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Note from Producing
Artistic Director John Lant Ò Season 2009-2010 Season Continues
Greetings-
Attending a play is an
essential collaboration between patrons and artists, and we appreciate
you supporting Write Act Repertory during this economically turbulent time.
Your generosity helps us keep our doors open, and keeps live
theatre thriving in Los Angeles.
I am excited to continue
the 2009-2010 Season. I encourage you to come with us as we venture
deeper into our 11th Season. Write Act Rep continues to electrify the Los
Angeles Theatre Community by developing excellent material written by and
for our Write Act Rep artists.
I am proud of the great
response to our 2009 Season Opener, the socially relevant Measure
for Measure, which examined the sanctity of love, and the twisted
nature of oppression. Measure for Measure was
a daring fight against hate. Characters fought passionately for a
world where race and class, gender and sexuality, fear and boundaries no
longer exist -- and all thatÌs left is the freedom to discover
transcendent love. As during Shakespeare's time, Measure
for Measure still challenges us today, with its volatile
characters, racy situations, magnetic relationships, and controversial
themes. The play remains powerful, heartbreaking, and ultimately
profound.
Currently up is the second
installment of The Freeway Series 2009 Ò Keep the
Ball Rolling. The Freeway Series is an
innovative production showcasing the distinctive voices of Southern
Californian Playwrights and the diverse talent of Write Act Rep
artists. We have created a provocative and impassioned evening,
revealing glimpses into the lives of the people all around us.
Their stories can be found in the coffee shop down the street, in the
apartment above you, in the park where you picnic÷ a second later, or a
moment sooner. Life, and sometimes death, continues.
We are
honored by the Los Angeles theater veterans who will write and direct the
2009 installment of The Freeway Series. Dead Angel by Dale
Andersen, will be directed by Rebecca
Doppelt; Cupidity by Thomas J. Misuraca will be directed by
Bennett Cohon; Up On The Roof by Mark Harvey Levine will be directed by Louise
Kroot-Haukka; Table For One by Hindi Brooks will be directed by Bennett
Cohon; Dear John by Herman Poppe will be directed by Herman
Poppe; and Skipper by Robert Beiderman will be directed by Susan
Eiden.
Our 2009 season continues
with acclaimed playwright JudiAnn MasonÌs dramatic piece How
Katrina Plays. This multi-media docu-play is a compilation of
monologues about Hurricane Katrina. These stories were documented through
letters, emails, phone calls, newspaper articles and personal family
accounts of what has been termed the storm of the century. How
Katrina Plays is dedicated to JudiAnn Mason's brother, BJ Mason,
who died helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina. This is not only BJ
Mason's story, but the story of a national
calamity. We commemorate the bravery of those involved, observe their
sacrifice, and try to understand, through their stories. On the
anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Write Act Rep offers a special sneak
preview of How Katrina Plays.
In November and December,
Write Act Rep will feature the world premiere of Just A Song At Twilight,
Willard Manus' autobiographical family drama about the challenges of
growing up in a deaf household. To commemorate Black History Month,
Willard Manus produced his musical Blues For Central Avenue
earlier this year at Hollywood Civic Light Opera.
Just a Song at Twilight will star Lene Pedersen,
whose performance in Winter made the L.A. Times' 2008
"ten-best" list. Willard Manus is a Los Angeles-based
novelist, playwright, and journalist. He is the author of Mott the Hoople, the novel
from which the
British 70s rock band took their name, and This Way to Paradise: Dancing on
the Tables, a memoir of life in Lindos, Rhodes, Greece from the
1960s to the 1990s. Manus has had a dozen other books
published, most recently a young adult novel, A Dog Called Leka, about a boy sailing the
Aegean islands in the company of an exceptional dog. Over three
dozen of Manus' plays have been produced in Los Angeles, regionally, and
in Europe.
