TOP AND BOTTOM To Close Out Rainbow Theatre Project's Season

Rainbow Theatre Project will close out the 2017 / 18 season with a production of Kevin Michael West's Top and Bottom. A gay comedy that was a hit at the NY Fringe Festival, Top and Bottom will run from April 5 - 29, 2018 at the District of Columbia Arts Center.

How do you find true intimacy and a sense of identity in a world of labels and stereotypes ? Top and Bottom, a NY Fringe Festival hit, explores an encounter between two cute guys who want to explore their sexual bondage fantasies. The only problem ? They're a bit klutzy, a bit nerdy, and not totally sure what they're doing which inevitably causes things to go slightly awry, in this charming, funny play from the author of The DOMA Diaries that promises to be a sure - fire crowd pleaser. Top and Bottom will be directed by Christopher Jansen who is returning to Rainbow Theatre Project after directing Blue Camp last September and star Dimitri Gann as Tommy and Ryan Townsend as James.

Kevin Michael WEST(Playwright) is a playwright, filmmaker and college professor living in Williamsburg, Virginia. He has a BFA from Emerson College in Boston, and an MFA from the University of Southern California Film School. His stage play Top and Bottom enjoyed successful runs in Los Angeles and Provincetown. The play was then juried into the NY International Fringe Festival and had its Off Broadway premiere. The show was the most - attended non - musical of the festival that year. His LGBT - themed stage play about DOMA(the " defense of marriage act "), The DOMA Diaries had a successful run in the Capital Fringe Festival in the summer of 2016. That December, the production was remounted by Rainbow Theatre Project. His screenplay A Very Fair Deal was professionally produced, and the film was an Official Selection of the Los Angeles Short Film Festival in 2011. He is a two - time semi - finalist for both the prestigious Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference and The Sundance Institute Screenwriting Lab. Kevin current teaches playwriting, screenwriting and film production at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. Thanks to Michael, Lee, Chris, Dimitri and Ryan for all their hard work in bringing this play to life. Comedy blog : www.kevinmichaelwest.com.

CHRISTOPHER JANSEN(Director) is thrilled to be directing his first full production for Rainbow Theatre Project. He currently serves as the Director of Generation Q for the company which focuses on new play development by LGBTQ artists, and he has directed several concert readings for RTP including My Night With Rock Hudson and Blue Camp last September. He was a founding company member of Catalyst Theater Company until 2009 and directed several Catalyst productions including No Exit, Endgame, The Altruists, and Eleemosynary. He also produced and directed seven one - person living history plays for the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. He has a B.A. in Theatre from Thomas More College and an M.A. in Theatre History, Literature, and Criticism from the Catholic University of America.

DIMITRI GANN(Tommy) is a Russian - born actor who grew up in Herndon, VA. Previous DC - area credits include : Spamalot(Sir Robin) at The Little Theater of Alexandria, A Chorus Line(Headband boy / pit singer) with The Arlington Players, and The Sound of Music(Frederich) with CPC Community Theater. South Florida Credits : American Idiot(Johnny) with Outrè Theater Company ; Saturday Night Fever(Joey), They're Playing our Song(Ensemble), Evita(Augustín Magaldi), Urinetown(Old Man Strong / Hot Blades Harry), and Rock of Ages(Joey Primo / Ensemble) with The Lake Worth Playhouse. Dimitri attended George Mason University, where he studied theater performance and directing. He would like to thank Ryan for his constant support and love.

Ryan Townsend(James) hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Regional theater credits include A Little Night Music(Henrik), Ellis Island(Hjordis), [ title of show ](Jeff), Miss Nelson is Missing(Adam), Charlotte's Web(Avery / Little Lamb), Narnia : The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe(Peter Pevensie), Dorothy Meets Alice(White Rabbit), Evita with Actor's Playhouse. He originated the role of Death / Israfil in the world premiere of Coming : A Rock Musical of Biblical Proportions. In opera, Ryan's resume includes La Traviata(Gastone), The Magic Flute(Monastatos), The Merry Widow(St. Brioche) with OperaDelaware, Falstaff(Fenton), and Gianni Schicchi(Rinuccio). Ryan also created the role of Matthew Shepard in the musical drama Not in My Town which had its world premiere at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. In addition to performing, Ryan enjoys teaching voice and piano and napping with his cat, Cherubino. Ryan would like to thank his friends and family for their support, Chris and Deb for their guidance, and Dimitri for shared rides, shared food, and a shared life. Ryan holds an MM from The Frost School of Music at The University of Miami and a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University. Seeing the Show Top and Bottom is an encounter between two young men who want to explore their fantasies of a sexual bondage scene. Their only problem is they are a bit klutzy, a bit nerdy, and not totally sure what they are doing !

Warning : This production contains full male nudity. Top and Bottom will run from April 5 - 29, 2018 at the District of Columbia Arts Center.

Tickets are general admission and can be purchased for $ 35. For tickets please visit : http : / / www.rainbowtheatreproject.org. Visit www.rainbowtheatreproject.org for more information about the company.

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