Geffen Playhouse Presents Nottage's RUINED, 9/15

Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize winning play Ruined, a powerful portrayal of the triumph of the human spirit in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, opens at the Geffen Playhouse on September 15. Ruined, a co-production with Seattle's Intiman Theatre, is the most acclaimed play of 2009 garnering best play honors with a Lucille Lortel Award, Obie Award, New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the inaugural Horton Foote Prize for Outstanding New American Play, in addition to the Pulitzer Prize for drama. Directed by Intiman Theatre Artistic Director Kate Whoriskey, who helmed the acclaimed original production, the company includes Quincy Tyler Bernstine (Salima), Cherise Boothe (Josephine), Russell G. Jones (Christian) and Condola Rashad (Sophie), all of whom originated their roles in the Goodman Theatre/Manhattan Theatre Club world-premiere production, and Portia, who took over the leading role of Mama Nadi during the extended run in New York.

"Both Lynn and I were thrilled to go back into the rehearsal room with Ruined for this co-production between Intiman and the Geffen," says Whoriskey, who collaborated on the development of the play with Nottage for five years. "Ruined was a truly momentous experience for all of us who worked on it, and we are excited to bring back so many of our close collaborators-and artists who are joining us for the first time-to make new explorations into the heart and complexities of the play and the stories that inspired our work."

The Geffen Playhouse opening night festivities, which will take place on Wednesday, September 15, will continue the spirit of the production with entertainment by KCRW deejay Jeremy Sole. Sole, who is also the co-founder and DJ of Afro Funké at The Zanzibar, will be spinning a set of Congolese music throughout the post-show party. Guests will also be treated to food by Ronan Levy catering and a themed cake especially created by Montage Pastry Chef Richard Ruskell.

PRODUCTION HISTORY
Ruined, the third collaboration between playwright Lynn Nottage and director Kate Whoriskey, began with an idea that they might work together on a new adaptation of Brecht's anti-war drama Mother Courage and Her Children that would be set in Congo, where a war over natural resources had been raging for years without attracting significant mainstream media attention-despite being the world's deadliest conflict since World War II, with more than 5.4 million people dead. The violence of the war in Congo is targeted against women and girls, perpetuated through the use of rape as a weapon.

In 2004, Nottage and Whoriskey traveled together to the bordering country of Uganda, where they spent two weeks
interviewing Congolese women who had fled their country and found refuge. Inspired by these women, they abandoned the idea of adapting Mother Courage in order to tell a story that had not yet been heard-a story that would be specific to the complexity of what is happening now. The next year, Nottage returned and interviewed refugees fleeing armed conflicts in Congo, Uganda, Sudan and Somalia. Together with Whoriskey and their collaborators, she developed the play over five years.

Originally commissioned by the Goodman Theatre, Ruined had its world premiere in Chicago in late 2008. A co-production with the Manhattan Theatre Club, it moved to off-Broadway in January 2009, extending eight times during its acclaimed run. While Ruined is one of the most regionally produced plays in the 2010-2011 season, the Intiman Theatre / Geffen Playhouse co-production is the only one featuring members of the original creative team.

To further engage the community to spark subsequent conversation and action surrounding the international issues addressed in Ruined, the Geffen Playhouse is hosting a number of events and partnering with experts in the field. Every Tuesday, the Geffen Playhouse hosts a post-show Talk Back giving patrons the opportunity to delve deeper into the subject matter with the cast and creative team.

On September 28, International Medical Corps will participate in a special Talk Back Tuesday with the cast of Ruined
and Geffen Playhouse Director of Education Debra Pasquerette. An education sponsor for Ruined, International
Medical Corps' humanitarian programs focus on delivering community-based primary health care with an emphasis on
training and education. Since the 1990's International Medical Corps has been providing relief in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, where two decades of bloody civil war have cost more than five million lives, and where sexual
violence is used as a weapon against women and children. This special Talk Back will feature International Medical CorpsPresident and CEO Nancy A. Aossey and focus on first-hand experiences on the ground in Congo and how they relate to the themes discussed in Ruined.
On October 5, Ruined education partner Jewish World Watch will participate in a special Talk Back Tuesday with the cast of Ruined and playwright Lynn Nottage. Jewish World Watch, a hands-on leader in the fight against genocide and mass atrocities, provides opportunities for involvement in tangible local activities that make an immediate impact on the lives of women survivors of rape and brutality in Congo, empowering them to build a better future. Prior to the performance, Jewish World Watch will present its 2010 iWitness Award to Lynn Nottage for her outstanding work and activism related to the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Following the performance, Jewish World Watch Co-Founder and President Janice Kamenir-Reznik and Executive Director Tzivia Schwartz-Getzug will join the cast on stage to discuss the organization's recent visits to and work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In addition to the above partnerships, the Geffen Playhouse is providing patrons with information on various organizations that work directly with the Congolese most affected by the conflict to provide audience members with ways to take action after seeing the show. These include: Eastern Congo Initiative, an advocacy and grant-making initiative which works to foster sustainable change in eastern Congo (www.easterncongo.org); Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University that works to prevent the needless death of women and their families in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (www.jhpiego.net); Panzi Hospital of Bukavu, a Congolese institution that treats surviviors of sexual violence (www.panzihospitalbukavu.org); Program for Torture Victims, the first human rights group of its kind in the United States that provides medical, legal and social services to international victims of torture now living in Los Angeles (www.ptvla.org); Run for Congo Women, a grassroots advocacy group started by author/photographer Lisa Shannon which provides ways that people can get involved from across the globe to show support (www.athousandsisters.com/act); and Women for Women International, which provides women survivors of conflicts the tools and resources to move from crisis to self-sufficiency.

The Geffen Playhouse is also underwriting tickets for nearly 200 students from Title I Los Angeles public schools and community groups such as Animo Locke II Charter High School, Communities in School and LA Mentoring to attend Ruined. In partnership with Jewish World Watch, these students are presented with a study guide outlining key issues of the play before attending the performance and then are invited to participate in post-show discussions with the cast and Geffen Playhouse's director of education, Debra Pasquerette.

Ticket prices range from $35 - $55 for preview performances and from $65 - $75 for the regular run. Tickets are on sale now at the Geffen Playhouse box office, online at www.geffenplayhouse.com or via credit card phone order at (310) 208-5454.

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