Autumn is filled with
fright and danger, as Quoth the Raven: Edgar Allan Poe
revels in the brilliant and twisted mind of the Master of Macabre,
focusing on Edgar Allan PoeÌs life and work, as seen through the eyes of
todayÌs artists. Write Act Rep reanimates PoeÌs most infamous
characters on stage, and turns the sinister on its head. This night of
one-acts promises to tingle your spine and split your sides. Amidst the
mirth, madness, and mayhem, you may even come to understand PoeÌs belief
that life itself Ïis but a dream within a dream.Ó
Start your Holiday Season
with a bang and a shout as we present the courtroom drama Dr.
Francinscence and the Christmas Monster, written by Sean Abely,
based on the story, The Holiday
Account of Dr. Frankincense by Ray Kampf.
Dr. Francinscence is a
misunderstood mad scientist (not an evil
scientist). With his trusted assistant Myrrh, he stands before the
Christmas Supreme Court, on which sit the Jack Frost (the Chief Justice),
and judges Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the Ghost of Christmas Past,
Frosty the Snowman, and the Sugarplum Fairy. Dr. Francinscence must
convince the court that he is not trying to ruin Christmas by building a
Christmas monster from the leftovers of Christmases past.
Dr. Francinscence's
accusers are the Noels, the Evergreens, Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the
townspeople who threaten him with pitchforks and torches, whenever he
invents something, including his latest, an eggnog latte. ÏItÌs totally delish!Ó
Can we all just get along,
or will Santa hoard all of the Christmas Joy and Holiday Spirit?
Come see for yourself, in this thrilling court-room
drama, with flashback laboratory sequences, and surprise last-minute
witness for the defense.
Playwright Sean Abely
spent the better part of the 90s in Chicago, writing, directing and
producing theater for his company, The
Factory Theater. Some of Sean's long-running productions
include Santa Claus Conquers the
Martians: The Musical, Attack
of the Killer B's (also produced here in Los Angeles), and Nuclear Family. Sean moved
to LA writing for children's television on So Weird (Disney Channel), Sabrina, The Animated Series (ABC), Mega Babies and Digimon
(Fox Family). He also wrote a bunch of pilots for Klasky-Csupo,
including Bench Pressly, with
Ahmet Zappa, starring Bruce Campbell and Tim Curry.
As
Write Act Rep moves into 2010, we look ahead to the upcoming season and
beyond, with a glimpse of a long-term future, and commitment to our actor
members: the new 2x4 Series. Not only do we want to give writers, directors, and
designers opportunities to develop their work, we want our actors to have
a chance to shine.
Ever wanted to produce
your own play? Here's your chance to stage the play you have always
wanted to perform, and be completely in charge of the production, from
gathering the rights, to the audition, to rehearsals, to opening night. 2x4
Series will feature an individually chosen production, so that
the actor may find their full artistic voice. This series of
workshops to full productions of published plays will have a very limited
run with limited production time and a limited budget.
Two different shows will
be staged each week, running four weeks in succession, for a total of
eight separate productions of the best works imaginable. It is my belief
that economic constraints enhance creativity, and by teaching artists
cross-discipline theatrical skills, we will help them on this journey called
show business.
Throughout the 2009 -2010
year, a troupe of Write Act Rep artists develop and perform a sketch and
improv combination called Best In Show. Company member
Grace Fraga will run the improv sessions, with company Dramaturge Ken
Cosby running the sketch writing session. This ninety-minute show will
focus on the writing aspects of our sketch comedy workshop sessions.
Ultimately, this will grow into a Comedy Festival hosted at Write
Act Rep, where our comedy troupe will compete against other comedy groups
in Los Angeles, such as Upright Citizens Brigade, Groundlings, and Second
City. A panel of independent judges will determine which group is the Best
in Show.
In addition to our
exclusive programming, Write Act Rep collaborates with other artistic
organizations, including Hollywood Civic Light Opera, Dungeon
Master, 3rd Degree Burn, 800 Pound Gorilla, 2 Drink Minimum,
Urban Legends, Traffic Jam, Arts and Reconciliation, The
Burlesque Hall of Fame's Bodacious Burlesque -- and our
new relationships with West of Broadway, Bobby BooneÌs Productions,
Nathan Murphy Productions, and the Duende Collective.
