LILIES to be presented at The Bath House

North Texas-based theatrical and film producers Gordon Kelly and Robin Benson Linek have developed a way for theatre ticket purchases to double as grass roots support for a new production in Dallas; the North Texas premiere of Michael Marc Bouchard's play Lilies, scheduled to start performance at the Bath House Cultural Center on Friday, May 31, 2017.

Using a unique approach to underwriting a professional production, the Lilies development team speculates that theatre-goers in the area will enjoy both supporting the play's opening and securing their reserved seat to any of the (six) performances on the current schedule at several investment levels, beginning as low as $25.

"We have gathered a visionary director, remarkable actors, and strong design team who are also willing to join us and dedicate their efforts to this rarely produced play," said Linek. "We think this community approach will add energy and involvement to our production. Rather than just being an audience member, our funding participants have an active investment in and commitment to this work of art."

Written in 1987, translated into English in 1990 by Linda Gaboriau, and with it's debut February 1, 1990 at Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto, CA. Lilies tells the story of Bishop Bilodeau who has agreed to meet his incarcerated childhood friend, Simon, for what he believes to be a simple conversation. What follows is anything but. Simon forces the Bishop to relive their childhood memories through a series of vignettes performed by his fellow inmates. As the story unfolds, a love triangle is revealed, and the ghosts of the Bishop's past come back to haunt him.

The producers and their Lilies production director Ned Record, a Fort Worth native and Los Angeles-based film maker, the cast, crew, and production team will be compensated using an equitable revenue model by which participants split the net revenue as equal shares.

"We feel strongly that we can maximize potential income for our cast and crew," explained Kelly. "The funding model has become popular in London; to our knowledge, this is the first time it has been attempted in North Texas."

Seed money is being raised via Kickstarter and will cover hard costs and royalties.

For more information, to participate and to secure tickets, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/163030722/lilies.

The Production is led by Director Ned Record with Set Design by Ellen Mizner, Lighting Design by Jen Kules & Costume Design by Hillari Paulk.

Casting is ongoing and to date Seth Johnston as Bishop Bilodeau, Shawn Gann as Countess de Tilly & Gary E. Payne as the Baroness have been confirmed

Update to cast & crew will be posted on https://www.theatreprofile.com/production/10167/lilies-at-bath-house-cultural-center.

Links:

Official Site - LiliesPlay.com or https://www.theatreprofile.com/production/10167/lilies-at-bath-house-cultural-center

Kickstarter - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/163030722/lilies

Twitter-https://twitter.com/lilies2018

#Lilies2018

Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/Lilies2018

@Lilies2018

Bios:

Robin & Gordon (Producers) went to Southwestern University together and both participated in the London study abroad program. After graduation and graduate school, they moved to the same neighborhood in Queens, NY and remained active with the Southwestern Alumni association. In 2015, after returning to DFW, they began collaborating as producers in North Texas by staging a reading of Liliesat Evenings at Westside and a full production of Killer's Headat the Fort Worth Fringe Fest. Their goal is to bring unique and lesser known works to North Texas and look forward to future opportunities.

Gordon Kelly (Producer) A Fort Worth native, after graduation from Southwestern University, Gordon got his Masters in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy from Goldsmith College University of London. After London he moved to NYC where he did digital marketing and advertising for Broadway, National Tours and Presenting Organizations. He has been working in professional theatre in many areas for over 20 years and has worked on Broadway, London's West End, US Tours and many theatres in the DFW metroplex. Some of his favorite companies and shows to work on were Casa Mañana, Jersey Boys, Dodger Theatricals, Good Vibrations, The Farnsworth Invention, Killers Head, American Idiot, Drumstruck, Buddy, Dallas Theatre Center and many more.

Robin Benson Linek (Producer) After graduating with from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Robin was recruited by Ohio University where she received an M.F.A. After moving to New York City, Robin developed Legacy Performing Arts(LPA), a theater company dedicated to producing theater for and with senior citizens. LPA's professional actors brought performances of original musicals to elder facilities in New York City, New England, and North Texas. In 2012, Robin received a grant from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairsto develop an original play, Coming to America.

