The Little Dog Laughed - from 7 Nov

Click to enlarge

Downstage Theatre - Media Release
Released 02/10/2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friends, Lovers, Enemies, Agents -
Acquire a taste of Hollywood at Downstage!
Downstage Theatre presents THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED by Douglas Carter Beane

Mitchell Green has a problem. He's the beloved Hollywood hero all the ladies want to be with and all the men want to be (and maybe be with as well). But he isn't who he says he is ... and by falling in love Mitchell could bring his whole show world crashing down. Luckily for him, his hard-case uber-Agent, Diane, is working on an ethics-free solution that will keep Mitchell in business, her in Blahniks and the public in the dark. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Hollywood!

For sure the hottest ticket in the capital this spring, THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED is a Tony Award nominated, smash-hit Broadway comedy, starring four of Wellington's hottest young actors: Kip Chapman (The American Pilot, Apollo 13), Sophie Hambleton (VÜNDERBRA!), Richard Knowles (The Gods of Warm Beer) and Renée Sheridan (Jeff Koons, A Streetcar named Desire). Designed by Chapman Tripp Award nominee Daniel Williams and directed by Willem Wassenaar (Chapman Tripp Award winner for directing Angels in America at Downstage 2007).

And not to forget, it certainly contains nudity and adult themes.

THE LITLLE DOG LAUGHED, sponsored by The Dominion Post, is playing at Downstage Theatre from Friday 7 November, Monday to Wednesday at 6.30 pm and Thursday to Saturday at 7.30 pm. There will be two $20 previews on Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 November and afternoon matinees at 3 pm on Saturday 15 and 22 November.

Ticket prices range from $20 to $42. Special early bird and group discounts apply. Tickets can be purchased online at www.downstage.co.nz, by phone at (04) 801 6946 or in person at Downstage’s box office.

For more information on the show please visit www.downstage.co.nz/little-dog or the Downstage Theatre Blog at www.downstagetheatre.blogspot.com

Directed by: Willem Wassenaar
Designed by: Daniel Williams
Starring: Kip Chapman, Sophie Hambleton, Richard Knowles, Renée Sheridan

"The tastiest homegrown comedy of manners to hit New York" Ben Brantley, The New York Times

ENDS

Click to enlarge

This press release and additional media material on the show are available to download at www.downstage.co.nz/media

BIOS:

WILLEM WASSENAAR (Director)

Willem Wassenaar is originally from the Netherlands, where he studied and worked as an actor, director and acting tutor. He is a 2006 graduate of the Master of Theatre Arts in Directing at Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School and Victoria University of Wellington. Willem is co-founder of the multi-award winning Almost A Bird Theatre Collective and Artistic Director of Long Cloud Youth Theatre. Recent directing credits include Delicates, Mirad, A Boy from Bosnia by Ad de Bont, The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (Circa Theatre & Centrepoint Theatre), Antigone by Sophocles/Anouilh (Te Whaea Theatre & International Arts Festival Oerol in The Netherlands), Angels in America, Part I Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner (Downstage Theatre), A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (Circa Theatre), Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind (Wellington Performing Arts Centre), Swan Song by Branwen Millar (BATS, Young and Hungry 08), Jeff Koons by Rainald Goetz (BATS Theatre) and The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane (Downstage Theatre). For directing Angels in America, Willem received the 2007 Chapman Tripp Award for the Most Promising New Director of the Year.

DOUGLAS CARTER BEAN (WRITER)

Douglas Carter Beane is an American playwright and screenwriter. Originally from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Beane now lives in New York.

Beane’s Broadway play The Little Dog Laughed received the GLAAD media award for best play, and was also nominated for a Tony in 2007 for best new play. His other works include As Bees In Honey Drown (Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award), Music From A Sparkling Planet and The Country Club. He wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of his play Advice from a Caterpillar which won Aspen Comedy Festival’s best feature. His film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, produced by Steven Spielberg, was the number one film in America for a month and is now a television favourite. The Big Time, Beane’s first musical, received rave reviews last year and his next musical, a stage adaptation of the film The Bandwagon is slated to open on Broadway later this season. Beane also wrote the book for Xanadu, a stage musical adaptation of the 1980 film of the same name. Fascinated by non-traditional forms of theatre, Beane has written the revues White Lies and Mondo Drama and this season a live theatrical soap opera, The Cartells. He resides in New York City with his partner, composer Lewis Flinn and their son, Cooper. Beane is also the artistic director of the Drama Dept. Theater Company in New York.

(Sources: http://xanaduonbroadway.com/, http://wikipedia.com)

Click to enlarge

© Scoop Media