2nd Annual California International Theatre Festival Runs 7/17-25

California InterNational Theatre Festival 2010 season is presented by the City of Calabasas with Linda Purl as Festival Director, M. Edgar Rosenblum as Executive Director and Tammy Taylor as Festival Producer. The Festival will take place in several Calabasas locations and will include distinguished international productions. The 2010 season will feature the American premiere of Stones by the Orto-Da Theatre Group from Israel; The American premiere of Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe, Theatre Newfoundland Labrador from Canada; Around the World in 80 Minutes an apprentice performance; Essence of China: Beijing Opera De-Mystified, a Ghaffar Pourazar Demonstration; Cabaret: Catch the Light, performed by Michele Lee, Musical Director is Ron Abel; The American Premiere of The Ring Road by Raymond Zhou from China; The End by Samuel Beckett, the Gare St Lazare Players from Ireland, directed by Judy Hegarty Lovett and performed by Conor Lovett; the documentary film Working with Pinter: An Intimate and Revealing Portrait from the UK, directed by Harry Burton; Business Bistro, a series of four casual dinners where show business professionals share strategic tools and personal experience of negotiating different aspects of the industry; Across the Borders - Mexico and Beyond: A Festival Wrap Party with Santa Maria style BBQ and the music of Conjuto Hueypan. Tickets range from $30 - $45 and can be purchased on the Festival's website at www.citfestival.org  or by calling 800-351-2766. VIP Festival Passports can be purchased for $150, which includes premium seating at all festival performances. Purl is an award winning stage and television actress probably best known as Helene Beasley on The Office, Charlene Matlock from the series Matlock and as Ashley Pfister, Fonzie's fiancée, from Happy Days. Rosenblum was the Executive Director of Long Wharf Theatre from 1970-1996 and under his leadership, was the recipient of many awards. Taylor Taylor has had an extensive career as a stage manager and producer both on and off Broadway and in film and television.

Festival Director, Purl explains "Born of a passion to stimulate cross cultural communication, like minds of theatre professionals, artists, business professionals, civic leaders and entrepreneurs have come together to create an annual event now in its third season, that builds bridges of understanding between ourselves and all nations of an increasingly inter-connected planet...The California InterNational Theatre Festival."

"Our mission is to produce an annual theatre festival in California, offering a distinguished array of international presentations and committed to broadening cultural understanding by means of community outreach, student training and cultural exchange through the performing arts." Says Purl.

CALIFORNIA INTERNational Theatre FESTIVAL 2010 SEASON:

The American premiere of Stones by Orto-Da Theatre Group of Israel is created and directed by Yinon Tzafrir, Daniel Zafrani and Avi Gibson Bar-El. Splendid Labrador granite stones, intended for a sculpted monument for the victory of Hitler in Europe, surprisingly found themselves after World War II as a carved monument crafted by Nathan Rapaport for the Jewish warriors in the Warsaw ghetto. Stones brings this sculpture to life as six mime artists create a musical, surrealistic, fantastic, comic living statue which deals with the myth of victory and the human spirit whilst time travelling through the last decades of Israel and Europe. The Orto-Da Theatre Group specializes in plays with a social orientation, inspired by the complex context of the Middle East but with universal implications and using a variety of theatre styles of pantomime, Commedia dell'Arte, clowning, dance, circus and Pop-Art. Stones will perform at The Carlson Family Theatre at Viewpoint School, 23620 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas on Saturday, July 17 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, July 18 at 5:00 pm. The cost is $30-$45 per person. Tickets can be purchased on the Festival's website at www.citfestival.org <http://www.citfestival.org> or by calling 800-351-2766

The American Premiere of Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe is performed by Theatre Newfoundland Labrador of Canada. This award-winning production has toured Canada, Australia, the UK, and now comes to America for the first time to tell the story of a pioneering nurse who served and survived on the Newfoundland frontier through the 20's and 30's. The telling of this heartfelt and true story is crafted with simple elegance - four actors, a wooden table, four chairs and a single white sheet. Moving at lightning speed, the actors transform the stage into a prairie, a one room school, and a make-shift clinic, as Myra Grimsley travels the 200 miles of rugged Northern Peninsula. This timeless tale celebrates the joy of self-sacrifice and service at a time when such qualities are being called upon in our own lives. Tempting Providence will perform at The Carlson Family Theatre at Viewpoint School, 23620 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas on Friday, July 23 at 8:00 pm and Saturday, July 24 at 5:00 pm. The cost is $30-$45 per person. Tickets can be purchased on the Festival's website at www.citfestival.org <http://www.citfestival.org> or by calling 800-351-2766.

