Falcon Theatre to Present West Coast Premiere of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, 3/29

The Falcon Theatre, Abbie Phillips and Jan Kallish in association with the Lookingglass Theatre Company are thrilled to announce a very special event to benefit Lookingglass Theatre Company. On Saturday, March 29 at 4 pm, a performance of the West Coast Premiere of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, written by Nicola Behrman, David Kersnar, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman and Andrew White and directed by Dan Bonnell, followed by a post-show Q & A with members of the creative team, and a private dinner following. This is the first association between the Falcon Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, 2011 recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.

At age seventeen, Lilka Kadison flees Poland on the eve of World War II. Seventy years later in her modest North Hollywood home, she's spending the afternoon hassling her son, wrestling her caregiver, and arguing with a ghost who keeps rearranging her furniture - and her memories. Join us on this transcendent journey from present to past, carefully handcrafted and told through magic illusion, toy theatre, music and imagination. It's a story of love, loss, the creative impulse and memories that must never be denied.

ABBIE PHILLIPS (Co-Author and Co-Producer) has always enjoyed spinning yarns herself as well as encouraging others in that divine enterprise. What began as reconstructing facts into narrative as an environmental engineer progressed to choir director and teacher. She then made a sharp left turn as a co-founder of Every Picture Tells a Story and Storyopolis-two innovative Los Angeles gallery/bookstore/salons that celebrated storytelling in all media. This inevitably lead to the circuitous, gravity-defying path of producing film, animation, and public radio programs. She started ListenUp Radio with her oldest friend, Johanna Cooper, and together they created the radio series, One People, Many Stories. Thus began the story of how once upon a time Abbie wandered through a Lookingglass, fell down a rabbit hole, and encountered those incredible People of the Water Tower. Wherein we all finally uncovered, layer by layer, The Last Act of Lilka Kadison.

NICOLA BEHRMAN (Co-Author) recently adapted the British bestseller Where Have All the Boys Gone for Phoenix Pictures, and co-wrote Paparazzi for Cooper's Town Productions. She is also the co-creator of poetry-post.com, 10Q and almondmilkla.com and believes a good life involves nourishing both bellies and souls.

DAVID KERSNAR (Co-Author) is a founding Lookingglass Ensemble Member and has performed, designed, directed, instructed and written for the company since it was founded in 1988. Kersnar directed the world premiere production of The Last Act of Lilka Kadison at Lookingglass. Other writing and directing credits include Sita Ram, La Luna Muda, Brundibar, Goodnight Moon, Iphigenia 2.0, and Through the Looking Glass. Kersnar most recently directed Chrismas Carol: The Concert for PBS.

HEIDI STILLMAN (Co-Author) is a director, writer, actor, Lookingglass Ensemble Member and Artistic Director of New Work. Some writing and directing credits at Lookingglass: Hard Times, The Brothers Karamazov, Hephaestus, The North China Lover, Cascabel.

ANDREW WHITE (Co-Author) Lookinglass Artistic Director and Ensemble Member, Andrew has appeared in more than thirty productions at Lookingglass, adapted and directed the award winning production of George Orwell's 1984, and most recently wrote the book and lyrics for Eastland: A New Musical.

DAN BONNELL (Director) work has been seen in Los Angeles at Pacific Resident Theater (Happy End - Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle 2005- Best Revival and Anatol, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle 2007-- Directing Award), the Matrix, the Met, Cornerstone, [Inside] @ The Ford, Ensemble Studio Theatre-LA, Highways, Moving Arts, The Echo, Theatre @ Boston Court, The Colony, Nexus Theatre Company, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, HBO Workspace (Sarah Silverman's pilot project, Sarah Says Cheese, and the live theatrical version of Mr. Show with Bob and David), and ASK Theatre Projects. He served as the Artistic Director at Arcade, a workspace for theatre and media from 1995-2001, and was the Co-Artistic Director of Ensemble Studio Theatre-LA from 2006-2008. In addition to the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, Mr. Bonnell has been honored with the LA Weekly Directing Award, the NAACP Directing Award and the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Theater in Los Angeles. He has been nominated for the Ovation Directing Award and for Theatre Communications Group "Alan Schneider Award", a national award focusing on freelance directors. Prior to LA, Dan was a Resident Company Director at Circle Repertory Company in New York City and staged plays for notable institutions across the country including: The Actors Studio, Long Wharf, the Asolo, Atlanta's Alliance Theatre, Pioneer Theatre Company. Internationally, Dan's work has been performed at the Bronfman Center in Montreal, Theatre Les Deschargeurs in Paris and the National Youth Theatre in Hanoi, Vietnam. He has taught at UCLA, USC, CalArts, UC-Riverside and Denison University.

