DEAD, THEREFORE I AM Goth-Punk Comedy to Run April 10 - May 24

Last Lion Productions will present the World Premiere of "DEAD, THEREFORE I AM," a Goth-Punk comedy written and directed by Max Leavitt, starring Max Leavitt, Nicholas Tucci, Karen Jean Olds and Nicholas Vitulli. Billy Housekeeper will serve as Technical Director, Set Designer and Lighting Designer. Produced by Sarah E. Baker, the production will performed at The East Theatre at The Complex; 6476 Santa Monica Boulevard (between Wilcox Avenue and Cole Avenue); Hollywood, CA 90038.

Previews will be presented on Friday and Saturday, April 10 and 11, 2009 at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, April 12, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. Performances during the Limited Run will be given on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m., April 17 - May 24, 2009. The play includes some nudity and adult subject matter. Tickets are $10 each for Preview performances and $20 each for performances during the Limited Run. Tickets to this 85-minute play can be purchased online at www.plays411.com/dead or by calling the Box Office at 323-960-7714. Valet and street parking are available. For further information, please visit www.complexhollywood.com.

A dark comedy, the story of "DEAD, THEREFORE I AM" centers around a young man named J.T. Blackwell on the morning of his 30th birthday, as he scratches into the wall of his broken brain another painful year in a lifetime of deepening depression. Plagued by the sadistic Egyptian God Anubis, Blackwell discovers his will to live in the Goth-Punk girl next door, Sophie. Just as he chooses life, his circumstances take a turn for the worse.

Max Leavitt explains, "The late great world leader, Winston Churchill, often personified his own depression, by referring to it as something outside himself, ‘the black dog,' a coping mechanism which allowed him to objectify and thereby function on a day-to-day basis, (not to mention winning a World War). In my play, J.T. Blackwell's ‘black dog,' takes the form of the ancient Egyptian God Anubis, who sadistically dominates Blackwell's psyche to the point of physical collapse. Sophie, the Goth-Punk girl next door, is obsessed with Blackwell's tormented soul and tries desperately to wedge herself inside of him, igniting an unfamiliar spark of hope. My play is an exploration of one man's life journey and his quest for a fulfilling existence."

The cast will include: Max Leavitt (John Thomas Blackwell); Karen Jean Olds (Sophie); Nicholas Tucci (Anubis) and Nicholas Vitulli (Dr. Beaurieux, Claude Crum, Dr. Licht). Production Personnel include: Sarah E. Baker (Producer); Max Leavitt (Director and Writer); Billy Housekeeper (Technical Director, Set Designer and Lighting Designer); Paige Luke (Stage Manager); Seth Sherwood (Graphic Designer); Brandon Ruckdashel (Pre-Production Photographer); Ed Krieger (Production Photographer); Diane Gross (Legal Consultant); www.plays411.com <http://www.plays411.com> (Box Office) and Steve Moyer Public Relations (Press Representative).

Last Lion Productions was founded in 2008 as a multi-media theatre company dedicated to producing original works which preserve the lessons of history, explore the atomic potential of the human mind, and support the unquenchable spirit of artists who in words of the late world leader, Winston Churchill "will never, never, never, never, never give up." To date, the company has produced the World Premiere of Max Leavitt's play, "Mala," based on a true story of Mala Zimmerman, a young Jewish woman from Belgium who escaped with her lover from Auschwitz in June 1944. The play premiered at The Complex in Hollywood, CA in 2008.

About The Company:
Max Leavitt (J.T. Blackwell/Director/Writer) of Hollywood came to national attention as the Bandleader on NBC's "Last Call with Carson Daly." A true multi-hyphenate, besides being an actor, director and writer, Leavitt continues to entertain audiences in the Southland as a Singer, Songwriter and Bass Player for the Hollywood Punk-Rock band, L.E.V. In 2008 he appeared as Elias Lindzin in the World Premiere of "Mala," a Holocaust-themed play which he also wrote and directed at The Complex in Hollywood, CA. His acting credits include: Ben in "The Mercy Set" (Clurman Theatre, New York City); Roy M. Cohn in "Angels In America" (Playwrights Horizon, New York City); Richard in"Richard III" (I.T.W., Amsterdam); Drum Major in "Woyzeck" (Currican Theatre, New York City); Stepahno in"The Tempest" and Hotspur in "Henry IV" (both at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco); and at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts: Rudinsky in "Ahkmatova;" Promoter in"Boxing 2000" (directed by Richard Maxwell); Megs in "Strange Snow" and Bernard in "Ubu Roi."

Television credits include appearances on: "Law and Order S.V.U." (NBC); "Wedding Bells" (produced by David E. Kelly); "Last Call with Carson Daly" (House Bandleader, NBC); "American Rock Minute" (MTV); "Discover and Download" (MTV) and ESPN's "X-Games" (Host). Film credits include the independent films: "Fred and Ted;" "Prison Project;" "Storytellers," "Kill Your Idols," "Couch Surfer," "Imperial Violet," "Unhumankind," "Filament" and "Soul Searcher." Directing and Design credits include: "The News;" "Dogs in the Rubble" (Herbst Theatre); "Fred and Ted;" "Ten Hearts;" "Frankenstein" (Samson Playhouse) and "Clan Desperate."

