Interact Theatre Company to Present Pulitzer Prize-Winning Play Series at the Los Angeles Public Library

Prepare to embark on an enthralling journey through some of the greatest plays of the recent past as INTERACT THEATRE COMPANY in partnership with the LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY proudly presents staged readings of five plays that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This exceptional series, which is free to the public, is produced by Barry Heins and Kristen Egermeier and is presented in collaboration with Los Angeles Public Library's esteemed LA MADE cultural enrichment program, with generous support from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. Performances take place beginning in January, 2024 and running the second Saturday of each month through May, 2024, at 2pm at the Studio City Branch Library, 12511 Moorpark Street, Studio City, CA.  Admission is free, and reservations are not required.

 

THE SCHEDULE OF READINGS: 

January 13, 2024 at 2pm – CLYBOURNE PARK by Bruce Norris, directed by Rob Adler.

February 10, 2024 at 2pm – DRIVING MISS DAISY by Alfred Uhry, 

directed by Barry Heins.

March 9, 2024 at 2pm – DISGRACED by Ayad Akhtar, directed by Amie Farrell.

April 13, 2024 at 2pm – BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY by Stephen Adly Guirgis,

directed by Kenneth Meseroll.

May 11, 2024 at 2pm ­– DINNER WITH FRIENDS by Donald Margulies, 

directed by Christina Carlisi.                                                      

ABOUT THE PRODUCERS 

Barry Heins, Artistic Director of Interact Theatre Company (ITC), recently produced and directed the Los Angeles premiere production of Life Sucks., by Aaron Posner at The Broadwater Main Stage. A graduate of The Juilliard School and alumnus of The Acting Company, Heins has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, at leading regional theaters across America, and in film and TV. Los Angeles stage credits include Much Ado About Nothing at the Ford Theater (Drama-Logue Award, Outstanding Performance) and the critically acclaimed ITC productions of Counsellor-At-Law (Ovation Award, Best Ensemble), Other People's Money, and Nice Fish.  He has worked extensively as a voice-over artist, lending his talents to everything from film trailers to political ads, and has been a dialect consultant on Broadway and for PBS. Heins has served on the faculties of several professional actor training conservatories, including NYU Tisch School of the Arts/Playwright's Horizons Theater School and SUNY Purchase College.  His producing credits include two series of ITC staged readings for the Los Angeles Public Library's LA Made cultural enrichment program: "The Pulitzer Prize Winners: Ten Plays from Ten Decades" (dir: You Can't Take It With You and The Great White Hope) and "The Tony Award Winners," which was seen worldwide on BroadwayOnDemand.com during the pandemic. Heins produced and directed two impactful short films for ITC (Faultless and Just Another Birthday in Bedlam), which garnered international recognition and received multiple honors at prestigious film festivals, including a 2021 Bronze and 2022 Gold Telly Award. Both films can be seen on ITC's official YouTube channel, @InteractTheatreCompanyLosAngeles.

 

KRISTEN EGEMEIER, Managing Director of Interact Theatre Company, recently produced the Los Angeles premiere production of “LIFE SUCKS.” by Aaron Posner at The Broadwater Main Stage. Kristen has served as operational support for theatres across the county for the past 15 years, producing, writing, and managing multiple productions on stage and film. As a graduate of Cal State University, Northridge, with a BA in Theatre Arts and a minor in Chemistry, her well-rounded education has combined her love of theatre with her organizational business skills. After working and studying with multiple theatre companies back east, she returned to Los Angeles to dive further into her roles as an actor and operational consultant, with an emphasis on nonprofit organizations. Kristen has aided in administratively supporting and developing multiple theatre and community programs. Her 20 years of experience in management and hands-on roles in accounting, data analytics, editorial writing, and operations management have created her specialty in working with small businesses and nonprofit organizations to develop business practices and streamline financials. A background in industries outside of the theatre world includes environmental research and services, federal and state government services, manufacturing, and GIS data services.

 

Interact Theatre Company is dedicated to bringing bold and captivating ensemble works to the Los Angeles stage, crafting compelling performances encompassing revered world classics and groundbreaking new American plays. By fostering partnerships with esteemed institutions such as the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Performing Arts Division, the Los Angeles Public Library, and the UCLA School of Law, ITC delivers a diverse range of multi-faceted programming, including producing arts education initiatives that foster creativity and empower the futures of underserved youth. To ensure accessibility, most of the company's programs are either low-cost or free of charge, made possible through the generous support of the public, corporations, and government entities. Since 1992, the company has presented over forty full-scale productions of plays and musicals, resulting in an impressive record of 95 performance and production awards and 168 nominations, including prestigious honors from Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, Ovation, Stage Raw, Garland, LA Weekly, Telly, and NAACP Awards.

Los Angeles Public Library's LA MADE cultural enrichment program provides enriching experiences that unite communities and showcase the best in music, dance, theatre, and thought-provoking conversations. 2024 marks Season Eight of the program and its third season of hosting curated staged readings of award-winning plays by L.A.'s renowned Interact Theatre Company (2019/2020: “The Pulitzer Prize Winners, Ten Plays from Ten Decades” at the Amelia Earhart Regional Library; 2022: “The Tony Award Winners” at the Amelia Earhart Regional Library and livestreamed on BroadwayOnDemand.com.)

                                                                                                                                                 

 

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