Ned Record (Director) is a classically trained Director (and sometimes actor) currently living in Los Angeles. Originally from Fort Worth, Ned receiving his B.F.A in Theater from TCU. He relocated to London, where he attended the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama where would earn his Masters Degree in Classical Acting. Ned has acted and directed for both stage and screen in London, Los Angeles, Chicago, New Mexico, and DFW. He recently completed his debut feature film, an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", with Hollywood Shakespeare(of which he is the Creative Director). Additionally, Ned is a trained circus performer, teaches Commedia del'Arte and is a very amateur surfer.

Ellen Doyle Mizener(Scenic Design) has design credits throughout the DFW metroplex, Houston and abroad. She is co-designer of the United States Exhibit for the Prague Quadrennial 2019(often described as the World's Fair of performance design). She has also worked as Production Designer for film. Favorite credits include: Animal Farm, She Kills Monsters, Fuente Ovejuna, Playboy of the Western World, The Mountaintop, A Few Good Men, The Little Foxes, Of Mice and Men, The Woman in Black, A View from the Bridge, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. Ms. Mizener holds an MFA in Theatre/Scenic and Costume Design from the University of Houston.

Jennifer Kules (Lighting Designer) is excited to be a part of this new project. Lately she has been out with the National Tour of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, and she is also the resident designer at Mason Street Warehouse in Saugatuck M. Her designs there include: Steam Heat (World Premiere); Memphis: The Musical; Million Dollar Quartet; Avenue Q; Chicago; The Full Monty; Altar Boyz; Evita; Ain't Misbehavin' (Richard Malty Jr. Dir.) The Great American Trailer Park Musical(x2!); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Urinetown the Musical! (Regional Premiere); What a Glorious Feeling (World Premiere) The 39 Steps and Cabaret(x2!). She has toured her designs of Girls Night! The (Smash Hit) Musical and CUFF ME! The Unauthorized 50 Shades of Grey Musical all over the world. Regional credits: Train Spotting USA (American Premiere); Merrily We Roll Along; W;T; Chicago the Musical; Every Christmas Story Ever Told; and The Exonerated.

Hillari Paulk(Costume and Props Design) is a graduate from Tarrant County College, where she focused on Theatre Arts. She currently teaches figure skating. She loves to sketch and create art from found objects. She also enjoys sewing and making skating costumes for her figure skating students and is also working on a blog...for her cat...MaggieMooMoo.

Seth Johnston (Bilodeau 1952) has worked at several theatres in the DFW area, Contemporary Theatre Dallas and Water Tower Theatre most notably; but most of his work has been in Tarrant County. Some of the theaters are Amphibian, Hip Pocket, Circle, ONSTAGE in Bedford, Michael Muller Productions, Runway, Stolen Shakespeare Guild, and he has been "doing the art others won't" with his group, Drag Strip Courage at Arts Fifth Avenue since 2004. His most notable roles have been as Lee Atwater in Fixin' to Die, Deeley in Old Times, and Estragon in Waiting for Godot. Many thanks go to his wife, Lark, and children for allowing him to feed this habit.

Shawn Gann (Countess de Tilly) is an actor-director that has been working on D/FW stages for the past 19 years. He was last seen as Duperret in L.I.P. Service's production of MARAT/SADE, by Peter Weiss, Lodovico Sforza in Amphibian Stage Production's A LOST LEONARDO, by David Davalos, and as Cloten for Shakespeare in the Bar's CYMBELINE. Previous to this production, Shawn wrapped up directing Steve Martin's PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE for Resolute Theatre Project. Recently, he appeared in the world premiere of QUIXOTE by Octavio Solis (Shakespeare Dallas); PETER AND THE STARCATCHER (The Firehouse Theatre); and, THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR and THE TEMPEST (Shakespeare in the Bar). He was, also, a frequent performer in The Mankoff Family Foundation and ATTPAC's unabridged staged readings of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare which just ended its 5-year run. Outside of theatre, Shawn is represented by the Callidus Agency and has done voiceover work for Funimation in such anime as One Piece, Fuuka, Alderamin on the Sky, Aokana: Rhythm Across the Blue, Hakata Tonkatsu Ramens, Garo, Prince of Stride: Alternative, and many others. All love to his beautiful wife and their ever-growing army of Chihuahuas. For more information visit www.the-gann.com.

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