NEWS RELEASE — MORE THAN 50 ACTORS SET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLANK THEATRE’S 23rd ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

DEBORAH S. CRAIG, JULIE GONZALO,
ECHO KELLUM, MISSI PYLE,
SARA RUE, LINDSEY SHAW,
VIRGINIA WILLIAMS, AND MORE
SET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLANK THEATRE’S
23RD ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
JUNE 4—28

More than 50 actors are set to participate in The Blank Theatre’s 23rd Annual Young Playwrights Festival, including Deborah S. Craig (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Julie Gonzalo (Dallas), Echo Kellum (Sean Saves the World, Ben & Kate), Missi Pyle (Gone Girl), Sara Rue (Rules of Engagement, Impastor), Lindsey Shaw (Pretty Little Liars), and Virginia Williams (Fairly Legal). Twelve winning plays by young playwrights aged 12—19 from seven different states will be presented during this year’s festival at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, running from June 4—28.

Other notable performers appearing in the Festival are (in alphabetical order) Juliette Angelo, Makenna Ballard, Brielle Barbusca, Sarah Allyn Bauer, L.J. Benet, Jayson Blair, Zach Callison, Chloe Carabasi, Blaire Chandler, Joe DiGiovanni, Nik Dodani, Gabrielle Elyse, Cole Ewing, Nathan Frizzell, Ashlee Füss, Michael Grant, Anna Jacoby-Heron, Kaitlyn Jenkins, Elizabeth Knowelden, Layne Kula, Amir Levi, Max Lloyd-Jones, Jeff Marlow, Sydney Meyer, Nina Millin, Stephen Moffatt, Braxton Molinaro, Sara Montez, JT Neal, Eric Nenninger, Angel Parker, Larry Poindexter, Lurie Poston, Deborah Puette, Jaz Sinclair, Ptolemy Slocum, Ellery Sprayberry, Ben Stillwell, Jennifer Stone, Michael Grant Terry, Jeff Torres, Devon Werkheiser, and Micaela Wittman.

The Blank Theatre’s 23rd Annual Young Playwrights Festival runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm, beginning June 4 and running through June 28 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 $68 for adults and $48 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.theblank.com or by calling (323) 661-9827.

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06-01-15

PRESS RELEASE — BLANK THEATRE OPENS 24TH SEASON WITH “THE WHY” ON SATURDAY 9/20 AT 8PM

THE BLANK THEATRE
PRESENTS
THE WHY
BY VICTOR KAUFOLD
DIRECTED BY DANIEL HENNING

24TH SEASON BEGINS ON SEPTEMBER 16
AT THE BLANK’S 2nd STAGE THEATRE
OPENING SET FOR SATURDAY 9/20 AT 8PM

The Blank Theatre (Daniel Henning, Founding Artistic Director; Noah Wyle, Artistic Producer) has announced that the first production of its 24th season will be The Why by Victor Kaufold, directed by Henning. Previews begin September 16 and opening is set for Saturday, September 20 at 8pm. The engagement will run through October 19.

The Why is a fast-paced tragicomedy — one part modern satire, one part honest investigation. The central story concerns Robert, an American teenager guilty of murdering three of his classmates in a school shooting. Spliced among the dramatic exchanges between Robert and his assigned social worker, a parade of fantastical stereotypes storms in and out, creating a dichotomy between moments of hilarity and sorrow. Confronted by disturbingly accurate exaggerations of the tabloid-like modern media, the audience is made to laugh and then question that laughter.

The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Ben Crowley, Nicholas Cutro, Jen Landon, and Jeff Witzke. The design team includes Martha Carter (lighting), Sarah Kalb (costumes), and Rebecca Kessin (sound). The stage manager is Samantha Else. Sarah Allyn Bauer serves as producer.

Said Blank Artistic Producer Noah Wyle, “The Why is a truly original take on a very serious and very complex subject: what is happening to the youth of America? Why are kids killing each other? Who or what is to blame? Through blended styles, mixed media, and a constant shifting between drama, farce, satire, and melodrama, The Why seems to offer an answer. Or at least it manages to debunk several popular theories being touted by ‘experts’ in the media. Its continued relevance is frightening.”

Playwright Victor Kaufold was just 19 years old when he wrote The Why, which was a Blank Theatre Young Playwrights Festival winner. Later produced on The Blank’s mainstage, Kaufold received an LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Award nomination for World Premiere Play, the youngest person ever to do so.

Preview performances of The Why begin on Tuesday, September 16 at 8pm, and continue Wednesday, September 17 through Friday, September 19 at 8pm. Opening is set for Saturday, September 20 at 8pm. The regular performance schedule will be Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm through October 19. Admission prices are $25—$30 (student price is $20; must show valid ID), and tickets may be purchased online at www.TheBlank.com or via phone at (323) 661-9827.

The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre is located at 6500 Santa Monica Boulevard (at Wilcox), in Hollywood.

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08-13-14

PRESS RELEASE — MORE THAN 35 ACTORS SET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLANK THEATRE’S YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

SARA GILBERT, SCOTT LOWELL,
MICHAEL GRANT TERRY, ANGEL PARKER,
ELLEN D. WILLIAMS, CURT HANSEN,
JESSY SCHRAM, AND MORE
SET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLANK THEATRE’S
22ND ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
JUNE 5—29

More than 35 actors are set to participate in The Blank Theatre’s 22nd Annual Young Playwrights Festival, including Sara Gilbert (Roseanne, The Talk, The Big Bang Theory), Curt Hansen (A Snow White Christmas, Wicked), Scott Lowell (Queer As Folk), Michael Grant Terry (Bones), Angel Parker (Lab Rats), Ellen D. Williams (How I Met Your Mother), and Jessy Schram (Falling Skies, Mad Men). Twelve winning plays by young playwrights aged 16 -19 from seven different states will be presented during this year’s festival at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, running from June 5—29.

Other notable performers appearing in the Festival are (in alphabetical order) Sarah Allyn Bauer, Tim Cummings, Shaan Dasani, Aaron Fors, Alberto Frezza, Frank Gingerich, Zena Grey, Arjun Gupta, Paul Hodge, Juanita Jennings, Sophie Kargman, Caroline Lindy, Kayla Madison, Minni Jo Mazzola, Tyler Merna, Matthew Scott Montgomery, Larry Poindexter, John Posey, Romy Rosemont, Maite Schwartz, Patrick Stafford, David Starzyk, Liam Starzyk, Ben Stillwell, Jennifer Stone, Mandy Turpin, Mat Vairo, Tessa Williams, and Ellen Wong.

The Blank Theatre’s 22nd Annual Young Playwrights Festival plays Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm, beginning June 5 and running through June 29 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 $68 for adults and $48 for students. Tickets may be purchased at www.theblank.com.

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05-27-14