NEWS RELEASE — HWD FRINGE FESTIVAL ‘ENCORE! PRODUCER’S AWARD’ PERFS OF QUEER CLASSICS’ “THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (AN EXPLORATION OF GENDER EXPRESSION)” ADDED SAT 7/18 & SUN 7/19 at 7:30pm

2015 HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL
ENCORE! PRODUCER’S AWARD WINNER

QUEER CLASSICS PRESENTS
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
(An Exploration of Gender Expression)
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
DIRECTED BY CASEY KRINGLEN

TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY
JULY 18 & 19 AT 7:30PM
THE OTHER SPACE AT THE ACTORS COMPANY

The Queer Classics production of William Shakespeare’s controversial and often polarizing commedia dell’arte comedy The Taming of the Shrew is the winner of a 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore! Producer’s Award. This unique re-imagined exploration of gender expression in the comedic style of I Love Lucy will play two additional performances on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19 at 7:30pm.

Conceived and directed by Casey Kringlen, the cast features Shaan Dasani, Ryan Leslie Fisher, Suzanne Fortin, Julie Rei Goldstein, Gordon Meacham, Dawn Medina, and Angel Payne, and from last year’s critically acclaimed production of The Importance of Being Earnest Bobby Gutierrez, Jeffrey Masters, and Philip Orazio. Lighting design is by Dan Weingarten and the stage manager is Amber Bruegel.

In the Queer Classics version of modern times, Kate and Petruchio might identify as trans*, but the 1950s are a completely different world. In this new and sexy adaptation, the lead lovers explore their expression of gender in a time before there were labels to define it.

Queer Classics is dedicated to sharing classic stories re-imagined through a queer lens — art for the LGBTQ community and its supporters. Visit www.queerclassics.com.

Tickets for the Encore! Producer’s Award performances of Queer Classics’ The Taming of the Shrew (An Exploration of Gender Expression) are $15 online and may be obtained at http://www.theencoreawards.com/projects/2349. Admission price at the door is $20. The performance running time is 90 minutes.

The Other Space at The Actors Company is located at 916 N. Formosa Avenue in Los Angeles, 90036. Street parking is available.

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07-10-15

^{L to R — Shaan Dasani & Julie Rei Goldstein. Photo by Casey Kringlen.}

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