Classical Theatre Lab to Present A FAMILY AFFAIR, Begin. 7/19

The Classical Theatre Lab and the City of West Hollywood present A Family Affair by Alexander Ostrovsky, adapted from a translation by Geroge R. Noyes, directed by Mel Green. Causing an uproar when published in 1850, this broad and irreverent Russian comedy of manners centers around a greedy merchant, Bolshov, who makes a fraudulent bankruptcy application in order to finance the lavish lifestyle of his bourgeois husband-hunting daughter. When Bolshov's accomplices run off with his assets and his daughter, he descends into professional and psychological ruin and is jailed. Upon his release, Bolshov, a new man ready to walk the straight and narrow, finds that his selfish and cantankerous family has not changed one bit.

July 19 - August 10. Saturdays 5pm at Plummer Park - Fiesta Hall Courtyard, 7737 Santa Monica Blvd., WeHo 90046. Sundays 4pm (except 07/27) at Kings Road Park, 1000 N. Kings Road, WeHo 90069. Free. Donations welcomed. Reservations encouraged: classicaltheatrelab@gmail.com or (323) 960-5691. http://www.classicaltheatrelab.org

Cast: Darryl Armbruster*, Riley Dandy, Joe Hulser*, Kaye Kittrell*, Lonni Silverman, Rachel Sorteberg*, Karen Tarleton* and Donald Wayne*. (*Appears Courtesy of Actors' Equity Association)

Aleksander Ostrovksy (Playwright) (1823-1886) attended the First Moscow Gymnasium and then studied law at the Moscow State University. Although his father encouraged him to become a lawyer, Ostrovsky was passionate about literature and theatre. A Family Affair was published is 1850. Its satiric take on the contemporary bourgeoisie earned it both critical praise and government censorship and the play was banned from being performed on the stage. Eventually, the censors allowed a revised version of it to be reprinted in 1859. However, they insisted the ending be changed to show police arrive, arrest Lazar and announce he will be sent to Siberia. The original version of the play was not performed until 1881. Ostrovsky wrote 47 original plays and translated many others into Russian. Today, Ostrovsky's place in the pantheon of important playwrights is assured and he is considered the master of the Russian realistic period in drama.

Mel Green (Director) In addition to writing and directing his sketches for SNL and The Noodles improv/sketch regulars at The Comedy Store, Mel Green was a Disney Imagineer working as both a writer and director for the plays and performances at The Adventurer's Club on Pleasure Island. He also produced and directed the long running series SOLO at both Theater East and Theater/Theatre. His play Moving was featured at the Road Theatre's new works festival in 2013 and his memoir Marker has been optioned for a motion picture. Mel is a popular spoken word performer and story-teller with many appearances in LA and New York.

The Classical Theatre Lab was founded in 1990 as one of several performance labs serving the Los Angeles Theater Center on Spring Street in downtown LA. The mission of The Lab was to provide a home for professional actors wishing to expand their talents through interpretation of the works of the world's greatest writers. Since that time, the Classical Theatre Lab has offered staged readings and full productions and co-productions of classical theatre, many at no charge to the public. Over the years, the Classical Theatre Lab has had productions directed by notable directors including Michael Arabian, Tony Tanner, Armin Shimerman and Louis Fantasia.

In 2007, the Lab began collaborating with the City of West Hollywood to produce a free Shakespeare play in the summer and has grown to include classics and world premiere adaptations of classical works not limited to Shakespeare. Past productions of Free Shakespeare in the Parks include "Two Gentlemen of Verona" (2007), "The Merry Wives of Windsor" (2008), "Twelfth Night" (2009), "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (2010), "As You Like It, The Musical" (2011), "Something of Silver" (2012), and "Trouble in Chiozza" (2013).
About the CAST

Darryl Armbruster (Lazar) Elephant Theatre: Block Nine, Downtown Daylight Project, One Fell Swoop, 7 Redneck Cheerleaders, Dearboy's War (LA Weekly Supporting Actor Nomination). LA Theatre: Kennedy's Children, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, A Child's Christmas in Wales, and Barnaby Tucker twice in Hello, Dolly! Film: Citizen Jane, BoilerMaker, Old School, Pandemic, Women vs. Men, Gone But Not Forgotten. Darryl was an original member of The Dan Band.

Riley Dandy (Tishka) just graduated from LACC's Theatre Academy where she got to shine in productions such as Li'l Abner (Appassionata Von Climax) and The Laramie Project (Romaine Patterson).She was also nominated for an Irene Ryan scholarship award at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for her performance as Adriana in Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors.

Joe Hulser (Bolshov) With CTL: Trouble in Chiozza, Exit the King, Merry Wives of Windsor, Arturo Ui, A Women of No Importance. Elsewhere: Hughie, Mad Forrest, Macbeth, Three Penny Opera, The Three Sisters at Open Fist. Othello at Shakespeare LA. Love Suicide at Scholfield Barracks at the Odyssey Theatre.
Kaye Kittrell (Ustinya) Theatre credits: Pinter Bookends, Night of the Iguana, Sweet William, CTL Staged Readings, Tryptich, Matrix Theatre w/Susan Clark, The Big Knife, Mud, Alliance Rep. Co., Burbank. TV/Film: Rascal Flatts video "Here Comes Goodbye", "Gilmore Girls", "Alias", "Becker", "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman", "Titus", "Wings", "Cheers", "General Hospital", "Saturday Night Live", "The Lift", "A Final Gift", "Next of Kin", "Pawn", "Betty's Treats" & "Seems Like Yesterday" (also wr/dr). Web: Host/Producer "Late Bloomer" urban garden series (3rd season).

Lonni Silverman (Lipochka) Theatre credits include: 12 Angry (Men) directed by Finn Wittrock, Twelfth Night at the Pico Playhouse, World Premiere of Dupe at Two Roads Theatre, Stage Door, Fiddler On The Roof, World Premiere of Salsa Saved the Girls, and The Crucible at UCLA. Film credits include "Towers of Terror" and "It's A Thing" and in development, "Manhood" as a producer/actor. Member of SAG-AFTRA and seeking representation.

Rachel Sorteberg (Fominishna) For CTL: Something of Silver, directed by Tony Tanner. For Tennessee Repertory's Ingram New Works Festival: She's Dead. Other productions include: Henry IV, Part 1, As You Like It, Arms and the Man, and the original L.A. company of Boy Meets Boy. Once a member of the L.A. Mime Company, Rachel co-directs the staged movement in this production of A Family Affair. Currently: Actors Studio Drama School MFA 2017.

Karen Tarleton (Agrafena) has a career in television, film, stage, voiceover and singing, Karen has been a member of CTL since 1990. Favorite theater roles: Bea in A View from the Bridge, Queen Gertrude in Hamlet, Catherine in Arms and the Man, Diana in Lend Me A Tenor, Rita Schwerner in One Sunday in Mississippi, Andromache in Trojan Women, Emilia in Othello, Goddess Thetis in The Iliad, Volumnia in Coriolanus, The Wife in All Over, Klytemnestra in Elektra.

Donald Wayne (Rispolozhensky) based in both New York City and Los Angeles, he has performed on Broadway and Off-Broadway in addition to his extensive work in film, TV, voiceovers, as a singer, and spokesman. Don is the recipient of two prestigious Clio Awards for his work in commercials. Last year, he performed two one-man musical shows, most recently, Lost in the Forties. This year, he performed in The Rivals and The Way of the World for the Classical Theatre Lab's staged reading series. Don received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Indiana University and did additional studies at London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

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