Announcing: Virginia Madsen and Steven Weber Perform Pulitzer Prize Finalist Stephen Karam’s First Play (Written at Age 17) at The Blank Theatre’s YPF Benefit, Sunday 6/3

VIRGINIA MADSEN AND STEVEN WEBER
WILL PERFORM 2012 PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST
STEPHEN KARAM’S FIRST PLAY (WRITTEN AT AGE 17)
AT THE BLANK THEATRE’S BENEFIT EVENING
20 Years of Winners: Scenes, Songs and Speeches from 20 Years
of the Young Playwrights Festival
SUNDAY, JUNE 3 AT 6PM AT AVALON HOLLYWOOD

Virginia Madsen and Steven Weber have been set to perform A Work Of Art, Pulitzer Prize finalist Stephen Karam’s first play (which he wrote at age 17), at 20 Years of Winners: Scenes, Songs, and Speeches from 20 Years of the Young Playwrights Festival on Sunday, June 3 at 6pm. A Work of Art was produced in The Blank Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival in 1997.

Karam, a three-time YPF winner, was a 2012 Pulitzer Prize finalist for his critically acclaimed play Sons of the Prophet. His other plays include Speech and Debate (presented on The Blank’s mainstage in 2008), Columbinus (with PJ Paparelli), Emma, and Dark Sisters. In a recent Los Angeles Times story on the history of the YPF, Karam, now 32, said of his experience, “When you see people taking your work seriously at that age, it makes a big impression. For the first time, I thought of myself as a real writer.”

Additionally, Vanessa Williams has joined the cast of stars of stage, screen, and television scheduled to participate, which, along with Madsen and Weber, includes (in alphabetical order) Ed Asner, Barbara Bain, Nicholas Brendon, Brianna Brown, Dale Dickey, Daisy Eagan, Kat Foster, Thea Gill, Peri Gilpin, Lenny Jacobson, Michael E. Knight, Tom Lenk, Scott Lowell, Justina Machado, Allison Mack, Angel Parker, Jessy Schram, Rex Smith, DB Sweeney, Kirsten Vangsness, Gedde Watanabe, Virginia Williams, Noah Wyle, Bellamy Young, and Constance Zimmer.

The 20 Years of Winners event will take place at Avalon Hollywood, 1735 N. Vine Street, in Hollywood. Tickets for the benefit evening, which range in price from $50-$250, may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com, or by calling (323) 661-9827.

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05-30-12

Announcing: The Blank Theatre Presents “20 Years of Winners,” A Benefit for The Young Playwrights Festival

THE BLANK THEATRE PRESENTS
20 YEARS OF WINNERS
SCENES, SONGS, AND SPEECHES FROM 20 YEARS
OF THE YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
ONE NIGHT ONLY: SUNDAY, JUNE 3 AT 6PM

Benefiting The Blank Theatre, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization, honorary host Jennifer Garner will welcome (in alphabetical order) Ed Asner, Barbara Bain, Nicholas Brendon, Brianna Brown, Gordon Clapp, Dale Dickey, Daisy Eagan, Thea Gill, Peri Gilpin, Gale Harold, Lenny Jacobson, Michael E. Knight, Tom Lenk, Scott Lowell, Allison Mack, Virginia Madsen, Angel Parker, Rex Smith, Jennifer Stone, DB Sweeney, Kirsten Vangsness, Gedde Watanabe, Virginia Williams, and Noah Wyle as they perform scenes, songs, and speeches from 20 years of The Blank’s Young Playwrights Festival. Artists subject to change. This one night only event will take place on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 6pm, at Avalon Hollywood.

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 21-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. 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 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

DATE/TIME:  Sunday, June 3, at 6pm

ADMISSION:  $50 – $125. VIP packages available for $250-$350 (includes post-performance reception with the cast).

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

LOCATION:    Avalon Hollywood, 1735 Vine Street, Hollywood, 90028.

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05-08-12

Announcing: “The Cost of the Erection” by Jon Marans Begins Previews at Blank Theatre on Sat 2/4/12

THREE-TIME DAYTIME EMMY AWARD WINNER
MICHAEL E. KNIGHT (ALL MY CHILDREN) SET TO STAR
IN THE BLANK THEATRE’S PRODUCTION OF
THE COST OF THE ERECTION
A NEW PLAY BY JON MARANS

WEST COAST PREMIERE WILL FEATURE KNIGHT,
ROBIN RIKER, KAL BENNETT, AND JAMES LOUIS WAGNER
DIRECTED BY DANIEL HENNING

PREVIEWS BEGIN FEBRUARY 4, 2012
AT THE BLANK’S 2nd STAGE THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD

Renowned daytime television stars Michael E. Knight (All My Children) and Robin Riker (The Bold and the Beautiful), along with Kal Bennett and James Louis Wagner are set to star in The Blank Theatre’s production of The Cost of the Erection by Jon Marans, directed by Blank Founding Artistic Director Daniel Henning. The West Coast premiere begins previews on February 4, and opening night is set for Saturday, February 11 at 8:00. The engagement will run through Sunday, March 18.

In The Cost of the Erection, wealthy Susu Ziegler has purchased an exclusive Manhattan raw space apartment overlooking the Hudson. She hopes to have her architect husband design this tricky space, but with their marriage on the rocks, she forces him to compete against a younger, hotshot architect. This sexy, funny tale is told in a heightened theatrical style, compressing and playing with time and space, and ultimately examines what makes a marriage work. Or not work. The Cost of the Erection will have its world premiere under the title A Raw Space at the Bristol Riverside Theatre in Bristol, Pennsylvania on February 3.

Playwright Jon Marans’ Old Wicked Songs was a 1996 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Drama, the winner of a New York Drama League Award, a Los Angeles Drama Logue Award, and it was included in Otis Guernsey’s Best Plays of 1996-97. Marans’ other plays include A Strange and Separate People, Jumping For Joy, Legacy of the Dragonslayers (based on Studs Terkel’s Coming of Age), the musical Irrationals (Book & Lyrics by Marans, Music by Edward Thomas), and The Temperamentals, which had a successful run at The Blank Theatre in the spring of 2011.

Set and lighting design for The Cost of the Erection are by Cameron Zetty, costume design is by Rachel Engstrom, and sound design is by Warren Davis. Casting is by Scott David, Erica Silverman, and Bob Lambert. Nicki Gannon is stage manager.

Started in 1990 by Founding Artistic Director Daniel Henning, The Blank Theatre is Hollywood’s resident theatre, consistently offering some of the most high quality and entertaining productions in the area. Over 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. The Blank continues to be at the forefront of providing high quality productions with a risk taking sensibility and entertaining experiences for theatregoers. With programs such as The 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.

Preview performances of The Cost of the Erection are Saturday, February 4 at 8pm, Sunday, February 5 at 2pm, and Tuesday, February 7 – Friday, February 10 at 8pm. The Friday 2/10 performance is available for press review, and opening night is set for Saturday, February 11 at 8:00. The regular performance schedule is Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm through March 18. All preview seats are $26; regular performance prices are $26 on Thursday and Sunday, $30 on Friday and Saturday. Tickets are on sale now, and may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com or by calling (323) 661-9827.

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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12-16-11