News for March/April 2004:

AYCKBOURN RETURNS TO SCR

COSTA MESA, CA -- One of South Coast Rep's favorite playwrights, Alan Ayckbourn, returns to the Julianne Argyros Stage with INTIMATE EXCHANGES, a play set in an English garden and brimming over with oddball characters. Richard Doyle and Kandis Chappell are featured in the comedy, which runs
March 12-28.

Also upcoming at SCR (Segerstrom Stage) is Amy (The Beard of Avon) Freed's latest, SAFE IN HELL. Drawn from the incendiary speeches of two 17th century preachers, Cotton Mather and his father Increase, the play is a scathing satire of Colonial self-righteousness, with echoes of such serious retellings of the Salem witch trials as Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Opens April 9, closes May 9.

South Coast Rep is located at 655 Town Center Drive. Call (714) 708-555 or visit www.scr.org

SEX PARASITE

LOS ANGELES -- The world premiere of Jessica Goldberg's SEX

PARASITE will take place April 1-18 at the Ivy Substation in Culver City, produced by Taper, Too. Chay Yew directs a cast that includes John Apicella, Shannon Holt, Liam Christopher O'Brien, Kirsten Potter, Jennifer Rau and Erick Sorensen.

Drawn from historical fact, the play deals with a passionate young writer, Olive Schreiner, who lives in London's narrowly structured society in 1888. Rebelling against that era's sexual and cultural repression of women, Olive dreams of a true friendship between men and women. Sparks fly and personal philosophies are challenged when she finds herself falling in love.

SEX PARASITE was commissioned by the Taper and was developed in recent New Work Festivals. Goldberg is a member of the Taper Writers Workshop.

Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Blvd. Call (213) 628-2772 or visit www.TaperAhmanson.com

WRITE ACT PREMIERES KAFKA'S THE TRIAL

LOS ANGELES -- The Write Act Repertory Theatre Company will mount the West Coast premiere of Franz Kafka's THE TRIAL, adapted for the stage by Andre Gide and Jean-Louis Barrault, directed by Turkish-born Aclan Bates-Buyukturkglu, who recently staged a critically acclaimed production of George Orwell's Animal Farm at the Grand Opera in Ankara and throughout Europe. Performances are March 18-May 1 at Write Act's Hollywood location, 6128 Yucca St.

As a native of Turkey, Aclan posses an outsider's view of America, which he believes looks Kafkaesque. "The crisp adaptation, the first-rate casting and the art direction will drive home the story's relevance to today's problems and prejudices," he stated.

Aclan recently moved to Los Angeles to earn a Master's Degree from the American Film Institute and formed Filmtrax Entertainment Inc with his wife, Leslie Bates. With three films on tap in 2004, they are currently in pre-production for the action thriller High Places, filming in both Turkey and the U.S.

Aclan has taught film and theatre in Turkey, and served as actor and director with the Turkish National Theatre.

For tickets & information call (323) 860-8894 or visit www.writeactrep.org



News for January/February 2004
     
News for November/December 2003
     
News for September/October 2003
     
News for July/August 2003
     
News for May/June 2003
     
News for March/April 2003
     
News for January/February 2003
     
News for September/October 2002
     
News for May/June 2002
     
News for April 2002
     
News for January 2002
     
News for November 2001
     
News for October 2001
     
News for September 2001