Two hilarious and irreverent plays by Neil LaBute are now available for download or on CD. Last season, L.A. Theatre Works recorded both "reasons to be pretty" and its sequel, "Reasons to Be Happy," live-in-performance with LaBute directing.
In LaBute's Tony-nominated "reasons to be pretty," Jenna Fischer (The Office) stars as Steph, joining original Broadway, Tony-nominated cast member Thomas Sadoski (HBO's The Newsroom) as Greg. This hard-edged comedy about our modern obsession with physical beauty begs an answer to the question, "what, exactly, is 'pretty'?" Also in the cast are Gia Crovatin and Josh Stamberg.
The same cast returns for LaBute's sequel, "Reasons to Be Happy." It's three years later, and the couples have realigned, but the stars are still crossed as these four struggle to find love. LaBute's gift for contemporary dialogue captures a woman's directness and a man's loss for words in a wildly funny take on heartbreak and miscommunication. Each recording features an interview with LaBute and the cast. L.A. Theatre Works' audio plays can be purchased at bookstores and digital retailers including Amazon.com, iTunes and audible.com, or borrowed from public libraries across the country. LATW's weekly radio theater series can streamed on demand at www.latw.org, and is heard in over 75 markets nationwide including on 90.7 FM KPFK in Los Angeles (98.7 FM in Santa Barbara, 99.5 FM in Ridgecrest/China Lake and 93.7 FM in Rancho Bernardo/North San Diego); 91.5 WBEZ in Chicago; 94.9 KUOW in Seattle; and 91.1 KRCB in North Bay (San Francisco).Videos