Echo Theater Company Kicks Off 2017 with Bittersweet Romance FOUND DOG RIBBON DANCE

Alana Dietze (A Small Fire, Dry Land) directs the world premiere of a bittersweet romantic comedy about loneliness, oxytocin - and the healing power of Whitney Houston. The Echo Theater Company opens The Found Dog Ribbon Dance by Dominic Finocchiaro on January 21 at Atwater Village Theatre.

At once humorous, fanciful and tender, The Found Dog Ribbon Dance introduces us to Norma, a professional cuddler whose quest to return a lost dog to its rightful owner leads her to encounter a slew of oddballs, and maybe even discover a second chance at love.

"It's funny, charming and filled with whimsy, but Dominic has a lot to say underneath," says Dietze. "The play speaks loudly to our universal need for connection, and the myriad ways in which we construct walls around ourselves. How do we break down the barriers that keep us apart?"

"I wanted to examine the anatomy of loneliness," Finocchiaro explains.

The Found Dog Ribbon Dance was a semi-finalist at the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, and a finalist at the Bay Area Playwrights Festival. It has been workshopped at the PlayPenn Conference in Philadelphia; at the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, id Theater, in McCall, Idaho; and at the NNPN MFA Playwrights' Workshop at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

The Echo Theater Company production stars Julie Dretzin, Eric Gutierrez, Dan Hagan, Gregory Itzin, West Liang, Gabriel Notarangelo, Amanda Saunders, Steven Strobel and Clarissa Thibeaux.

The creative team includes set designer Kirk Wilson; lighting designer Jesse Baldridge; Sound Designer Gillian Moon; costume designer Elena Flores; graphics designer Nathalie Khuen; photographer Darrett Sanders; and dramaturg. Isobel Bradbury. Amanda Wagner is the production stage manager, and Jesse Canady and Chris Fields produce for the Echo Theater Company.

Dedicated to producing new work, the multiple award-winning Echo Theater Company was anointed "Best Bet for Ballsy Original Plays" by the LA Weekly in its 2014 Best of L.A. issue and was a recipient of a 2016 "Kilroy Cake Drop"- one of only 13 theaters in the country to be surprised by cakes to honor the efforts they are making to produce women and trans writers. Under the leadership of founding artistic director Chris Fields, the Echo has introduced Los Angeles to playwrights such as David Lindsay-Abaire, Adam Rapp, Sarah Ruhl, Adam Bock and Miki Johnson among others. The company is also recognized for its acting ensemble; in the Los Angeles Times, theater critic Charles McNulty wrote, "Echo Theater Company, which has cultivated a community of top flight actors, would be my go-to place in Los Angeles for symbiotic ensemble acting." KCRW's Anthony Byrnes stated, "It's time to start paying attention to the Echo Theater Company... What's made these choices pay off is the acting and casting has been superb. The company has made bold choices and backed them up."

The Found Dog Ribbon Dance runs Jan.21 through Feb. 26, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 4 p.m.; and Mondays at 8 p.m. Three preview performances are set for Wed., Jan. 18; Thurs., Jan. 19; and Fri., Jan. 20, all at 8 p.m. Tickets are $34 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and $20 on Mondays; preview performances are pay-what-you-can.

Atwater Village Theatre is located at 3269 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles, CA 90039. On-site parking is free. For reservations and information, call (310) 307-3753 or go to www.EchoTheaterCompany.com.

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