Download la jolla playhouse announces cast for the car plays

2910 La Jolla Village Drive La Jolla, CA 92037
www.LaJollaPlayhouse.org
Contact: Becky Biegelsen
[email protected] / (858) 228-3092
LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES CAST FOR
THE CAR PLAYS: SAN DIEGO
LA JOLLA, CA — La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast for Moving Arts’ The Car Plays: San
Diego, running February 23 – March 4 at the Playhouse. This second production in the
Playhouse’s innovative, site-based Without Walls (WoW) series will feature 30 actors, as well
as seven local directors and four commissioned plays by current and former MFA students from
UCSD’s Graduate Playwriting Program.
Moving Arts’ The Car Plays: San Diego, conceived by Paul Stein, features a series of intimate
ten-minute plays, each taking place in a car. Audiences of two move from vehicle to vehicle to
experience works by different playwrights. Participants are ushered to their car seats, the car
doors close, and the drama unfolds just inches away. Ten minutes later, the doors open, a seat
in a new car awaits, and a fresh play begins. In the course of an hour, five evocative stories are
revealed. The Los Angeles Times raved, “The Car Plays combines the pleasures of site-specific
theater and voyeurism (Critic’s Choice),” while the LA Weekly wrote, “This unique melding of
site-specific theater and freeway crawl should be hailed as a local treasure.”
The cast features 15 San Diego actors Rhianna Basore, Judy Bauerlein, Kevane La’Marr
Coleman, Charles Evans Jr., Samantha Ginn, Thomas Hall, Zachary Martens, Charles
Maze, Albert Park, John Polak, Will Tulin, Wendy Waddell, Reed Willard, Eddie Yaroch
and Michael Zlotnik. Additional actors include Wendy Elizabeth Abraham, Laura Buckles,
Rebecca Davis, Tony DeCarlo, Lisa Goodman, D.J. Harner, Ron Morehouse, Trey Nichols,
Donald Rizzo, Michael Shutt, Peter James Smith, Sean Tweedale, Sara Wagner and David
Youse. In addition, Cashae Monya (Playhouse’s Memphis) will serve as the Tour Guide.
The Playhouse has commissioned a group of current and former MFA students from UCSD’s
Playwriting Program to create new pieces specifically for this production, including Jennifer
Barclay, Lila Rose Kaplan, Alex Lewin and David Myers. Additionally, seven plays will be
helmed by renowned local directors: University of San Diego theatre faculty member Lisa
Berger, UCSD Theatre Professor Robert Castro, Ion Theatre Executive Artistic Director
Claudio Raygoza, Mo’olelo Artistic Director Seema Sueko, North Coast Rep Artistic Associate
Matt Thompson, Moxie Theatre Artistic Director Delicia Turner-Sonnenberg and San Diego
REPertory Theatre Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse.
Performance times for The Car Plays: San Diego are Thursdays and Fridays at 5:30 pm,
7:00 pm and 8:30 pm; Saturdays and Sundays at 3:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 7:00 pm and 8:30 pm.
Tickets are $25 and are available online at LaJollaPlayhouse.org or by calling (858) 550-1010.
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The Car Plays: San Diego
Alright by Alex Lewin | Directed by Robert Castro
After a family spat, a sullen teenager (Charles Evans, Jr.) decides to spend the night in his car. But his
father (Eddie Yaroch) won't let him simply stomp away anymore.
The Audience by Kiff Scholl | Directed by Matt Bretz
What is supposed to be a compelling night of site-specific theater, comically devolves, as the play never
starts and the audience is forced to fend for themselves. With David Youse and Ron Morehouse.
Before We Go Home by Richard Martin Hirsch | Directed by Darin Anthony
A couple (Michael Shutt and D.J. Harner) finds the prospect of a short drive home unexpectedly daunting
after circumstances lead them to make a painful decision.
The Carpool by Jennifer Barclay | Directed by Delicia Turner-Sonnenberg
Mr. Blackwell (Charles Maze) has been doing lots of naughty, naughty downsizing around the office. The
members of the carpool (Samantha Ginn and Reed Willard) are out to set him straight.
Dead Battery by Lee Wochner | Directed by Paul Stein
A bereft mother (Sara Wagner) searches for clues to her son's death as she cleans out his car and
struggles to cope with her loss.
Disneyland by Paul Stein | Directed by Dana Schwartz
On their freeway-congested drive to Disneyland, Dad (Trey Nichols) pulls the car over to scold his two
misbehaving kids. No Matterhorn ride and the long trip home might be the resulting possibility.
