Billy Van Zandt Directs DROP DEAD!, Opening Tonight at NoHo Arts Center

Producer Ronnie Marmo and Theatre 68 are proud to present DROP DEAD! - By playwrights Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore - Opening tonight, June 6th at The NoHo Arts Center. This will be the 29th anniversary of the original production, and 23 years since the Los Angeles production originally opened. Marmo and Theatre 68 are elated to be granted the rights for this show for the first time since its original premiere. Landing Van Zandt as the director was the icing on the cake.

A cast of desperate actors attempt to revive their careers in Drop Dead!, a potboiler murder mystery directed by "Wonder Child of the Broadway Stage" Victor Le Pewe. When several actors are murdered during the opening night performance, the remaining thespians must save the show and their careers, solve the mystery, and stay alive long enough to receive their curtain calls.

Originally produced in 1986 Off-Broadway and then in Los Angeles (1991), starring Adrienne Barbeau, Rose Marie, Donny Most, Craig Bierko, Barney Martin, and the authors. It was a smashing success and a hysterical farce, playing to sold out houses.

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Written by Billy Van Zandt & Jane Milmore

Directed by Billy Van Zandt

Produced by Ronnie Marmo

Set Design by Danny Cistone

Costumes by Crystal Craft

Light Design by Matt Richter

CAST:

Cy Creamer

Claudine Claudio

Bill Doherty Jr.

Shelly Hacco

Eddie Liu

Mews Small

Timothy Alonzo

Barry Brisco

Mark Vazquez

Grey Rodriguez

DROP DEAD! Opens June 6th, running through June 28th. Performances will be Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 8:00PM, and Sunday at 3:00PM. The venue is The NoHo Arts Center, located at 11136 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601. General admission $25.00 - Tickets are available at: www.plays411.com/dropdead. Additional information is available at: www.theatre68.com or by calling (323) 960-5068.

BILLY VAN ZANDT & JANE MILMORE: Playwrights - THEATRE: You've Got Hate Mail (OFF-B, 4 years); The Property Known as Garland (by Van Zandt, OFF-B); Silent Laughter (OFF-B); Drop Dead (OFF-B); Love, Sex And the IRS; Merrily We Dance & Sing; A Night At the Nutcracker; Wrong Window; High School Reunion: the Musical; What The Rabbi Saw; Confessions Of A Dirty Blonde; The Pennies; Suitehearts; Lie, Cheat, And Genuflect; Playing Doctor; Having A Wonderful Time, Wish You Were Her; A Little Quickie; Bathroom Humor; Infidelities; The Senator Wore Pantyhose; What The Bellhop Saw; Till Death Do Us Part; Do Not Disturb. TELEVISION: Newhart; Anything But Love; I Love Lucy: The Very First Show (Emmy nomination); Sydney; Nurses; Martin (People's Choice Award, NAACP Image Award); Daddy Dearest; Wayans Bros.; Suddenly Susan; Bless This House; Yes, Dear; The Hughleys (Prism Award); Center Of the Universe; Jack and Janet Save the Planet. FILM: A Wake In Providence (Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival Audience Award). Visit Billy and Jane at www.vanzandtmilmore.com and www.samuelfrench.com.

Ronnie Marmo - Artistic Director (Director/Producer) - Ronnie has directed and produced over fifty plays including the LA Premiere of John Patrick Shanley's Storefront Church ad the World Premiere of John Patrick Shanley's Last Night In The Garden I Saw You. He also directed the critically acclaimed Bill W. and Dr. Bob, which enjoyed 350+ sold out performances in the past 12 years, the World Premiere of 86'd, the Los Angeles Premiere of Sam Shepard's The Late Henry Moss, the 40th Anniversary production of Lovers and Other Strangers, An Italian American Reconciliation (Stage Scene LA Award) and West of Brooklyn which he also inked. Ronnie was the Artistic Director and Producer of the critically acclaimed first ever 13 by Shanley Festival which enjoyed a six-month run. He was nominated as a producer by the NAACP Awards for the productions of The Knights of Mary Phagan and Subway Series. Marmo has produced the films West of Brooklyn, Truck 20's Location, Limbo Lounge, Stage 4, AppleBox, Another Happy Ending and Fish Without A Bicycle. He also produced the series Adults Only & LaLa Land. He received the Robert Pastorelli Rising Star Award for achievements as actor, writer, director and producer at the 2010 Garden State Film Festival. Ronnie just completed a three-year run on ABC's General Hospital as Ronnie Dimestico. He is currently filming Back In The Day in a starring role opposite Shannen Doherty, Michael Madsen and Danny Glover. He continues to serve at the Artistic Director of the 68 Cent Crew Theatre Company in Los Angeles and New York City.

Danny Cistone - (Set Designer) - For the stage Danny has directed and designed the Off-Broadway Hip-Hop sensation, Groovaloo, Shanley's The Big Funk and Music, Cocaine & Philosphy. He has production designed for film, TV, commercials and theatre including Final Witness(ABC/Disney), School Spirits(SyFy), Strictly Sexual(Hulu). Music video designs include Katy Perry's Candifornia Tour, Pink's European Tour and Truth About Love Tour, History of the Eagles Tour, Danko Jones, Carbon 9, Michael Duff, Young Wolf Hatchlings and Leo. Some notable stage designs include Cops and Friends of Cops (2013 Ovation Nomination), The Mercy Seat (Ford), The Knights of Mary Phagan (NAACP Award Nomination), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (2008 Ovation Award Nomination), the 13 By Shanley Festival (Theatre 68), A Few Good Men (LA premiere), The Lost Plays of Tennessee Williams (Actors Studio), On An Average Day (2008 Ovation Award Nomination, 2008 LA Drama Critics Circle Nomination)

Matt Richter - (Lighting) - Matt is a Los Angeles based Lighting and Sound designer. For Theatre 68: Last Night In The Garden I Saw You by John Patrick Shanley (World Premiere), Lenny Bruce Is Back & Boy is He Pissed. Sacred Fools: Neighborhood 3 (Garland Award Nominee), Watson (Stage Scene LA Award), The Forbidden Zone (World Premiere) and Endgame. For Theatre of NOTE: Shoe Story (Ovation Nomination), Skeleton Stories (Ovation Nomination), Shake, Kill Me Deadly (Ticketholder Award Nominee), Figure 8. For The Elephant Theatre Company: Asleep on a Bicycle (Ticketholder Award Nominee, Sound Design), Idea Man, Love Sick and Little Flower of East Orange (West Coast Premiere- Stage Scene LA Award Sound Deaign). He was honored to design the world premiere of Theatre Revelation's The Devil Has a Sister at the Melkweg Theatre in Amsterdam. For more information, visit www.mattrichter.net.

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