THE ELEPHANT MAN Returns To Los Angeles

Thursday Night Theatre Club is proud to present a classic true-life tale and heart wrenching story that depicts the best and the worst of humanity. The Elephant Man is an eloquently written play by Bernard Pomerance, and is being directed by Robyn Cohen at The Historic El Portal Theatre. Running March 21 - 23 and April 3 - 14, 2019. Tickets: www.ElPortalTheatre.co

Taking place in Victorian England 1884, this gripping drama is based on the real life events of Joseph Carey Merrick. The Elephant Man is the story of a 19th century Englishman who has an unprecedented physical deformation. As a victim of a rare skin and bone disease called Proteus Syndrome.  Merrick eventually becomes the star of a traveling freak show circuit. When the renowned Dr. Treves takes Merrick under his care, he is astonished by the young man’s brilliant mind, unshakable faith, and passionate desire for love, acceptance and romance. Merrick‘s astonishing and moving story is the basis for this Tony award winning play.

Part of that story includes Merrick’s acquaintance with a beautiful actress, Mrs. Kendall. She becomes entranced by Merrick‘s pure and genuine soul. As a complex friendship between the three main characters blossoms, Dr. Treves and Mrs. Kendall struggle to protect Merrick from the severity of his worsening condition, as well as from a world of opportunism, exploitation and ill intentions that make achieving a normal life seem all but impossible. 

Joseph Merrick has been the subject of many medical studies, documentaries and works of fiction. Born in Leicester in 1862, at the age of five years old he began to develop physical deformities to his skin, face, arms and feet. When he was 11 years old, his mother died from bronchopneumonia, his father soon remarried and by 17 he was a resident of the workhouse after his relationship with his father deteriorated. Seeking to escape the workhouse several years later, Merrick found his way into a human oddities show in London where he was exhibited as 'The Elephant Man'. He met Dr. Frederick Treves in 1884, after he had witnessed Merrick being exhibited in a shop across the road from the London Hospital. Treves brought Merrick to the London Hospital where he lived until his death in 1890, aged 27. Pomerances's work brims with intelligence and idea's regarding human nature and the arbitrariness of life, which are as relevant today as they were in the Victorian era.

MULTIPLE AWARD WINNING PRODUCTION
THE ELEPHANT MAN is based on the life of Joseph Merrick,. The play opened in London in 1977. It premiered on Broadway in 1979 and won all of the major theater awards, including three Tony Awards, three Obie Awards, four Drama Desk Awards, and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. It was revived in both 2002 and 2014. Thursday Night Theatre Club is proud to open The Elephant Man at El Portal Theatre.

THE ELEPHANT MAN is set to open March 21 - 23 and April 3 - 14, 2019. Red Carpet Gala and Press will be invited to review on March 22 @ 8PM. Information and tickets now on sale through The El Portal website: www.ElPortalTheatre.com

THE CAST OF THE ELEPHANT MAN John Ralston Craig - "Frederick Treves" Skip Pipo - "Carr Gomm / Conductor" Tom Vitorino - "John Merrick" Alice L. Walker - "Mrs. Kendal" Jon Sperry - "Ross / Bishop Howe" Jennipher Lewis - "Miss Sandwich / Pinhead" Vanessa Vaughn - "The Duchess / Pinhead" Emily Asher Kellis - "The Countess / Pinhead/Nurse" Albert Soratorio - "Belgian Policeman" Robin Roth - "Princess Alexandra / Nurse" Nathan Wallace - "Policeman/Snork /Doctor #1" Jay Parker - "Pinhead Manager / Lord John" Logan Padilla - "Orderly Will" David Revaza- "Orderly / Porter"

THE PRODUCTION TEAM Written by Bernard Pomerance Directed by Robyn Cohen Technical Direction by Edwin Pleitez Co-Produced by Tom Vitorino and Alice L. Walker Produced by Thursday Night Theater Club Production Assistant Sasha Panfilova Sound Engineering by Beau Bancroft Set Design by Lillian George Lighting Direction by Bo Tindall Costume Design by Melissa Marks Stage Managed by Brenna Howe Flyman / Stage hand Brian Green Photography by Jason Ross Levy D/P/Videography by David Ruano Media Content Producing by Albert Soratorio Publicity by Sandra Kuker PR