Charles Busch's 'OUR LEADING LADY' Begins Performances February 19

Neighborhood Playhouse Presents a 'First Look' at the West Coast Premiere of Acclaimed New Comedy. The production opens the Neighborhood Playhouse's 2009 season, running February 19 - March 8. Reserved tickets are $22-34 and are available by calling 1.800.595.4849 or online at www.neighborhoodplayhouse.net.

As a special Presidents Day Special, all seats to the Friday, February 20th and Saturday, February 21st evening performances are 50% off when you enter the discount code "Keene" at the time of check out!

A critical and audience hit in its initial run at New York's Manhattan Theatre Club, The Playhouse production marks the first major regional staging of this demanding and hilarious new comedy (from Charles Busch, the outrageous mind behind PSYCHO BEACH PARTY, SHANGHAI MOON and THE TALE OF THE ALERGIST'S WIFE) which gives whole new meaning to the quip: "other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?..."

April, 1865. The week the Civil War Ends, legendary actress Laura Keene has only one ambition. President Lincoln simply must attend her closing night performance at the Ford's Theatre! Her only obstacle - the hackneyed group of supporting players she's been saddled with. As Laura moves ruthlessly towards her goal, she and her theatrical troupe must face an inevitable collision with history.

"Hilarious, delicious fun," cheered the New York Times of the original New York production. "A testament to playwright Charles Bush's belief that theatre can and should reflect the human comedy at its most ridiculous and its most uplifting."

The Playhouse production of OUR LEADING LADY will be directed by Brady Schwind (L.A. premiere productions of PARADE, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA).

Heading the production as Laura Keene will be Gillian Doyle (Ford's Theatre, D.C.; Mark Taper Forum) with a supporting cast that includes Robert Youngs (Harry Hawk), Rita Hull (Maude Bentley), Tracy Ahern (Clemintine Smith), James Jaeger (W.J. Ferguson), Carla Valentine (Madame Wu-Chan), Kathleen Taylor (Verbena de Chamblay), Michael Tatlock (Gavin de Chamblay), and Michael Prohaska (Major Hopwood). All performers appear courtesy of Actors Equity Association.

The creative team for OUR LEADING LADY will include: Vali Tirsoaga (Scenic Design) Ric Zimmerman (Lighting Design), Michael Aldapa (Hair and Wig Design), and Christen Jackson (Assistant Director / Production Manager). In a special arrangement with Manhattan Theatre Club, the Neighborhood Playhouse staging will use the original costumes designed for the New York production by multiple Tony nominee Jane Greenwood. Diana Mann will serve as costume coordinator.

Performances are held at the historic Neighborhood Church, where the Neighborhood Playhouse is in residence: 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274.