Around the World in 80 Minutes an apprentice performance. Watch our apprentices shine as international director Ron Popenhagen creates a spectacle with drama from Manchester to Moscow and Milan to Melbourne with acting styles from around the world. Around the World in 80 Minutes will perform at The Carlson Family Theatre at Viewpoint School, 23620 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas on Thursday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Essence of China: Beijing Opera De-Mystified - a Ghaffar Pourazar demonstration. Ghaffar Pourazar (Chinese name:??; pinyin: Ge Fa), is a 32 years old British former computer animator, turned Beijing Opera performer. He became the first Westerner to complete the rigorous course of training at the National Academy for Beijing Opera. With 16 years in China, he has committed his career to Beijing Opera, which he believes is a 'time capsule' of Chinese culture, history, mythology, poetry, literature, fine arts and performing arts. He is the director of the International Centre for Beijing Opera and the leader of the International Monkey King Troupe. His mission is to make Beijing Opera accessible to the rest of the World through educational and performance tours. Essence of China: Beijing Opera De-Mystified will be presented at Founders Hall 100 Civic Center Way, Calabasas on Sunday, July 18 at 3:00 pm and is free and open to the public.

Cabaret: Catch the Light performed by Michele Lee with musical director, Ron Abel. Tony and Emmy-nominated Broadway diva Michele Lee reinvents cabaret as an art form when she moves musically through a life narrative that revolves around the concept of Tinkerbell: using your imagination to glimpse the elusive light of creativity and truth. The NY Times says of Lee's show that she goes "...from zero to 100 miles an hour in 30 seconds: that's the kind of accelerated drive Michele Lee exhibits in her cabaret show Catch the Light." Cabaret: Catch the Light will perform at Founders Hall 100 Civic Center Way, Calabasas on Saturday, July 24 at 8:30. The cost is $30-$45 per person. Tickets can be purchased on the Festival's website at www.citfestival.org <http://www.citfestival.org> or by calling 800-351-2766.The American Premiere of The Ring Road by Raymond Zhou from China. Hear a new voice from modern day China in a reading of Raymond Zhou's play The Ring Road, based on La Ronde. Zhou is senior writer and columnist for the China Daily, the only nationally distributEd English-language newspaper in China, author of 14 books and is considered by many as China's most influential drama, movie and classical music critic. The Ring Road will be presented as a reading at Founders Hall 100 Civic Center Way, Calabasas on Sunday July 25 at 11:00 AM, and is free and open to the public.

The End by Samuel Beckett, the Gare St Lazare Players from Ireland, directed by Judy Hegarty Lovett and performed by Conor Lovett. Internationally renowned for their fresh and accessible interpretations of Beckett's prose, Gare St Lazare present acclaimed actor Conor Lovett in this new adaptation. The End is a short story Beckett produced in the years before he changed the face of modern theatre with his outstanding play Waiting for Godot. In this "slice of life" contemporary short story Beckett takes his cut at the far end of the loaf. Gritty, sometimes offensive experience the last days of an old man, struggling to survive and, at the same time, willing to die. The End will perform at The Carlson Family Theatre at Viewpoint School, 23620 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas on Tuesday, July 20 at 7:30 pm and Wednesday, July 21 at 7:30 pm. The cost is $30-$45 per person. Tickets can be purchased on the Festival's website at www.citfestival.org <http://www.citfestival.org> or by calling 800-351-2766

The documentary film Working with Pinter: An Intimate and Revealing Portrait from the UK, directed by Harry Burton. Collaborator and friends with Pinter for twenty-five years, Burton was given sole permission to film the Nobel laureate working with actors on excerpts from his plays. Riveting conversations shed further light on Pinter's essential character and the art of theatre collaboration. Working with Pinter: An Intimate and Revealing Portrait will screen at Founders Hall 100 Civic Center Way, Calabasas on Monday, July 19 at 7:00 pm and is free and open to the public.

