Laguna Playhouse Stages I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY, Now thru 2/16

Laguna Playhouse "Theatre For A New Generation" series is honored to present I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY, written by Celeste Raspanti and directed by Donna Inglima for five performances only beginning tonight, February 14 through Saturday, February 16 at the Laguna Playhouse, Moulton Theatre, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd. in Laguna Beach.

Raja was one of the 100 children who survived the Terezin Concentration Camp. She shares her true story of teaching the children to hope by creating a world of flowers and butterflies behind the barbed wire fences. Raja shares her memories of her family, her friends and of the teacher who helped her to heal and survive. Raja also befriends a young man living in the ghetto, Honza. Their friendship blooms despite the danger of the Nazis. Together they unite the segregated boys and girls houses, in the form of a secret newspaper, Vedem. Although Raja's story is full of loss and anguish, it is also alive with love and hope.

Several performances will be followed by a talk-back that will include a presentation and conversation with Holocaust survivors. Guest speakers to include: Ruth Moos and Gary Lenzner.

DONNA INGLIMA (Director) has been on staff since 1998. She's directed over 40 productions for The Playhouse, including the award winning TheatreReach program. Inglima holds an MFA in Theatre from Syracuse University and is a member of Actors' Equity Association and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. She's a former faculty member at Syracuse University, Utica, University, LeMoyne and Saddleback Colleges.

The cast of I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY features young actors from the Laguna Beach and Orange County areas. The cast includes: Shawna Yang, Claire Day, Charlie McClung , Margaret Vandenberghe, Aaron Canter, Ed Gillow Kayla Oldfield, Jennifer Pearce, Hailey Dennis, Sydney Miller, Sander Kushen, Steven Harvey Hirsch, Wally Ziegler, Ed Gillow and in Ensemble roles: Emily Baker, Rudy Buttlar, Molly Cohn , Jordan Jessen, Natalie Laderer, Emily Muilenburg, Kayla Oldfield, Grace Sauers, Maggie Sonenshine, Wills Spangler, Chloe Sullivan, Isabella Vermeer and Siena Yusi.

The Scenic Design is by Jim Prodger. The Lighting Design is by Glenn Powell. The Sound Design is by Corinne Carrillo.

I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY will perform on Thursday, February 14 at 10am; Friday, February 15 at 10am & 7:00pm and Saturday February 16 1pm & 5pm at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Tickets are $12.50 and can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787) x 1. Group and school discount tickets are available by calling Kathy Bonner at (949) 497-ARTS (2787) x 229.

The box office is open Tuesdays - Sundays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (open until 8 pm on performance days).

For more information on all shows and programming visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com. Laguna Playhouse is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Founded in 1920, The Laguna Playhouse is one of the oldest continuously-operating theatres on the West Coast. In 2011, The Laguna Playhouse was honored at the Laguna Spirit Awards and received The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce Premiere Business of the Year award. More than 100,000 theatergoers annually attend performances at the Laguna Playhouse. Its continued artistic excellence, audience popularity and critical acclaim have helped make The Playhouse one of Southern California's most important nonprofit theatre companies. The Playhouse has produced national tours of The Belle of Amherst (with Julie Harris) and Copenhagen, and has presented many world, national and regional premieres.

Over the years, the Laguna Playhouse has garnered numerous awards from LA Drama Critics Circle, NAACP, Backstage, OC Weekly, and many more, and was named Best Arts Organization by ArtsOC. Notable performers that have performed at The Laguna Playhouse include Bette Davis, Harrison Ford, Charles Durning, Marlo Thomas, Roddy McDowell, Rita Rudner, Cloris Leachman, and Sally Struthers.

The Laguna Playhouse is noted for its Youth Theater Education and Outreach programs. In 1989, its Youth Theater was recognized as "Outstanding Children's Theatre" by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. The theater's touring production, TheatreReach, brings books to life on stage for elementary school children throughout southern California and has been recognized by the Orange County Department of Education and Arts Orange County for ' Outstanding' Contributions.

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