Write Act Rep and
Hollywood Civic Light Opera will continue to produce new works in
conjunction with LA composers and musical theatre artists, promoting and
energizing the Los Angeles community with musical productions from
writers west of the Mississippi. HCLO is a membership company of
theatrical professionals, producing and performing a variety of new and
rediscovered musical theatre works. HCLO presents musicals with
innovative lyrics, staging, music, and dance. Past productions
include: Hollywood! Hollywood! with Book,
Music and Lyrics by Lou Briggs, and Blues for Central Avenue with
Book by Willard Manus and Music and Lyrics by Lou Briggs. For more
information about HCLO, please visit www.hollywoodciviclightopera.com.
Upcoming events at Write
Act Rep include Karma Ò the Musical,
workshopping in July. Karma tells the
story of a middle-aged woman who travels through time to
convince her younger self to change her karma by making different
choices. The two are at odds as they move through the decades,
but by the end they come to terms with the path they have
chosen.
Electric Youth Ò The
Musical
is a 1980s comedic romp, following the adventures of Tasha and Randy, a
young couple who travel to the rural community of Fern Hill,
Minnesota to announce their engagement to the Randy's parents. The couple
discovers that the whole town is facing bankruptcy, thanks to the
mean-spirited machinations of wealthy town spinster. Electric
Youth features fourteen of Debbie Gibson's most-loved songs,
including "Electric Youth," "Out of the Blue,"
"Only in My Dreams," and "Lost in Your Eyes."
Dungeon Master is a hybrid of theater
and improv performed on a stage, using actors as the background÷ and
starring YOU as one of the main characters. For every show, a
six-person party of adventurous audience members is chosen from a list of
volunteers. The party is supplied with costumes, weapons (foam of
course), and the use of ten spells (which must rhyme), and given a task which must be completed in the allotted time.
Although each Dungeon Master is scripted and rehearsed, the audience
members are always wild cards. For more information, visit www.dungeonmasters.com.
Third
Degree Burn is a comedy group thatÌs sure to make your mind and
soul burn with laughter. This talented threesome, led by
entertainment veteran Ken Cosby, accompanied by Donald Lett and Jackie
Marriott, digs deeper than the superficial. This unique mix of
sketch comedy and solo performance will be staged in our monthly
late-night series, which kicks off theseries of Book, Music and Lyrics
by÷Third Degree Burn.
800
Pound Gorilla is the newest toast of the town, featuring a
bakerÌs dozen of Los Angeles' top comedians, hosted by prominent
funny-man Darren Mangler. Another installment of the series Book,
Music and Lyrics by÷800 Pound Gorilla, this late-night show
features the best of a monthly open-mic competition, voted on by Los
Angeles comedic luminaries. Come on in, and bring your two drinks.
TheyÌre free with your ticket price!
Two
Drink Minimum is Los Angeles based improv troupe dedicated to
spreading laughter around a specific event. They recently finished
their successful show, Two Drink-o de Mayo.
Now, Write Act Rep presents Two Drinks for Tatas, a
benefit evening to raise money for the 2009 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer -
Los Angeles. We are delighted to add this group to our late-night
series, Book, Music and Lyrics by÷Two Drink Minimum.
Hard-core poetry trivia fans
know that Da Poetry Lounge started as a real lounge
reading at the Jewel Box Theatre complex in Hollywood, under development
visionary John Lant. Da Poetry Lounge moved to the Greenway Court
Theatre, Dead Beat PoetÌs Society moved to another dimension,
and XM RadioÌs New Frequency - Theatre of the
Mind moved to television development. But John Lant's love of the spoken word
experience kept development going strong. Urban
Legends is Write Act Rep's newest spoken word
experience. Urban Legends will feature the real voice
of a generation, putting its definitive mark on our series
Book, Music and Lyrics by÷Urban Legends.
Capping off
our late-night series is Book,
Music and Lyrics by÷ Traffic Jam. Write Act Rep will be the
new home of the bi-monthly "music for the music's sake"
showcase, Traffic Jam. This top notch evening will feature an intimate vibe,
showcasing eclectic sounds of Los Angeles. Sit back, relax, and enjoy an
evening of awesome music, complete with some free drinks and donated home
baked goodies! Our first featured artist will be L…zaro having a release party with Bobby Wilmore,
check out their http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0gxTAcy9P4
at the Cuban Festival in downtown LA last month. You will be sure to
dance the night away.
