Photo Flash: The Good Steno Opens in L.A.

The mother and son team of Leah Kornfeld Friedman and Paul Ben Victor have collaborated to create and produce a new play, a dark comedy entitled The Good Steno, which debuted at L.A.'s Hayworth Theatre on Feb. 9, 2007.

A multi-award winning playwright based in New York, Friedman's shows have been staged at regional theaters and at universities across the country. Her son, Paul Ben Victor, who produced and directed The Good Steno, is an acclaimed actor, with such memorable roles as Warner Bros. Studio head Allen Grey on HBO's "Entourage," Spiros Vondopoulos on "The Wire," Al Nicoletto on "Monk," Couch Lou on "My Name is Earl," and even Moe Howard in the telefilm "The Three Stooges." He is also a director and producer.

"The storyline of The Good Steno is as follows: It's 1946 in New York. Seventeen year-old Gloria Finkelstein comes from Brooklyn to Manhattan to work as a stenographer in the 'garment center jungle,' for the manufacturer of fashionable swim suits. Paul Ben Victor portrays the role of 'Morty,' the lewd, racist owner of the bathing suit company. Gloria quickly learns the truth about the world she so desperately wants to be a part of, where models are routinely coerced into 'entertaining' buyers in the back room.  Gloria clings to her 28 dollar a week salary and dreams of a life beyond her reach, but ultimately decides to take on this raunchy, lecherous world of the 1940's garment district," state press materials. The show also features choreography by Nate Prevost.

Leah Kornfeld Friedman and Paul Ben-Victor

 
Michael Chiklis ("The Shield") and good friend Paul Ben-Victor