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: Stars Set To Perform In The Blank Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival & Benefit Event

CATHERINE HICKS, PARVESH CHEENA,
MACKENZIE PHILLIPS, PERI GILPIN, JOSH RANDALL,
LENNY JACOBSON, ZACH ROERIG, MATTHEW MOY, AND MORE SET TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE BLANK THEATRE’S
20TH ANNIVERSARY YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

More than 50 actors are set to participate in The Blank Theatre’s 20th Anniversary Young Playwrights Festival, including Catherine Hicks (7th Heaven), Laura Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program), Mackenzie Phillips (American Graffiti, One Day At A Time), Peri Gilpin (Frasier), Josh Randall (Greek, Scrubs, Dusk Rings A Bell at The Blank), Lenny Jacobson (Nurse Jackie, Sukie & Sue: Their Story at The Blank), Zach Roerig (The Vampire Diaries), and Matthew Moy (2 Broke Girls). Twelve winning plays by young playwrights aged 9 -19, from nine different states, will be presented during this year’s festival at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, running from May 31- June 24.

Other notable performers appearing in the Festival are Shanna Collins (Swingtown), Jill Larson (All My Children), Daniel Hugh Kelly (Ryan’s Hope), Melissa Claire Egan (The Young and the Restless), Dylan Sprayberry (Man of Steel), Michael Grant (The Secret Life of the American Teenager), Angel Parker (Lab Rats), Parvesh Cheena (Outsourced), Sprague Grayden (Six Feet Under, Jericho), Sean Maher (Party of Five), Larry Poindexter (CSI, JAG), and Jack Laufer (Mad Men).

The Blank Theatre’s 20th Anniversary Young Playwrights Festival plays Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm, beginning May 31 and running through June 24 at the Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Boulevard (at Highland), in Hollywood. Each week’s program includes three plays. Tickets are $20 for adults and $14 for students. Festival Passes, which include one ticket for each week, are $64.

On Sunday, June 3 at 6pm, The Blank Theatre will present 20 Years of Winners: Scenes, Songs, and Speeches from 20 Years of the Young Playwights Festival. Benefitting The Blank, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit arts organization, this one-night-only event will feature many stars of stage, screen, and television, scheduled to include (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, Virginia Madsen, Angel Parker, Jessy Schram, Rex Smith, Jennifer Stone, DB Sweeney, Kirsten Vangsness, Gedde Watanabe, Virginia Williams, Steven Weber, 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 performances in the Young Playwrights Festival at the Stella Adler Theatre (prices above), and for the benefit evening ($50-$250) may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com, or by calling (323) 661-9827.

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05-22-12

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