Announcing: World Premiere Play ‘The End of It’ Opens Sat 9/14 at Matrix Theatre

END LA AND SCOTT DISHAROON PRESENT
THE END OF IT
A NEW PLAY BY PAUL COATES
DIRECTED BY OVATION AWARD-WINNER NICK DEGRUCCIO

OPENS SEPTEMBER 14 AT THE MATRIX THEATRE

End LA and Scott Disharoon have announced they will present The End Of It, a new play by Paul Coates, for a limited engagement at the Matrix Theatre on Melrose with previews beginning Saturday, September 7, and opening set for Saturday, September 14 at 8pm. Directed by three-time Ovation Award-winner Nick DeGruccio, the world premiere of The End Of It will run through October 20.

The End Of It tells the tale of three couples (one gay, one straight, one lesbian) who simultaneously confront the possible dissolution of a twenty-year relationship. The honest, humorous, and frank situation delivers a voyeuristic powerful punch as the couples erupt with anger, blame, grief, and ultimately acceptance that this may in fact be the end of it.

The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) William Franklin Barker, Leslie Bartlett, Paul Coates, Ferrell Marshall, Kelly Coffield Park, Wendy Radford, and David Youse. The scenic design is by Francois-Pierre Couture, lighting design is by Steven Young, costume design is by Morgan DeGroff, and sound design is by Ollie Marland. The production stage manager is Todd Nielsen.

Playwright Paul Coates is a writer, actor and producer. His first play, Desire!, was produced off-Broadway and at the Colony Theatre in Burbank (where he directed it himself). His play The High Life received an off-Broadway workshop production, and Hypno-Lite was produced regionally. His collection of short plays, Acts Of Desperation, won the LATC Monologue Competition. Other plays include Kathy Good and Speaking Of Bill. As an actor, Coates has appeared in productions of The Elephant Man, The Life And Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Wild Oats, As You Like It, The Chalk Garden, The Man Who Couldn’t Dance, The Kentucky Cycle, Titanic, and Hobson’s Choice, among many others. Coates is the owner and president of iManage Talent & Literary Management.

Director Nick DeGruccio is a multi-award-winning director, coach and teacher. His productions include Next To Normal, The Laramie Project, Jekyll & Hyde, 1776, Putting It Together, A Year With Frog and Toad, Cinderella, My Way, Man of La Mancha, Rent, The Andrews Brothers, Guys and Dolls, Side Show, The Spitfire Grill, Zanna Don’t!, Basic Training, Side by Side by Sondheim, La Cage Aux Folles, The Last Five Years, I Do! I Do!, City of Angels, The Full Monty, and the world premiere of Caught at the Zephyr Theatre, among many others. As the artistic director and founder of Havok Theatre Company he directed the LA premieres of Dog Sees God, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Thrill Me, and The Story Of My Life. DeGruccio is an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Theatre Director’s Lab West. www.nickdegruccio.com

There will be four preview performances of The End Of It on Saturday, September 7 at 8pm; Sunday, September 8 at 5pm; Thursday, September 12 at 8pm; and Friday, September 13 at 8pm. Opening is set for Saturday, September 14 at 8pm. The regular performance schedule will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 5pm through October 20 only. All seats are $30. Tickets can be purchased online at www.plays411.com/theend or via phone by calling (323) 960-4418.

The Matrix Theatre is located at 7657 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, 90046. Ample street parking is available.

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08-06-13

Announcing: Caught Extends One Final Time, Until June 26, 2011

CAUGHT EXTENDS ONE FINAL TIME
SMASH HIT WORLD PREMIERE PLAY BY DAVID L. RAY
AND DIRECTED BY NICK DEGRUCCIO
ENDS SOLD OUT EIGHT-MONTH RUN AT ZEPHYR THEATRE
ON JUNE 26, 2011

TICKET PURCHASES NOW BENEFITTING
THE NOH8 CAMPAIGN & AID FOR AIDS

David L. Ray’s world premiere play, Caught, presented by Buttermilk Productions in association with Drumfish Productions, and directed by three-time Ovation Award-winner Nick DeGruccio, has extended its run one final time through Sunday, June 26.

