11 had a profound impact on all of us. Many people chose to express their grief through art. We were moved by the depth of this play, and could think of no better way to pay tribute to the memory of those we lost, as well as honor those who survived.”

Added the author, “This verbatim play focuses on the previously unheard perspectives of individuals who were in New York on 9/11. Windows On The World was inspired by two of my friends: Alicia Titus, a flight attendant, who died on the second plane that flew into the towers, and Judy Kaplan, who brought perspective, humor and wisdom to the day’s events with her tales of walking home from downtown to Queens and how her life has changed since. Poets, lawyers, administrators, artists, and fire fighters have shared their experiences and describe how their lives have changed as a result of this day of de-enlightenment. Also, for the first time, you will get to hear the first call to 911 dispatch made by FDNY firefighter (Ret.) John Jermyn, who shares his story of surviving the collapse of the towers.”

Seating is limited, and tickets are now on sale. Admission is $50 for general seating, and $75 for reserved seating and a post-performance reception with the cast. Visit www.TheBlank.com, or call (323) 661-9827. The Stella Adler Theatre is located at 6773 Hollywood Boulevard (at Highland), in Hollywood.

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09-01-11

Release: Stars of “Defenders,” “Modern Family,” “Dexter,” and More to Act in the Blank Theatre Company’s Young Playwrights Festival

STARS OF THE DEFENDERS, MODERN FAMILY,
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, GENERAL HOSPITAL,
DEXTER, AND NURSE JACKIE
SET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLANK THEATRE COMPANY’S
19TH ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

Jerry O’Connell (The Defenders, Crossing Jordan), Jennifer Stone (Wizards of Waverly Place, Harriet the Spy), Lenny Jacobson (Nurse Jackie), Ariel Winter (Modern Family), Michael J. Willett (United States of Tara), Scott Lowell (Queer as Folk), and Larry Poindexter (The Hard Times of RJ Berger on MTV) will join soap opera stars Billy Miller and Greg Rikaart (The Young and The Restless), and Megan Ward (General Hospital) in The Blank Theatre Company’s 19th Annual Young Playwrights Festival. Twelve winning plays by teen playwrights aged 15 -19, from five different states, will be presented during this year’s festival at The Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, running from June 2 – 26, 2011.

Among the 70 actors who will appear in this year’s festival, WEEK ONE (June 2-5) will feature Larry Poindexter and Greg Rikaart, along with Gale Harold (Hellcats, Queer As Folk, Desperate Housewives), and Susan Park (The Unusuals). WEEK TWO (June 9 –12) will feature Jennifer Stone, Megan Ward, and Ariel Winter, along with Dale Dickey (My Name Is Earl, Breaking Bad). WEEK THREE (June 16—19) will feature Lenny Jacobson and Jerry O’Connell, along with Julia Campbell (Dexter), Scott Lowell (Queer As Folk), Eric Nenninger (Generation Kill, Glory Days), and Marcia Wallace (The Simpsons). WEEK FOUR (June 23—26) will feature Billy Miller, along with Parvesh Cheena (Outsourced), and Tessa Thompson (Detroit 1-8-7).

Winners were chosen by a panel of theatre professionals from plays submitted by teenagers from across the nation. Winning playwrights were next assigned a mentor and then a professional director who has helped them hone their scripts for four public performances. In the past 17 years, The Blank has produced 196 plays by teenaged playwrights. Eleven of those plays or playwrights have gone on to be presented on The Blank’s mainstage, including Speech & Debate by Stephen Karam, a three-time winner in The Blank’s YPF. Additionally, many past plays have been nominated for LA theatre awards, including an Ovation Award for Best Writing—World Premiere, and a LA Weekly Award for Best One-Act Playwriting.

The Blank Theatre Company’s 19th Annual Young Playwrights Festival plays Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm, beginning June 2 and running through June 26 at The Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood. Each week’s program includes three plays. Tickets are $17 for adults and $12 for students. Festival Passes, which include one ticket for each week, are $56. Tickets may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com, or by calling (323) 661-9827.

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05-27-11