The Arts
and Reconciliation ministry project at St. Stephen's Episcopal
Church in Hollywood provides a forum in which interested persons may
explore the ways music, literature, theatre, film, dance, photography and
studio art contribute to reconciling people with God and with one
another. Author and USC professor Viet Nguyen inaugurated this series in
conjunction with St. Stephen's. Nguyen read excerpts from his
award-winning short stories, and lead a discussion on race relations,
emphasizing on Asian-American issues. Nguyen is a Fellow at the Radcliffe
Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.
Novelist Reyna
Grande read passages from her fiction and memoir-in-progress. Grande won
an American Book Award, and El Premio Aztlan Literary Award for her
critically acclaimed novel, Across a
Hundred Mountains. Grande discussed the challenges she has
encountered as a Latina, an immigrant, and a successful writer. If
you are interested in related events throughout the year, please visit http://ststephenshollywood.org.
The Burlesque
Hall of Fame, a non-profit organization located in Las Vegas, Nevada,
will be a beneficiary of Write Act Rep who will present Bodacious
Burlesque. A late-night adult cabaret presenting the greatest
hits of bawdy burlesque vaudeville. Write Act Rep will help the Burlesque
Hall of FameÌs mission is to inspire, educate and entertain the public,
fostering an appreciation for and understanding of the unique history and
heritage of vintage burlesque. This American legacy is memorialized in
its art, artifacts, and personal histories of its biggest names and
brightest stars. For more information on The Burlesque Hall of Fame,
please visit www.burlesquehall.com.
West of
Broadway, founded by childrenÌs book author and playwright/director Diane
Namm, promotes literacy, and social and civic responsibility through
interactive theater. West of Broadway adapts and update both literary and
modern classics to create interactive family entertainment. They reach
out to the community, bringing a new generation into the theater and
keeping ticket prices affordable. Write Act Rep is very proud to co-produce
the upcoming fall Saturday afternoon presentations of West of Broadway's
newest work, 12 Angry Men, and the holiday presentation of Mrs.
Scrooge. The latter productions will be performed during the day
for Los Angeles school children, and on Saturday afternoons for the whole
family.
In July, Write
Act Repertory and Bobby BooneÌs Production Company (headed by Robert
Biederman), will co-produce a night of live
theatrical one-acts to raise funds and awareness for our troops returning
from the Middle East and the VFW. We will feature a selection of
plays from some of LA's best writers, that is sure to fill you with pride
and remembrance of the sacrifices of all of our Veterans, past and
present. Please come to commemorate the men and women who have been
risking their lives over these past few years and across the last century
to preserve our country's independence.
Nathan Murphy
Productions is currently developing several commercial entertainment
projects including game shows, touring opportunities, and a series of
clinics focusing on the business of entertainment and marketing yourself
to the consumer. Current projects include: Million Dollar Game Show,
All Star Male Review, Gateway- an International Pop Band, The Cecil B.
DeMille Film Festival, and The Great Jazz Experience Clinic.
Nathan Murphy's projects use Write Act Rep talent exclusively for
shooting their pilots and promotional videos, which will be presented to
studio executives and casino entertainment directors. Along with
performing, arranging and producing music, Murphy enjoys consulting with
various organizations. He is currently working with the Jazz Alliance
International on their www.gotjazz.info
initiative, designed to raise the awareness and appreciation of jazz in
the younger generations of Americans. Please feel free to contact Murphy
at nathan@nathanmurphy.com
for additional information about this program, or any other arts related
endeavor.
The Duende
Collective is a group of classically trained actors,
dancers, musicians and visual artists who strive to produce compelling,
socially relevant live compositions for the local and national community.
The Duende Collective merges the art of dance, music and spoken word to
form a cohesive theatrical experience. Write Act Rep is proud to work
with this highly influential group of artists on The Persians, a
project that will be presented in the spring of the 2010 season.