For the remainder of the run, patrons may use special codes (either NOH8 or AID4AIDS) when ordering tickets at www.CaughtThePlay.com and the production will donate 25% of the ticket price to either the NOH8 Campaign or Aid for AIDS.

The story of Caught centers around the upcoming wedding of Kenneth and Troy, a committed gay couple living in Los Angeles. Kenneth’s estranged, culturally-conservative sister, Darlene, and her daughter Krystal unexpectedly visit the couple’s home from south Georgia only days before the event. Through this set of circumstances, Caught explores the meaning of ‘marriage,’ and how the family can find a way to meet in the middle while navigating long-standing religious values and staying true to each’s core beliefs.

The cast features (in alphabetical order) Mackenzie Astin, Will Beinbrink, Richard Jenik, Amanda Kaschak, Micah McCain, and Deborah Puette. The design team includes set by Adam Flemming, lighting by Lisa D. Katz, sound by Elizabeth Rhodes, and costumes by Katherine Hampton Noland. Casting is by Raul Staggs, and the production stage manager is Darlene Miyakawa.

The Ovation Recommended production of Caught will end its run on Sunday, June 26. Regular performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 7:00pm. Tickets are $40 and may be purchased by visiting www.CaughtThePlay.com or by calling (800) 595-4849. The Zephyr Theatre is located at 7456 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, 90046.

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05-03-11

Announcing: “Caught” Extended thru May 15; Mackenzie Astin Joins Cast on February 19

MACKENZIE ASTIN
JOINS THE CAST OF CAUGHT

WORLD PREMIERE PLAY, WRITTEN BY DAVID L. RAY
AND DIRECTED BY NICK DEGRUCCIO

EXTENDS RUN FOR SECOND TIME, THROUGH MAY 15, 2011
AT THE ZEPHYR THEATRE

David L. Ray’s world premiere play, Caught, presented by Buttermilk Productions in association with Drumfish Productions, and directed by three-time Ovation Award-winner Nick DeGruccio, has extended its run through Sunday, April 3. Mackenzie Astin will assume the role of Kenneth on Saturday, February 19, when Corey Brill departs to join Robin Williams and the Broadway cast of Rajiv Joseph’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo.

The story of Caught centers around the upcoming wedding of Kenneth and Troy, a committed gay couple living in Los Angeles. Kenneth’s estranged, culturally-conservative sister, Darlene, and her daughter Krystal unexpectedly visit the couple’s home from south Georgia only days before the event. Through this set of circumstances, Caught explores the meaning of ‘marriage,’ and how the family can find a way to meet in the middle while navigating long-standing religious values and staying true to each’s core beliefs.

Mackenzie Astin, the son of legendary actors Patty Duke and John Astin, is perhaps best known for his three seasons on the hit NBC sitcom The Facts of Life. His film credits include Dream for an Insomniac, Stranger Than Fiction, Long Island Incident, Last Days of Disco, Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor (with Nathan Lane), In Love and War (with Sandra Bullock and Chris O’Donnell), and the Disney feature Iron Will. Other television work includes appearances on Without A Trace, Lost, House, Justice, and My Name Is Earl.

The full cast features (in alphabetical order) Astin, Will Beinbrink, Richard Jenik, Amanda Kaschak, Micah McCain, and Deborah Puette. The design team includes set by Adam Flemming, lighting by Lisa D. Katz, sound by Elizabeth Rhodes, and costumes by Katherine Hampton Noland. Casting is by Raul Staggs, and the production stage manager is Darlene Miyakawa.

The Ovation Recommended production of Caught is now extended through May 15. Regular performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 7:00pm. There will be no performances on Friday, February 18 and Sunday, February 27. Tickets are $30 and may be purchased by visiting www.CaughtThePlay.com or by calling (800) 595-4849. The Zephyr Theatre is located at 7456 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, 90046.

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02-08-11