Leavitt is a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He has studied acting at B.A.D.A., The I.T.W., Amsterdam, Grotowski and The LAByrinth Theatre Company. He is currently the Singer, Songwriter and Bass Player of the Hollywood rock band L.E.V., after fronting the New York City Punk trio Hurry-Up Offense for eight years.

NICHOLAS TUCCI (Anubis) of Mar Vista was most recently seen in the roles of Tomasz Przewodnik, Jerzy Swolkin, Mr. Duvovski, Mr. Ogniotrawla and Peter Kramer in the World Premiere of Max Leavitt's Holocaust-themed play, "Mala," presented at The Complex in Hollywood, CA. He is a native of Middletown, CT and a recent graduate of Yale University, where he appeared in productions of "Henry IV, Part I;" "The Duchess of Malfi;" "Much Ado About Nothing;" "A Streetcar Named Desire;" "Habeas Corpus;" "Angels In America, Part I;" "Orpheus Descending;" "Richard II;" "Twelfth Night;" "All My Sons" and "Marriage-a-la-Mode." He has appeared in several independent films, including the short films, "Gandhi at the Bat" and "War Cry." Tucci can be seen in the upcoming feature film "Choose" with Bruce Dern and in "The Red Machine," his third collaboration with Mental Slapstick Productions. An experienced stage actor, he has performed in professional theater on the East Coast and in Chicago.

KAREN Jean Olds (Sophie) of West Hollywood was most recently seen as Cyla Cybulska in the World Premiere of Max Leavitt's Holocaust-themed play, "Mala," presented at The Complex in Hollywood, CA. She received her M.F.A. degree from the University of California at Irvine, where she portrayed the roles of Nina in "The Seagull;" Florina in "Mad Forest;" Lesley in "The House of Yes;" Eileen in "The Cripple of Inishmaan;" and as John Trae in Bill Rauch's "Encounters" and Marion Paroo in Bill Rauch's "The Music Man." Originally from Montana, Olds received her B.F.A. degree in Acting from the University of Montana where she portrayed the roles of Mona in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and Adela in "The House of Bernarda Alba." She spent three summers at The Bigfork Summer Playhouse in Montana playing roles as Annie in "Annie Get Your Gun;" Rumpleteazer in "CATS" and Lorraine Flemming in "42nd Street."

NICHOLAS VITULLI (Dr. Beaurieux, Claude Crum, Dr. Licht) of Hollywood has appeared in New York City in productions of "Glengarry Glen Ross;" "Proof;" "True West;" "The Tempest;" "The Passion of the Christ;" "In A Round About Way" and "Harvey." Film credits include: "Red Alert;" "Not Today;" "Old Thyme Slapstick;" "The Wonder" and "Man of a Thousand Faces." He studied at The Actors Center Conservatory in New York City. Besides acting, Vitulli is a bartender at the nightclubs, Bar Copa in Santa Monica, and The Association, in Downtown Los Angeles.

Billy HouseKEEPER (Technical Director, Set Designer, Props, Lighting Designer) of Los Angeles moved here four years ago. He has overseen lighting designs on cruise ships where he has traveled half way around for shows featuring Keith Urban, Las Vegas magicians and everything in between. He studied set designing for two years under the guidance of Broadway designer David M. Cox.

SARAH E. BAKER (Producer) of Culver City is a Los Angeles native who was raised in Hancock Park, CA. In 2001, Baker graduated from New York University Tisch School of the Arts from the Experimental Theatre Wing. She returned to Los Angeles in 2004. She is a Lew Wasserman Scholar and a Founding Member of the Tisch Talent Guild, an agency run for the students by the students at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She continues to serve the New York University community as the Co-Chair of the Tisch West Alumni Council and Curator of the Cinema Club. She began her career as an actor, until she produced her first short film, "Under Our Skin," and realized that her passion was storytelling in any format. Since then she has worked in a variety of capacities on studio films such as "Elizabethtown," "War of the Worlds," "Rent" and "Mission Impossible III." Baker recently completed working on "The Eye" as an Associate Producer. She has also developed and produced the award-winning short films, "Tis the Season" and "Manos Partidas." In 2008, she served as Production Supervisor for the World Premiere of Max Leavitt's Holocaust-themed play, "Mala," presented at The Complex in Hollywood, CA. Currently, Baker is forming her own Talent Management and Production Company working to develop Writers, Directors and Actors.

Tickets are $10 for Preview performances and $20 each for performances during the Limited Run. Tickets to this 85-minute play can be purchased online at www.plays411.com/dead <http://www.plays411.com/dead> or by calling the Box Office at 323-960-7714. Valet and street parking are available. For further information, please visit www.complexhollywood.com <http://www.complexhollywood.com>.

 

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