The world premiere of the new comedy, "Jackass Flats," written by C.C. Loveheart and John Simon, opens tonight at upstate New York's Shadowland Theatre in Ellenville, site of the non-profit, Actors' Equity theater's first world premiere in 15 years.
"It's Las Vegas, 1951," says
Brendan Burke, the production's director and artistic director at Shadowland, "A woman has a special treat in mind for her daughter until an unwelcome visit from her uptight sister-in-law takes these three rather unusual women on a road trip to a sunrise picnic at the dawn of the nuclear age."
Originally called "Wake up Lana Dee" by Loveheart, a veteran TV, stage and film actor, writer and director, "Jackass Flats" had its first incarnation in a
Susan Batson workshop in New York City. A lifetime member of The Actor's Studio, Loveheart garnered personal support for "Jackass Flats" from
Arthur Penn,
Carlin Glynn and
Frank Corsaro, among others.
John Simon, former
Columbia Records producer for The Band,
Janis Joplin, Blood Sweat and Tears and
Leonard Cohen, joined as co-author in the early 1990s. The script won the
Maxwell Anderson award for best unproduced play of 1996. It received a staged reading last year at Shadowland, directed by Burke, at the theater's 2009 Ulster County Playwriting Festival. "Jackass Flats is just a big comedy with a big heart and a big message," says Loveheart.
The production, from June 24 to July 10, stars Estelle Bajou,
Rita Rehn and
Amelia Rose.
Shadowland's 27th season opened June 3 with
Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer." Following "Jackass Flats" is
Roger Bean's "The Andrews Brothers," directed by Michael LaFleur (July 15-August 14), "The Ladies Man" by Charles Morey, adapted from
Georges Feydeau's "Tailleur Pour Dames," directed by Burke (August 15-September 11) and "Medal of Honor Rag" by
Tom Cole, directed by
James Glossman (September 16-October 2).
About Shadowland Theatre
Shadowland Theatre is the leading professional nonprofit
Actors' Equity company in the
Lower Hudson Valley/Catskill Mountain region. Located only 90 miles from New York City in Ellenville, NY, Shadowland was named "Best of the Valley" by Hudson Valley magazine; "Cultural Business of the Year" by Ulster Development Corporation and Ulster County Chamber of Commerce; "Best Theatre" by the Times Herald Record; and "Best Drama of the Year" by The Daily Record in NJ for The Good German. Founded in 1984, Shadowland performs in a restored 1920's Art Deco vaudeville/movie house converted to a 148-seat theatre. For more information, visit
shadowland.org.
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