The Duo by Jessica Smith | Directed by Jason Duplissea
On the fateful day of the Comic Con costume contest, two friends (Peter James Smith and Tony DeCarlo)
confront the future of their dynamic duo.
It’s Not About the Car by Stephanie Alison Walker | Directed by Claudio Raygoza
Vic (John Polak) surprises Marla (Rhianna Basore) with a car for her birthday, but all she really wants is a
divorce.
The Love of Make-Believe by JJ Strong | Directed by Kiff Scholl
A maid-of-honor and a best man (Laura Buckles and Donald Rizzo) indulge in a post-reception tryst that
leaves them both hopelessly caught between their pasts and futures.
One for the Road by Michael Shutt | Directed by Matt Thompson
One last drink, one last kiss, one last choice: One for the Road. With Thomas Hall and Kevane La’Marr
Coleman.
Outside, Looking In by Michael David | Directed by Sara Wagner
A lonely, middle-aged woman of privilege finds unexpected compassion on the streets of San Diego. With
Lisa Goodman and Sean Tweedale.
Reveille by EM Lewis | Directed by Sam Woodhouse
Leonard's only son has signed up for the military. He leaves for boot camp this morning. With Will Tulin
and Michael Zlotnik.
Selkies by Lila Rose Kaplan | Directed by Casey Stangl
A secret is revealed when two old friends (Wendy Elizabeth Abraham and Rebecca Davis) visit the seals
off the coast of La Jolla.
Skipped by David Myers | Directed by Seema Sueko
A drunken teenager (Zachary Martens) tries to dodge the cab fare. But this cabbie (Albert Park) is on to
him. And he's not taking it anymore.
We Wait by Steve Lozier | Directed by Lisa Berger
Two loyal dogs wait in a hot car for their owners, wondering if they will ever come back… With Wendy
Waddell and Judy Bauerlein.
Without Walls (WoW)
Funded by a generous grant from The James Irvine Foundation, WoW is an exciting new La
Jolla Playhouse program designed to break the barriers of traditional theatre. Over the course of
four years, the Playhouse is commissioning and presenting a series of site-specific productions
at locations throughout the San Diego community. The works are chosen from numerous local,
national and international theatre artists, each of whom will be offered residencies and/or
performance opportunities through the WoW program. Underscoring the theatre’s mission of
providing “unfettered creative opportunities for the leading artists of today and tomorrow,”
coupled with the idea that the Playhouse is defined by the work it creates – not the space in
which it is performed – WoW is designed to offer theatrical experiences that venture beyond the
physical confines of the Playhouse’s facilities.
Moving Arts
Called “the tiny Silver Lake theatre with an enviable reputation,” Moving Arts is dedicated to the
production of original works. Founded by Lee Wochner and Julie Briggs in 1992, Moving Arts
has produced many world, national, west coast and Los Angeles premieres. Moving Arts began
as a 22-seat venue in the Silver Lake area and quickly grew to become a resident artist
company that includes actors, directors, producers, designers and playwrights. For the past 19
years, Moving Arts has continuously produced adventurous new plays and an annual one-act
festival in a variety of venues across Los Angeles, ranging from traditional theatres such as
[Inside] the Ford in Hollywood and the Los Angeles Theatre Center, downtown to nontraditional
spaces such as the Natural History Museum and the parking lot across from Disney Hall,
showing a remarkable versatility and commitment to the craft of theatre.
The James Irvine Foundation
The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation dedicated to
expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and
inclusive society. The Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on three program areas: Arts,
California Democracy and Youth. Since 1937 the Foundation has provided over $1 billion in
grants to more than 3,000 nonprofit organizations throughout California. With $1.6 billion in
assets, the Foundation made grants of $65 million in 2010 for the people of California.
La Jolla Playhouse
The nationally acclaimed, Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse is known for its tradition of
creating the most exciting and adventurous new work in regional theatre. The Playhouse was
founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, and is considered one of
the most well-respected not-for-profit theatres in the country. Numerous Playhouse productions
have moved to Broadway, including the currently-running hits Memphis and Jersey Boys – both
Best Musical Tony Award winners, as well as Big River, The Who’s Tommy, How to Succeed in
Business Without Really Trying, A Walk in the Woods, Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays, the Pulitzer
Prize-winning I Am My Own Wife, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Farnsworth Invention, 33
Variations and Bonnie & Clyde. Located on the UC San Diego campus, La Jolla Playhouse is
made up of three primary performance spaces: the Mandell Weiss Theatre, the Mandell Weiss
Forum Theatre and the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center for La Jolla Playhouse, a state-of-the-art
theatre complex which features the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre. La Jolla Playhouse is
led by Artistic Director Christopher Ashley and Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg.