Press Release: Stage Struck

January 19, 2007…Burbank…The Colony Theatre Company presents the fourth production of its 2006 – 2007 season, the diabolical thriller, STAGE STRUCK, written by Simon Gray, directed by Rick Sparks (Clutter: The True Story of the Collyer Brothers, Where's My Money?) and starring Larry Cedar, Louis Lotorto, Mary Gordon Murray and Kevin Symons. STAGE STRUCK will preview on Wednesday, February 7; Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, February 10 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, March 11 at the Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center.
   
Just try and follow the ingenious twists and turns of this inventive play about a theatrical stage manager, his actress wife, and their mutual plans for revenge. Nothing and no one are what they might seem, and the fun is that you are never quite sure who is doing what to whom in this funny and as the English might say…bloody good time! STAGE STRUCK opens in the living room of one Robert Simon. Formerly a first rate stage manager in a provincial repertory company, he now he keeps house for his West End actress wife while amusing himself with various sexual adventures. He is a thoroughly happy man until the clumsy intervention of a psychiatrist destroys his happiness and his marriage. He plans a hideous revenge on his wife and the psychiatrist - a revenge which allows him to rediscover all his old stage secrets!

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

SIMON GRAY (Playwright) was born in Hayling Island, England, he attended Westminster School, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia and Trinity College, Cambridge. He lives in London. Gray has written over 30 plays, including Butley, Quartermaine's Terms, several TV plays, film scripts and a number of popular memoirs. He has collaborated with actor Alan Bates five times; with director Harold Pinter seven times, most recently on The Old Masters. Peter Bowles, Edward Fox and Clive Francis have frequently appeared in his plays. He often writes lead roles for middle-aged males. His subject matter is often the trials and tribulations of educated intellectuals, and his plays are notable for their wit and emotional incisiveness. In the New Year's Honours List published 31 December 2004 he was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to Drama and Literature.

RICK SPARKS (Director) joyfully returns to the Colony Theatre where he had the pleasure of directing the wildly successful Clutter: The True Story of the Collyer Brothers Who Never Threw Anything Out by Mark Saltzman. Last season his work on the Los Angeles premier of John Patrick Shanley's Where's My Money?, inspired Daily Variety to call Rick, "one of the most consistently excellent local theatre directors." He directed and co-adapted/produced They Shoot Horses, Don't They? which was the runaway hit of the 2001/2002 season winning 17 major theater awards. Rick won his second L.A. Drama Critic's Circle Directing Award for A Clockwork Orange co-produced along with Greenway Arts Alliance. Other credits include: the Los Angeles premiere of Psycho Beach Party (Director/Co-Producer): winner of: 2 L.A. Weekly Awards and 5 DramaLogue Awards. Highballs Ahoy! (Director/Producer/Co-Writer), Off-Broadway and L.A. Productions of Down South (Director/Choreographer); There’s No Place Like Hollywood (Director/Choreographer): Ovation Awards nomination for Best Musical. A Charlie Brown Commercial Christmas (Director/ Co-Producer/Co-Writer): 3 nominations from L.A. Weekly Awards. Kiss Me Kate, Inconceivable, Tallulah, The House of Blue Leaves, A Life in the Theater, Blithe Spirit, Grease, A Salute to Frederick Loewe, Hey Mr. Producer!, and choreography for Sheila Sands Live at the Roxy produced by Lily Tomlin.
 
STAGE STRUCK has assembled an award-winning design team. The set design is by Kurt Boetcher. The lighting design is by Jeremy Pivnick. The costume design is by A. Jeffrey Schoenberg. The sound design is by Cricket Myers.   

STAGE STRUCK will open on Saturday, February 10 and perform through Sunday, March 11, 2007. Performances for STAGE STRUCK will be Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm and 7:00pm. Additionally there will be performances on Saturday, February 17 & Saturday, February 24 at 3pm and Thursday, March 1 & Thursday, March 8 at 8:00pm. Ticket prices range from $37.00 - $42.00 (student, senior and group discounts are available). Preview performances will be Wednesday, February 7, Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9 at 8:00pm – Preview Tickets $20.00 - $25.00. Opening night performance with reception - all tickets $50.00. There will be two Talk-Back performances with the cast on Friday, February 16 and Thursday, March 1 immediately following the performance. For tickets, call the Colony Theatre Box Office at 818/558-7000 ext. 15.   
                                   
For more information, press interviews, photos or for press comps, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or at ELZERD@aol.com or visit www.demandpr.com.

The award-winning Colony Theatre Company is Burbank's premiere professional theatre. It was voted "Best Live Theatre in L.A." in The Daily News 2006 Readers' Choice poll, and was named one of "25 Notable U.S. Theatre Companies" by Encyclopedia Britannica's 2006 Almanac.