July 11, 2013...Burbank...After a difficult year, The Colony Theatre today announced that it is moving ahead with a new season. This is the result of support from subscribers and the theatre community, underwriting for the last two shows of its 2012-13 Season, and a major grant from the Marilyn P. & Wayne H. Kohl Memorial Fund.

According to Artistic Director Barbara Beckley, “The overwhelming generosity of our subscribers and colleagues kept us alive; an anonymous supporter loaned us the funds to mount the last two shows of the season – including our surprise hit ‘Falling for Make Believe’; and now the grant has made it possible for us to keep going.” Adds Executive Director Trent Steelman, “Wayne and Marilyn Kohl were longtime subscribers who passed away. Their family foundation honored their wish to support the theatre in a significant way, and provided seed money for our 2013-14 season. Needless to say, we are relieved and incredibly grateful.”

Last October, the 38-year-old, award-winning theatre announced that financial challenges had put its future in jeopardy, citing the economic downturn that began in 2008 as the cause of reduced charitable support and audience size, which culminated in a crippling budget shortfall. The theatre launched an emergency “Save the Colony” campaign which generated an outpouring of support, enabling it to stay open for the time being. “Our nightmare was leaving subscribers holding tickets they couldn’t use, so we were very happy we were able to complete the season,” says Beckley. “But our future was still in doubt. And then the Kohl grant came through which changed everything!” Cautions Steelman: “We will still rely on subscriptions, ticket sales, and the generosity of our donors. However, in these times it’s just not enough. We didn’t want to announce a season until we were sure we could deliver it -- and, happily, the grant has filled the funding gap.”

The Colony’s 2013-14 Season will begin in September with the West Coast Premiere of Breath and Imagination: The Story of Roland Hayes by Daniel Beaty. This will be followed in November by the West Coast Premiere of Miracle on South Division Street by Tom Dudzick. It will continue in February with Sex and Education by Lissa Levin starring Stephanie Zimbalist. And it will wrap up with the April opening of The Lion in Winter by James Goldman, starring Ian Buchanan and Mariette Hartley.

The Colony has long been a vibrant center of L.A.’s theatre life. Its subscribers renew at an astounding rate of 90%, and last year the theatre received nine Ovation Award nominations, including the coveted one for Best Season.

For more information, press interviews, photos, or for press comps, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or at DavidElzer@me.com or visit www.demandpr.com.

The company began as a 99-seat Equity-waiver theatre in Silver Lake.  Over the years it was so successful artistically, and built such a large subscriber base, that in 2000 it was able to move into a 270-seat state-of-the-art theatre created for it by the City of Burbank. As such, it became one of only a handful of mid-sized professional theatres in the L.A. area that produce a year-round season of plays and musicals, and that employ actors under contract with Actors' Equity Association.

The theatre is located at 555 North Third Street, at the corner of Cypress, in the heart of the Burbank Media Center. For further information, call (818) 558-7000. Fax number: (818) 558-7110. E-mail: colonytheatre@colonytheatre.org. Or visit our website at www.colonytheatre.