Actors Co-op Presents AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, Now thru 6/14

Actors Co-op is thrilled to announce its fifth and final show in its 2014-2015 season (and 23rd year of producing theatrical excellence in Los Angeles!) with AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, by Mark Brown (based on the novel by Jules Verne), produced by Thomas Chavira and directed by Rhonda Kohl. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS will preview tonight, May 6 and Thursday, May 7 at 8pm and will open on Friday, May 8 at 8pm and run through Sunday, June 14 at the Actors Co-op David Schall Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

Stampeding elephants! Raging typhoons! Runaway trains! Unabashedly slapstick! Hold onto your seats for the original amazing race! Join fearless adventurer Phileas Fogg and his faithful manservant as they set out to win an outrageous wager by circling the globe in an unheard-of 80 days. Danger, romance, and comic surprises abound in this whirlwind of a show as five actors portraying 39 characters traverse seven continents in Mark Brown's adaptation of one of the great adventures of all time!

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST:

MARK BROWN (Playwright) is an award-winning writer. His play Around the World in 80 Days has been produced around the world, from off-Broadway to Baridhara Dhaka, Bangladesh, and has been translated into Turkish. Tom Jones, his adaptation of the ribald Henry Fielding novel, received its world premiere in 2014 and has been called clever, silly and highly theatrical. His musical China: The Whole Enchilada was named Outstanding Musical of the 2008 New York International Fringe Festival and has been called funny, smart, surprisingly deep and very enjoyable. Brown's play The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge has been called a sequel worthy of Dickens' approval and a worthy new entry into the holiday canon. His adaptation of The Little Prince (co-written with Paul Kiernen) set box office records at the Hippodrome Theatre (Gainesville, Fla.) and the Orlando Theatre Project. His play Poe: Deep Into That Darkness Peering (co-written with Mark Rector) hasn't won a thing but is a darn good play and should be produced more often. Currently, Brown is working on an adaptation of the novel Don Quixote. He is also working with Paul Mirkovich, his collaborator on China: The Whole Enchilada, on a musical version of Tom Jones.

RHONDA KOHL (Director) has been a member of Actors Co-op since 2010, where she serves on the Production Committee (selecting plays for each season) and recently produced The Diviners and the LA Weekly and Ovation-nominated Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde. She is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, holds an MFA and is an adjunct professor and guest director for Azusa Pacific University where she recently directed The Spitfire Grill! Other local directing work includes: Look Back In Anger, Over The River And Through The Woods, Hello, Dolly!, A Tuna Christmas, Spinning Into Butter and Barefoot In The Park. She also founded and runs a non-profit organization for young artists called Hollywood Youth Theatre.

The Cast of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS will feature (in alphabetical order): Eva Abramian, Andrew Carter, Kevin Coubal, Philip Kreyche and Bruce Ladd.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS has assembled an award-winning design team. Set Design is by David Goldstein. Lighting Design is by Matthew Taylor. Sound Design is by David B. Marling. Projection and Props Design is by Nicholas Acciani. Costume Design is by Wendell C. Carmichael. Hair Design is by Krys Fehervari. The Dialect Coach is Jill Massie. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS is produced by Thomas Chavira.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS will preview on Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 7 at 8pm and will open on Friday, May 8 at 8pm and run through Sunday, June 14 at the Actors Co-op David Schall Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:30pm (with Saturday Matinees scheduled for Saturday, May 16 at 2:30pm; Saturday, June 6 at 1:30pm and Saturday, June 13 at 2:30pm).

Ticket prices are $30.00 for all Performances. Seniors (60 and over) - $25 and Students - $20.00 (with Student Rush Tickets available on Friday evenings excluding Opening night on a first-come, first served basis, subject to availability). Previews are Free to the Public. Group rates are available for parties of 6 or more. Tickets may be purchased by phone at (323) 462-8460 or visit www.ActorsCo-op.org.

Actors Co-op operates two 99-seat Equity-approved theatres on the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. Actors Co-op began in 1987 with a dozen actors. Currently, its membership exceeds 50 professionals. Called "a 99-seat miracle" by Daily Variety, Actors Co-op's numerous awards for theatre excellence include the Los Angeles Drama Critics Polly Warfield Award for "Outstanding Season" (2013) in a small to mid-sized theatre, six Ovation Award nominations including "Best Season" (2013-2014), the Margaret Harford Award for "Sustained Achievement" in smaller theatre from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle as well as the Charlie Award for "Excellence in the Arts" by the Hollywood Arts Council.

Since the Crossley Theatre opened its doors in April of 1989 and its second theatre, the David Schall Theatre opened February of 1995, Actors Co-op has produced over 100 main stage productions, over 40 Second Stage productions, staged readings of original works, and has received 19 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards (six wins), 34 LA Weekly Award nominations (six wins), 29 Ovation Award nominations (three wins), five Garland Awards and 125 Drama-Logue Awards. In addition, Actors Co-op was honored with the Margaret Harford Award for "Sustained Achievement" in smaller theatre from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, as well as the Charlie Award for "Excellence in the Arts" by the Hollywood Arts Council.

Actors Co-op is located at 1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, CA 90028, on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, one block north of Hollywood Boulevard, just off the Gower Street exit of the 101 Hollywood Freeway. Free, well-lit parking is available on Carlos Street (1/2 block east of Gower).

Actors Co-op's 23rd season, entitled "The Story Is the Journey" includes THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, Book, Music and Lyrics by Rupert Holmes, THE DIVINERS by Jim Leonard, Jr., PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Helen Jerome, from the novel by Jane Austen, MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA! by Athol Fugard and AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS by Mark Brown, from the novel by Jules Verne.

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