Business Bistro is a series of four casual dinners (geared to Apprentices and open to the public) over which working show business professionals share hands on tools of how to get a job in the industry. Highlighted topics will include how to get an agent, how to write a grant, how to network into the international scene of theatre arts around the world. Business Bistro will be presented at the California State University Channel Islands on July 6, 8, 11 and 14 and is free and open to the public, however you must call for a reservation at 800-351-2766. Times and exact locations TBD

Across the Borders - Mexico and Beyond: A Festival Wrap Party with Santa Maria style BBQ and the music of Conjuto Hueypan will take place at Founders Hall, 100 Civic Center Way, Calabasas on Sunday, July 25 at 5pm. The cost is $37 per person. Tickets can be purchased on the Festival's website at www.citfestival.org <http://www.citfestival.org> or by calling 800-351-2766

Festival Director, Linda Purl has an extensive stage and television career. Her stage credits include Broadway's Tony nominated The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. She has received six Dramalogue Best Actress Awards and two Dramalogue Awards as Best Producer. She has received two Santa Barbara Independent Awards and is a three-time nominee of the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Award for Best Actress. She is the recipient of the Connecticut Critics' Award for Outstanding Performance in a Play. As a main stay of television, Linda has starred in over 40 television Movies of the Week, although is probably best known as Helene Beasley on The Office, Charlene Matlock from the series Matlock and as Ashley Pfister, Fonzie's fiancée, from Happy Days. Linda tours with her solo concert Come Rain or Come Shine nationally and internationally. Linda also tours with Gregory Harrison in their concert A Night to Remember and on June 4 and 5 she will be performing in Ira Without George - The Lyrics of Ira Gershwin at the Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. She served as Founding Executive Director of the Colorado Festival of World Theatre and Festival Director of the Rubicon InterNational Theatre Festival 2008.

M. Edgar Rosenblum served as Founding Festival Executive Director until is sudden and untimely death April 17, 2010. Executive Director of Long Wharf Theatre for 26 years with Artistic Director, Arvin Brown, Mr. Rosenblum brought Long Wharf Theatre to a position of international prominence. Many Long Wharf productions extended their lives to other stages on Broadway, Off-Broadway, television, National and International tours, enabling the work of the theatre to reach a larger audience throughout the nation and abroad. Long Wharf Theatre, under Mr. Rosenblum's leadership, was the recipient of many awards, including: The Jujamcyn Theatres Award for Development of Creative Talent in the Theatre, Obie award for Ensemble performance, Drama desk Awards, Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Threatre, many Tony Awards and nominations, for productions transferred to New York and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama to productions of The Shadow Box and The Gin Game. As an Arts Management Consultant past duties have included work with many Arts Councils and theatres across the country, Site Visitor for the National Endowment or the Arts, Auditor for The New York State Council on the Arts, Executive Director for the Theatre For A New Audience and Administrative Producer for The Berkshire Theatre Festival. Edgar served as Executive Director for the Rubicon InterNational Theatre Festival 2008.

Festival Producer, Tammy Taylor most recently worked as Associate Producer for Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, California. She began her theatre career as a stage manager. Her Broadway credits include Spoils of War, Eastern Standard and Macbeth. Off-Broadway credits include The Baby Dance with Jenny Sullivan, Stephanie Zimbalist, Linda Purl and John Bennett Perry; Old Times with Anthony Hopkins, Jane Alexander and Marsha Mason; and The Film Society starring Nathan Lane; Before the Dawn at American Place Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club's productions of Mark Medoff's The Hands of Its Enemy and Richard Greenberg's Eastern Standard. She has also worked extensively at regional theatres including Long Wharf Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse and Williamstown Theatre Festival. As a Production Manager, she worked at Santa Fe Stages, Lobero Stage Company in Santa Barbara and the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas. World tours include those with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane & Company and the Lucinda Childs Dance Company. She co-produced BJ Ward's Stand-Up Opera in L.A. as well as Ad Wars, again with Jenny Sullivan. Recent stage management work includes Tea at Five with Stephanie Zimbalist, directed by Jenny Sullivan at Ensemble Theatre Company in Santa Barbara, the Ovation Award Winning R. Buckminster Fuller: The History and Mystery of the Universe with Joe Spano which toured the Southwest and the acclaimed production of Hamlet at Rubicon, directed by Jenny Sullivan, staring Joseph Fuqua. Film and television credits include Speed, HBO's The Jack Bull with John Cusack and John Goodman, directed by John Badham, The River Wild, Lotto Land and the HBO series Arli$, where she was an associate producer.

The City of Calabasas has taken a dynamic leadership position as Title Sponsor of CITF Season 2010, ensuring this vibrant addition to California's cultural scene. Additional lead sponsor is Leo Bunnin of Bunnin Automotive Group. This unique event will allow theatre lovers of all ages to immerse themselves in a dazzling assortment of classical and contemporary productions presented in a broad range of theatrical styles from many different countries.

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