Announcing: Bi-Coastal Partnership Announced Between Elephant Theatre Company and NYC’s LAByrinth Theater Company

LA’s ELEPHANT THEATRE COMPANY AND
NYC’s LAByrinth THEATER COMPANY
ANNOUNCE BI-COASTAL PARTNERSHIP

PARTNERSHIP KICKS OFF IN NOVEMBER WITH THE
WEST COAST PREMIERE OF
THE LITTLE FLOWER OF EAST ORANGE
BY STEPHEN ADLY GUIRGIS
AND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF INTRÍNGULIS
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY CARLO ALBAN

The Elephant Theatre Company (David Fofi, Artistic Director, Lindsay Allbaugh, Producing Director), and LAByrinth Theater Company (Stephen Adly Guirgis, Mimi O’Donnell, and Yul Vázquez, Artistic Directors, Danny Feldman, Managing Director) have announced a bi-coastal partnership between the two acclaimed ensemble-based companies.

The partnership will begin in November when the Elephant Theatre Company presents the west coast premiere of The Little Flower of East Orange by Stephen Adly Guirgis, which had its world premiere at LAByrinth Theater Company in a co-production with The Public Theater in 2008.  Simultaneously, LAByrinth will present the world premiere of Intríngulis, Carlo Alban’s solo show, which was also developed by LAByrinth. In addition, ensemble members from both companies will be working together participating in writing workshops, play readings and master classes.

The two companies became acquainted in 2006 when Fofi directed the Elephant’s west coast premiere of In Arabia We’d All Be Kings by Guirgis, garnering four Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, including Best Production and Best Writing, and two Back Stage Garland Awards, for Best Direction and Best Ensemble.

Said Elephant Artistic Director David Fofi, “The idea for this collaboration began to take shape when Stephen and I were riffing about our aspirations for our companies, and about our desire to work together and have a presence in each other’s cities.  Why not help each other achieve our goals and give our respective companies a home-away-from-home?  LAByrinth’s artistic vision and strong ensemble mirrors our company – they get us.  We have a lot to learn from them.  Their trajectory is one that we would like to follow.”

Said LAByrinth Co-Artistic Director Stephen Adly Guirgis, “We are big fans of Dave Fofi and his ensemble’s stellar work at The Elephant, and as an ensemble driven company ourselves, LAByrinth is excited to explore opportunities to work together with The Elephant to host and present vibrant new work and home-grown theatre that bridges the gap between New York and Los Angeles.”

The Elephant is currently in rehearsal for The Little Flower of East Orange; this will be the first production of the play outside of New York.  Opening is set for Saturday, November 6, and the engagement is scheduled to run through December 19.  LAByrinth will be presenting Intríngulis mid-week, opening on November 9 and running through December 9. The productions will run concurrently in the Elephant’s largest space, the Lillian Theatre.

ELEPHANT THEATRE COMPANY (David Fofi, Artistic Director, Lindsay Allbaugh, Producing Director). In 1995, The Elephant Theatre Company was formed in downtown Los Angeles by a group of Cal State Long Beach alumni. In 1997, the company moved to Hollywood and eventually broke ground on their current home: the Elephant Stageworks building at the east end of Theatre Row (a four-theatre complex). The company is comprised of more than 100 actors, directors, designers, and playwrights, and over the last 15 years has produced over 50 productions, including 33 world premieres and numerous west coast and LA premieres. As the Elephant approaches its 15th season in 2011, it remains committed to bringing new work to Los Angeles theatre audiences. Recent productions include Parasite Drag and Supernova (both Ovation Recommended), Block Nine (LA Weekly Awards for Best Production, Best Direction, and Best Performance by a Lead Actor), The Idea Man (Ovation Award, Best New Play), Asleep on a Bicycle, Tooth and Nail, Anything (4 LADCC Awards including Best Production), One Fell Swoop, and In Arabia We’d All Be Kings. For more info, please visit  www.ElephantTheatreCompany.com.

LABYRINTH THEATER COMPANY  (Stephen Adly Guirgis, Mimi O’Donnell, and Yul Vázquez,  Artistic Directors, Danny Feldman, Managing Director) was  founded in 1992 by a group of actors who wanted to push their artistic limits, hone their craft, and create new plays that truly reflected their experience. Today, LAByrinth is comprised of more than 120 established and emerging theatre artists from a wide array of cultural perspectives. The inclusive, multicultural ensemble encourages all members to write, act, direct, and design, and supports multidisciplinary growth and exploration in the creation of daring new work that celebrates the diversity of its New York City home.  Now in its nineteenth season, LAByrinth has developed over 300 new plays and staged 51 productions, including The Little Flower of East Orange and UNCONDITIONAL (2008), A View from 151st Street and Jack Goes Boating (2007), A Small, Melodramatic Story and School of The Americas (2006), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (2005), Sailor’s Song and Guinea Pig Solo (2004), Dutch Heart of Man and Dirty Story (2003), Our Lady of 121st Street (2002), Where’s My Money? (2001), Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train (2000), and In Arabia We’d All Be Kings (1999).  For more info, please visit www.LABtheater.org.

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10-18-10