The
Persians is the earliest surviving play of Greek playwright
Aeschylus. It is also the first play in recorded history. The
Persians recounts the Greek defeat of the Persians in the Battle
of SalamÃs in 480 bc. Set
at the court of Queen Atossa, mother of King Xerxes, the leader of the
expedition against Greece, the play is told from the Persian point of
view.
Distinguished
playwright Robert Auletta has adapted Aeschylus' play, setting the
conflict in modern day Iraq. The play confronts the atrocities of
the Persian Gulf War from the Iraqi perspective. Persia is at war
with America, and Queen Atossa waits to
hear if her son Xerxes is alive. The Persians is a
play about unnecessary war Û a war of arrogance, greed and pride.
Write Act
Rep's Spotlight Series provides an opportunity for Write Act
Rep members to either shine as single performers, or feature a principal
performer's written word, with the support of fellow Write Act members.
This may include plays, poems, book readings and/or dramatic
interpretations. In the past, Write Act Rep has featured solo performers
Ben Livingston, Wendy Gough, Bill Rutkowski; and have
featured work in development by Graham Barnard and Michelle Tolan.
Write Act Rep's resident playwrights include J.M. Kessler, Wil Manus,
Javi Mulero, and Joan Silsby. Write Act Rep currently works with
members of Los Angeles Playwrights Group, ALAP and First Stage.
In February,
we will feature The Nina Simone Project,
written and performed by Noelle Forestal. This collection of
interwoven short works inspired by the music, lyrics, and life of Dr.
Nina Simone, the "Priestess of Soul." Nina Simone created a
multidimensional catalog of piano and vocal music that challenged the
status quo of black women in the 1950s and 60s, and spawned a
loyal worldwide following even after her death at 70 years old in 2003.
The Nina Simone Project will combine live painting,
music, dance, and theatre to give the audience an unforgettable
illustration of the work of a woman who will not soon be forgotten.
Noelle
Forestal is an incredibly versatile singer/songwriter who sings many
genres of music including opera, jazz, rock, pop, country, blues, musical
theater, and Celtic folk music. Forestall has worked extensively
with producer, Les July. July is an eclectic artist in his own
right, attracting the attention of other notable female artists like Kate
Bush, Joni Mitchell, Nancy Wilson of Heart, and k.d. lang.
Forestall attended Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and
Cal State Fullerton. She has worked with LA Opera and
Fullerton Civic Light Opera, and sung in some of LA top music
hotspots, as well as guest artist appearances in various cities including
Austin, Toronto, Dublin, and Nashville.
Always in
development mode, Write Act Rep Play Selection Readings Series, Comfort
Food Series features new works for possible selection in Write
Act Rep's upcoming Season for Mainstage or Black Box Series (off-nights)
consideration. Comfort Food Series is open to
the public. Sponsored by Write Act Repertory members, this series focuses
on Write Act Rep's mission to develop and produce original plays by Write
Act Rep Playwright Members. Three evenings of a fully staged reading,
including our hugely successful David ZimmermanÌs Coffee Club, Johnna
AdamsÌ Absence of Angels, and international playwright Rebecca
MohrÌs A Perfect Life, are presented to our patrons and members.
At the end of the night, audience members will have the unique
opportunity to participate in a Q &A. The audience is
encouraged to share their thoughts on the writing aspect of the plays, as
well as how these plays could make an impact on the Los Angeles Theatre
Scene, and how they might benefit Write Act Rep.
Please join us after the event for a reception, and
opportunity to meet our membership. Refreshments are free with your
tax-deductible admission.
As Write Act
Rep continues to grow, we envision a bright future for intimate theatre,
and we are proud to be part of a world-class outbreak of theatrical
relevance. With your support, our programming continues to set an
example for artists to join us. Even as we look ahead to better economic
times, one thing remains constant: Art Survives. It is our obligation,
and one that I take very seriously.
We are
grateful to travel with you on this journey. Your sponsorship supports
our mission, and our philosophy that Art Reflects Life. There is a place
and time for this dream. It is now. It is important. It is Write Act.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
John Lant - Producing Artistic
Director of Write Act Repertory
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