MINDY STERLING (Lilith Fisher) is best known for her character portrayal of Frau Farbissina in The Austin Powers Trilogy. A veteran improviser and improv teacher and director, she honed those skills with the Groundlings in Los Angeles. She will reprise her role as "mom" on FXX's hit, Legit. Currently you can see her on Disney's Ant Farm playing the self-absorbed Principal Skidmore. She can also be seen on ICarly as the mean teacher, Miss Briggs. She is the voice of Lt. Lin Beifong on the Nickelodeon Animated Series Legend of Korra as well as many other animated series. She has guest starred on Raising Hope, 2 Broke Girls, Desperate Housewives, Curb Your Enthusiasm, My Name is Earl, King of Queens and many others. Her memorable film credits include Mars Needs Moms, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Drop Dead Gorgeous, and Reno 911.

USMAN ALLY (Menelik Khan) recreates this role specifically written for him. He is an Award-winning actor from Chicago, most well known for originating the lead role in the 2013 Pulitzer Prize winning Disgraced at American Theater Company, for which he received a Joseph Jefferson Best Actor Nomination. He is a TCG/Fox Foundation Fellow, and was part of the World Premiere cast of the Award winning The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity at the Victory Gardens Theater, which he later reprised Off-Broadway and at the Geffen Playhouse. TV and Film credits include Star Trek Into Darkness, Damages, Chicago Code, Boss, Blue Bloods and Mind Games. He has worked at the nation's most reputable theatres including the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Huntington, Lookingglass, Arena Stage, Lyric Opera among others. He latest production was the World Premiere of The Jungle Book by Mary Zimmerman and Disney Theatricals.

NICHOLAS CUTRO (Ben Ari Adler) is from the great state of New Jersey and is proud to be a part of The Last Act of Lilka Kadison. He grew up in the theatre scene of New York and originated the role of Nathan in The Full Monty on Broadway. He later studied at Carnegie Mellon University, where he received his BFA, although his finest training was being able to experience the fierce wit of his mother for the past twenty-five years.

BRITTANY UOMOLEALE (Lilka Kadison) Originally from Connecticut, Brittany began performing in local theater productions while in grade school and quickly knew she wanted to be an actress. She went on to complete a BFA in Theater Performance at the University of Michigan as well as a BA in Communications. After four incredible years in Ann Arbor, Brittany recently moved to Los Angeles, and is excited to be making her West Coast debut in The Last Act of Lilka Kadison.

THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON features an award-winning design team. The Scenic Design is by Melissa Ficociello. The Costume Design is by Ann Closs-Farley. The Lighting Design is by Chris Wojcieszyn. The Sound Design is by Cricket S. Myers. The Toy Theatre Design is by Susan Simpson (Cal Arts Professor and Co-Founder Automata Theatre). The Magic Consultants are Christopher Hart, Brett Schneider and David Regal. The Casting Director is Sandi Logan. The Stage Manager is Ellyn Costello.

This special benefit performance of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON will take place on Saturday, March 29 at 4pm and will include a post-show Q&A with members of the creative team followed by a private dinner. Tickets are $300. Space is limited and reservations are required. Tickets may be purchased by contacting Rachel McKee at RMcKee@lookingglasstheatre.org or at 773-477-9257 ext. 116.

THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON will preview on Wednesday, March 19; Thursday, March 20; Friday, March 21; Saturday, March 22 at 8:00pm; Sunday, March 23 at 4pm; Wednesday, March 26 & Thursday, March 27 at 8pm; will open on Friday, March 28 at 8:00pm and continue through Saturday, April 19, 2014 at the Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Dr. in Burbank.

Performances for THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00pm; Sundays at 4:00pm. Special added performances on Saturday, March 29th (Lookingglass Theatre Benefit) and Saturday, April 5th at 4 pm. Ticket prices range from $29.50 - $57.00 (group discounts are available). For tickets, call the Falcon Theatre Box Office at 818-955-8101 or online at www.falcontheatre.com. For more information, press interviews, photos, or for press comps, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at 818/508-1754 or at DavidElzer@me.com or visit www.demandpr.com.

Lookingglass Theatre Company is the recipient of the 2011 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater. The Last Act of Lilka Kadison received its world premiere there in 2011. Founded in 1988, the company is home to a multi-disciplined collective of artists who create original, story-centered theatre through a physical and improvisational rehearsal process centered on ensemble. Lookingglass has staged more than sixty world premieres and garnered numerous awards in its mission to change, charge and empower audiences and artists alike. Work premiered at Lookingglass has been produced across the United States including New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Berkeley, Philadelphia, Princeton, Hartford, Kansas City, Atlanta, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and St. Louis. Lookingglass' Education and Community programs encourage creativity, teamwork and confidence in thousands of students and community members each year. Lookingglass is located in Chicago's historic landmark Water Tower Water Works on the Magnificent Mile. For more information, visit lookingglasstheatre.org.

Major Support for The Last Act of Lilka Kadison provided by the Righteous Persons Foundation with additional support provided by the NIB Foundation.

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